• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • youtube
  • instagram
  • yelp

Subsidiary of EtaxService.com | Support Hotline: 877-ETAX-123 | 877-382-9123

Expatriate Tax Returns

Expatriate Tax Returns

  • Home
  • About Us
    • Expatriate FAQ for Tax Filing
    • Testimonials
    • Leave a Comment
  • Services
    • Individual Tax Returns
    • Business Tax Returns
    • Estates and Trusts
    • FBARS and FORM 8938
    • Non-Filers and Late Filers
    • Audit Assistance
    • What We Need
  • Pricing
    • Privacy/Payment Policies
  • Tax Resources
    • Tax Forms and Documents
    • Expat White Paper
    • Expat Tax Guide
  • Blog
  • Contact Us
  • Pay Bill

Repatriating Back to America

September 5, 2012

Repatriating Back to America

Meet Debra, she spent almost 14 years in England and is now back in the USA! Here is her story:

Why I went abroad – to be with Lewis. Not necessarily to marry Lewis but we knew if we wanted to stay together we would need to marry within the six months of a normal tourist visa. I had only taken leave, not quit, so I could have gone back, but we decided to try it and got married five months into my stay at the Hinckley Registry Office.

I went back to the US mainly because I lost my job. Things were not great in our marriage. My husband had quit working some 10 years ago due to disabilities. He didn’t really need care, but had become increasingly difficult to live with. Also, he had taken up parrot rescuing, and even though the parrots are adorable, they are also hard to live with. I thought I had a better shot at finding a job in Minneapolis, and I missed my friends and my church. So I think I made the right decision.

For me the hardest part about living abroad was being so far from my family. I am the oldest of six, our parents are still alive and I have two grown children and one grandchild. When I first moved to England, my kids were 17 and 21 and when I moved back they were 32 and 36. And my grand-daughter was born while I lived abroad, but fortunately I was able to be in Minneapolis for the birth.

For Americans planning to move abroad, I would say, find financial, legal and tax advice and don’t assume you know the rules or even know how to find them on your own. Learn to speak the language, especially in the workplace. Even if it’s English, it’s not the same English, and there are cases where your innocent Americanisms will lower your esteem in the eyes of colleagues. Do your best to fit in, and people will warm to you.

There are some things British people like about Americans, such as your accent and your can-do attitude to work and your lets-do-this attitude to fun and adventure. Play to your American strengths and identify and fix your American weaknesses. See all the lovely things here and on the continent while you are here. There is so much to do in Britain you don’t need to go anywhere else for fun, but if you can, do that too.

For Americans moving back to the USA, I say: You really cannot go home again. It’s a different country from the one I left.

I am now a dual citizen; I became naturalized just before I left. I love having that little air of Britishness and worldly sophistication now that I have been a longtime expat. I can tell people all about the NHS, the trains, the holidays, the food, the television. There are a lot of things about the UK that I miss, but with the internet it’s a much smaller world, so I can still stay in touch, and hopefully I will be back for a visit, if not for a spell of my retirement.

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: American Expats

Primary Sidebar

Blog Archive

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 1,841 other subscribers

Footer

Contact Information

Expatriate Tax Returns
Phone: 1-877-ETAX-123 (382-9123)
Fax: 561-516-6261

Corporate Office (Florida)
7865 Palencia Way, Delray Beach, FL 33446

Satellite Office (Michigan)
20164 Goddard Rd, Taylor, MI 48180

Satellite Office (UK)
16 Malvern Court, Onslow Square
London, UK SW7 3HU

Contact Us

Refer A Friend

Services

  • Individual Tax Returns
  • Business Tax Returns
  • Estates and Trusts
  • FBARS and FORM 8938
  • Non-Filers and Late Filers
  • Audit Assistance
  • What We Need

Latest News

The Importance Of Form 8992: A Guide For Taxpayers

How to Deal With Your Taxes When You Are Unemployed

Expatriate Tax Returns Wishes you a Happy New Year 2023

Copyright © 2023 Expatriate Tax Returns · Privacy Policy · Site by OMA Comp
Subsidiary of EtaxService.com