Meet our Board — TFFAA Treasurer Robert Mack

Robert Mack

TFFAA Treasurer and co-founder and a Colorado voter.

Could you share a brief introduction, including your professional background and current role?

Hi, my name is Robert Mack and I am a US citizen who grew up in the United States but has spent most of my adult life living overseas.  Not long after I graduated from Duke University in 1991, I moved to Brussels, Belgium initially for a six-month internship in the EU institutions.

Little did I know then, but what started as six months, has turned into a lifetime.  As professional opportunities presented themselves and personal relationships developed, I build a career and family – indeed a life – overseas.

Over the ensuing 33 years, I have build a career in corporate affairs and sustainability mostly in Brussels but I have also lived in Istanbul and Dubai.

What motivated you to join the TFFAA board?

When I moved abroad all those years ago, it was not part of some master plan.  I was just following my passions and my heart.  One thing lead to another. Life took over.  I wasn’t thinking about practical things like taxes, banking or anything else.

But all of a sudden, I had a life overseas, a French wife, and three amazing French-American kids growing up multiculturally. And I had all the burdens and challenges that come from the US system of citizen based taxation – regular filing requirements in the US in addition to where I was living, other reporting requirements such as Fatca and Fbar,  accounting fees, challenges opening bank accounts and investing, and additional taxes to pay that I would not have if the US had residence based taxation like most countries. 

Also as my kids are now starting their careers, I see the challenges that citizen based taxation will cause them as dual nationals even though they have never lived in the United States.

So, when I realized I could help do something to change this – as part of a highly qualified team of people – I was happy to do so.

Why do you support ending CBT?

Lots of reasons!  I don’t think Americans who choose to live abroad should be penalized for that choice.  We are not living in the US and consuming most government services or benefits funded by those taxes.  In fact, most Americans who live abroad don’t have to pay any US tax at all, but still have costly requirements and the myriad other challenges I’ve mentioned.

Why do you support the Residence-Based Taxation for Americans Abroad Act, introduced by Representative Darin LaHood?

For the first time, this proposal takes a pragmatic approach aimed at solving the problems experienced by overseas Americans.  It has been widely supported by leading tax advocacy groups from across the political spectrum.  It recognizes that the current system creates unnecessary requirements on overseas Americans, and generates very little tax revenue for the US government thereby generating a very low ROI for the IRS given the resources it requires. This creates potential legal risk and obligations for many overseas Americans who many not fully understand their obligations, especially kids born overseas to American parents but who have never lived in the US.

In your opinion, what makes TFFAA unique?

TFFAA is the first organization that has brought together leading experts and advocacy groups from across the political spectrum around a set of ideas that  can be supported by both Democrats and Republicans. Its sole objective is getting a solution on this issue.  As TFFAA’s Treasurer, I would be remiss if I did not point out that TFFAA is 100% driven by volunteers and donations.  As it is tax season, many will be acutely aware of the money we have to spend on filing tax returns.  Wouldn’t it be a good a idea to donate a few hundred now – and encourage others to do so -- to help get rid of these burdens in the future?