Living abroad paying local taxes

[sylvainmetz]

I am an American citizen who has been living in Germany for 14 years. I pay German taxes and have a German tax number. Yet when I go to fill out my tax information, the system asks me for my American tax information. That's just wrong. In this day and time, why can platforms and institutions realize that, like me, millions of people live and work outside their home country and thus pay local taxes. Wouldn't it be easy just to add a box that says, 1) I am an NATIONALITY box listing countries, followed by a second box 2) that says, I am a resident of COUNTRY., and again, a box allows you to pick the country where you live. That would then direct us to complete the right information so we can work and be paid. And, honestly, I shouldn't be shut out of American jobs just because I choose to live abroad.

[feed_my_eyes]

---

Sylvain M wrote:

I am an American citizen who has been living in Germany for 14 years. I pay German taxes and have a German tax number. Yet when I go to fill out my tax information, the system asks me for my American tax information. That's just wrong. In this day and time, why can platforms and institutions realize that, like me, millions of people live and work outside their home country and thus pay local taxes. Wouldn't it be easy just to add a box that says, 1) I am an NATIONALITY box listing countries, followed by a second box 2) that says, I am a resident of COUNTRY., and again, a box allows you to pick the country where you live. That would then direct us to complete the right information so we can work and be paid. And, honestly, I shouldn't be shut out of American jobs just because I choose to live abroad.

---

And yet, those are the rules. Your location listed on Upwork is supposed to reflect where you actually live, not your nationality. 

[sylvainmetz]

Thanks. I have now updated my profile.

[c001e6dc]

I am also am an American living in Germany - when I try and verify with my US passport, it says my passport doesn't match my address. It won't, I am an American and I live in Germany.  How can I verfy my location? 

[JoanneP]

Hi Salvatore,

We’ve escalated your community post to a support ticket. One of our agents will be in touch with you soon to assist.