About the Author

I am an expat who has lived in Israel for 20 years. One day, back on the 29th of April 2011, while out for an evening stroll with my wife, Nurit, we stopped off at out mailbox and found a letter from the IRS “inviting” me to participate in a “random compliance research examination” for my tax return from 2008. This is what accountants call an audit from hell. I immediately telephoned the IRS agent listed as the writer of this form letter and spent an hour hitting my head against the wall. They sent this letter with a six page form listing just about every possible document that they wanted to substantiate just about every line on my tax return. This intimidation included the demand for “certified translations” of each and every document. I went into a deep depression, even including suicidal ideations. Three days later is was in the emergency room of my local hospital with an attack of acute appendicitis requiring surgical treatment. To this day, I maintain that my appendicitis was causally related to the attack on my by the IRS. The other result of the audit was my beginning to write this blog, trying to bring to light an unfair and exaggerated attack by the U.S. government on honest, law-abiding expats.

I am not an accountant, nor a lawyer, so I do not pretend to give advice. I would be happy to speak to anyone seeking direction or guidance if anyone wants to commiserate. You may contact me at kovnat@gmail.com
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