Somalii income tax on Diaspora

[SomaliPhilosopher]

Lets face it, the Somali government is in need of money. And its not like we do not pay taxes to Somalia. We do informally through our dahabshill and hundreds of the money transfers. But what what about a tax on you collected by the Somali government? What services, conditions or provisions would you demand in return? How would you feel/respond?

 

Think about it, instead of sending unsustainable money to our relatives. The money instead is given to the government to create programs and public services ie schools, roads, jobs, health services.. These will serve your relatives with much greater benefits than this monthly "biil" and perhaps you and your children one day.

 

P.S. The U.S. taxes all of its citizens no matter where they live.

[oba hiloowlow]

I agree this 'biil' is mashruuc walaahay, my family stopped giving it long time ago.

[Tallaabo]

The tax will just be more money going into their pockets. What sort of tax do the American citizens pay while abroad? That is new to me!!

[Tillamook]

^

If you live abroad you've got to file your income tax return. I have several buddies who moved back home who hadn't filed tax returns while they were away. When they returned to the US to renew their passports, the state dept refused to issue them passports, until they cleared a hold put in by the IRS. They called IRS and claimed yada yada about not earning any income, but regardless they were informed that they still had to file their income tax returns each year no matter what. Anyway it took some time to sort out their issues with IRS and finally get their passports. A delay they were not too happy about because they had urgent business they had to return to in Africa.

 

Now for the topic at hand, whether we in the diaspora aught to pay some tax to the fledgling new government of Somalia, I believe is utter nonsense. I don't live there, so it isn't my business. Now if you instead asked whether we in the diaspora should pay charity to help out the government which will be voluntary, then I'd support you 100%. Besides that, the people in Somalia are an enough tax base, and all the government has to do is build the right institutions of governance needed to collect taxes and to show accountability for the revenue it will collect.

[Tallaabo]

^ So the American citizens in the UK pay income tax twice!! To the UK treasury and to the US IRS!! Is it a policy to stop Americans from emigragting from the US?

[Blessed]

I don't trust any Somali government to do for my family. As Somali diaspora we fork out more than we should for the development of public services in the home country due to governments musuqmaasiq. That said, I'm British cid kale oo aan tax siinayo ma jirto lol

[Tillamook]

Tallaabo;918521 wrote:

^ So the American citizens in the UK pay income tax twice!! To the UK treasury and to the US IRS!! Is it a policy to stop Americans from emigragting from the US?

Yes.. if you are a U.S citizen that lives and works in the U.K then you are considered a U.K resident. Ergo, you must file two returns each year: One to HM revenue & Customs, and one to the IRS because you are a U.S. citizen. The good this is that it doesn't necessarily mean you'll have to pay taxes to both countries but depending on how much you earn, and whether or not you are a genuine U.K resident you may exclude up to $95k or so, and other deductions from income for US tax purposes( http://www.irs.gov/publications/p54/ar01.html#en_US_2012_publink100047290).