>As an American making the same money as your non-american co-worker you are left with a lot less just for having a US passport. This is not quite so clear cut

>As an American making the same money as your non-american co-worker you are left with a lot less just for having a US passport. This is not quite so clear cut. Yes, as an American working and living abroad you've got the privelege of forever dealing with the IRS/FBAR, some banks who simply won't talk to you because you're American, and probably an expensive tax professional to sort it all out for you so you avoid the devastating penalties for screwing it up. But, most people won't actually be paying anything to the US government. I'm strongly opposed to taxation by citizenship, but let's not give the impression that everyone who lives abroad is paying twice.