Americans Abroad

DFW

(56,896 posts)

42. That should exceed any age limit for sure!

Sat Feb 21, 2015, 01:19 PM

Feb 2015

But look out for the tax issue. When it comes to taxes, the Germans can forget that 70 years have elapsed since they were allowed to just take anything they felt like from private people. The tax authorities are among the few agencies here still allowed to break down your door at 3:00 in the morning because they suspect you of hiding an extra €10 somewhere that you haven't declared. All European governments are operating at a deficit right now, and Germany is under a lot of pressure to pay for everyone else. Their tax authorities are, in turn, under a lot of pressure to take in as much as they possibly can, and if that means ignoring rules and laws, well, if they aren't challenged by their victims, then they get away with it, and get a pat on the back as well. Some of them are reasonable, more are extremely mean, and all of them are virtually unchallengeable, and, unless they behead family members on live TV, they cannot be fired.

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I'm thinking of moving to Europe [View all] RoccoR5955 Dec 2014 OP

I'd seriously consider it too, elleng Dec 2014 #1

I dream of it daily. I have been to Europe 15 times or so CurtEastPoint Dec 2014 #2

I understand your feelings completely..I've also been to Europe whathehell Dec 2014 #10

I have never encountered any. I speak the languages so CurtEastPoint Dec 2014 #11

Okay..Thanks for your input. n/t whathehell Dec 2014 #12

Good to hear. whathehell Feb 2015 #28

What little "Anti-Americanism" there is evaporates if you speak their language DFW Feb 2015 #18

That is so true. cbayer Feb 2015 #25

That is SO true GP6971 Feb 2015 #32

I love your thank you story. cbayer Feb 2015 #34

Thanks! GP6971 Feb 2015 #37

Very cool. Never been there. cbayer Feb 2015 #39

I'm Croatian on one side and have the right to dual citizenship, & so am learning Croatian whathehell Feb 2015 #35

I studied Russian DFW Feb 2015 #40

Right.. whathehell Feb 2015 #44

I found myself understanding quite a bit when I was in Croatia DFW Feb 2015 #47

Malta is an English speaking country WhiteTara Dec 2014 #3

World history is filled with people leaving their Lint Head Dec 2014 #4

Scroll down for online Dutch lessons ... eppur_se_muova Dec 2014 #5

Thanks for the link RoccoR5955 Dec 2014 #6

I found Swedish to be more similar to English than Dutch DFW Feb 2015 #22

I hope you are able to do it. cbayer Dec 2014 #7

Thank you for the link RoccoR5955 Dec 2014 #8

We've traveled a good deal esp. to Europe and England where I was a student. appalachiablue Dec 2014 #9

You can't just "move to Europe," unfortunately Lydia Leftcoast Dec 2014 #13

I can marry someone over there too, RoccoR5955 Dec 2014 #14

There is nothing to prevent you from marrying a European DFW Feb 2015 #21

Thanks for that RoccoR5955 Feb 2015 #23

It sounds like your Nederlands is coming along fine DFW Feb 2015 #24

You say you can get an ancestry visa with a German Grandparent?..My spouse has Four whathehell Dec 2014 #15

I live in Germany, although I don't want citizenship DFW Feb 2015 #20

Thank you for all your good information.. whathehell Feb 2015 #27

You can, but you had better consider all consequences of that. DFW Feb 2015 #36

Thanks again, my husband and I are unlikely to have any problems whathehell Feb 2015 #38

That should exceed any age limit for sure! DFW Feb 2015 #42

Wow.. whathehell Feb 2015 #45

The tax authorities have the closest powers to the old Gestapo that you can get in today's Germany DFW Feb 2015 #48

As to seniors, if I'm not mistaken, at least some European countries will let whathehell Dec 2014 #16

The "one grandparent" rule is used a lot, sometimes abused DFW Feb 2015 #19

I also have been living overseas davidpdx Dec 2014 #17

I would, if I had money shenmue Feb 2015 #26

I have worked in Denmark, Holland, and Japan, and was always told that it was American policy that djean111 Feb 2015 #29

The Dutch speak great English. Transition can be gradual on point Feb 2015 #30

I feel as if I'm already in another country on the West Coast Auggie Feb 2015 #31

You have to learn Dutch to become a citizen of the Netherlands? yeoman6987 Feb 2015 #33

My son married an Eastern European woman, and has a second passport from his English mother. NBachers Feb 2015 #41

Ir Republicans take the White House... 3catwoman3 Feb 2015 #43

LOL! whathehell Feb 2015 #46

Sounds Good JohnKKR Mar 2015 #49