4 ms·
How do I benefit from a country while not being in it?
by eatbitseveryday 6y ago
How do I benefit from a country while not being in it?
- ceejayoz 6y agoThe right to return and still be eligible for things like Social Security and Medicare.
- ryan_j_naughton 6y agoYour social security benefits are derived, in part, from how much you paid in on your top earning years. Thus, if you didn't pay in you would have very very very little social security (which is already too small of a benefit to live off of). Thus, I don't think there is a moral hazard of social security that would cause people to return to the US for those benefits. They could amend the law (not sure if it's specifics) that you have to pay in a minimum amount if you want to be paid out while living in another country. Simple fix to remove any poorly aligned incentive. Medicare is much trickier as every American over 65 is entitled to it, but I'm not sure how that coverage works if you live outside the US.
- NonEUCitizen 6y agoSocial Security is not tied to US citizenship. A foreigner who has worked in the US enough years (and paid into Social Security during those years) can move back home and receive Social Security benefits upon retirement.
- herbst 6y agoI have that too with an EU country i was born in. Yet i never paid taxes or anything to there
- throwaway98797 6y agoUS embassies are in many countries.
- herbst 6y agoAny embassy is in pretty much any country? Assuming a semi rich western country
- scrose 6y agoWell, in the US, one benefit is being able to freely travel to many other countries without needing to go through a months long visa application process.
- herbst 6y agoMy european passport opens a lot more doors, yet i dont pay taxes to the EU as i dont live there.
- JacobDotVI 6y agoThe US Marines have been known to evacuate US citizens from foreign countries if war breaks out. Think of your taxes as an insurance premium for global personal safety.
- nradov 6y agoIn theory if you get kidnapped by terrorists or something then the US government might try to rescue you.
- throwaway13337 6y agoKidnapped Americans have much worse outcomes on average than other country citizens. This is because the US makes it illegal for families to pay ransoms. As with most things international, not being American is an asset in such a situation. https://www.newamerica.org/international-security/policy-papers/pay-ransom-or-not/ https://www.newamerica.org/international-security/policy-pap...
- herbst 6y agoIf i moved away from the us because i misstrust them or whatever reason why would i care about their rescue? I never thought about my born Country is going to help with anything as i moved away and pay taxes somewhere else. I rather be rescued to “home“
- nradov 6y agoIn that case you should probably renounce your US citizenship. https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/travel-legal-considerations/us-citizenship/Renunciation-US-Nationality-Abroad.html https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/travel-lega...
- trisiak 6y agoCountry's passport has a value in itself. The one from the US enables you to leverage international travel treaties and visa arrangements. Just answering your question, not making a point on whether taxation is the correct way for US to "cover" for those benefits.