[graeme]

The IRS is a nightmare to deal with abroad. I'm Canadian, do not owe any US tax returns. Once, they thought I did because a payee filed the wrong form.

Took three years to resolve. I had to physically visit an IRS office while on a trip to confirm it, because email, mail, and phone communications all resulted in form replies.

In fact, the IRS office couldn't even confirm it. All they could confirm is that there no longer were asking for a return.

Wait times of over an hour by phone. And incredibly complicated forms to figure out.

There's a reason people are paying $3000 to avoiding it. Not even getting into the banking difficulties for Americans abroad.