IMPORTANT Reading re:Estate Taxes and Wives

[Dan]

http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2002/0318/184.html

The long and the short of it seems to be the only way to protect your wife from the US Government taxing your estate (upon your death) is if she becomes a US citizen. If she remains a citizen of her home country, they will tax the sh!t out of your estate and she will be left with substantially less.

Something to think about.

- Dan

[wsbill]

... in response to IMPORTANT Reading re:Estate Taxes and Wi..., posted by Dan on Mar 7, 2002

With the sole idea of keeping that moola out of the gov't hands.

[BrianN]

... in response to Re: What about putting your money in a T..., posted by wsbill on Mar 8, 2002

[hockeybrain]

... in response to IMPORTANT Reading re:Estate Taxes and Wi..., posted by Dan on Mar 7, 2002

Good information.  Check out the sayings in the back of the issue as well.

[BubbaGump]

... in response to IMPORTANT Reading re:Estate Taxes and Wi..., posted by Dan on Mar 7, 2002

I think it's 9 years for foreigners that move to the US but is it any faster for RW.

[Mike]

... in response to How long does citizenship take for RW?, posted by BubbaGump on Mar 7, 2002

If she marries and files for adjustment she must wait for an interview before getting a stamp in her passport that is equal to the conditional green card.(now the citizenship clock starts ticking )Depending on where you live will determain when you'll get your interview and when the actual card will arrive in the mail. If the person has a green card of any nature and joins the military they can get citizenship in 3 years. If married it's about 3 years later that they can apply. If married and gets a divorce after getting conditional green card she/he must wait 5 years like anyone else that has a green card other then through marriage. A point to make is if your wife gets a conditional stamp in her passport and you happen to live somewhere that is fast and your interview was done 3 or 4 months after getting married, at that time she can divorce you and there's no need to wait 2 years if she can convence the INS the marriage was made in good faith, but she'll have to wait an extra 2 years to apply for citizen ship.
Mike

[Mike]

... in response to Re: How long does citizenship take for R..., posted by Mike on Mar 9, 2002

When I said she needn't wait 2 years toward the bottom of my post I was talking about the myth of putting on her running shoes and needing to wait 2 years to do so.
Mike

[Jeff S]

... in response to How long does citizenship take for RW?, posted by BubbaGump on Mar 7, 2002

5 years residence in the US for all resident aliens except those married to a US citizen. In that case it's 3 years.

- Jeff S.

[Dan]

... in response to How long does citizenship take for RW?, posted by BubbaGump on Mar 7, 2002

n/t

[BubbaGump]

... in response to 3 Years After Receiving the Green Card  ..., posted by Dan on Mar 7, 2002

Under 1 year typically?

[KenC]

... in response to And how long for the green card?, posted by BubbaGump on Mar 7, 2002

Bubba,
We applied for Lena's green card while still living in Michigan.  Unfortunatly, we moved to CA before being called for her interview.  After waiting for the paperwork to be transfered, we were called for the interview 2 weeks before our 2nd aniversary.  We opted to reschedule the interview so that we could skip the 2 year "conditional" status.
KenC

[Rags]

... in response to And how long for the green card?, posted by BubbaGump on Mar 7, 2002

We just filed in Sacramento last week and were told that the interview would be in 4-6 months. No telling how long after that until the "green card" is actually issued.

Cost for wife and child : $760. Advanced Parole, if needed, will be $110/person and take 4-8 weeks to process.

[BubbaGump]

... in response to Re:  how long for the green card?, posted by Rags on Mar 8, 2002

I know a wife would need a green card to work but if your wife is not going to work, is the main incentive for a green card to speed up the citizen process?

[Jeff S]

... in response to What is the incentive for a green card?, posted by BubbaGump on Mar 8, 2002

.. she MUST have a green card. A green card (actually pink these days) is a permanent resident alien permit allowing her to live in the US. Once her status is adjusted she will be issued a conditional green card (you can't opt out) for two years. Then, if you two are still married, you'll have another interview and she will be issued a permanent resident alien (green) card. It's not something that's nice to have or something you get just to speed up citizenship. It's not necessary for her to become a citizen, particualrly if you don't have a large estate. I know people who have been here 40 years and are not citizens - they still have the green, green card, and they are not ever planning to become citizens.

-- Jeff S.

[BubbaGump]

... in response to For her to live here legally..., posted by Jeff S on Mar 8, 2002

I would be affected (or rather she would be) so that why I kept asking.