Meet our Board — Doris Speer, President of the Association of Americans Resident Overseas

Doris Speer

We are delighted to begin this interview series with Doris Speer, President of the Association of Americans Resident Overseas. Doris is a dedicated member of the TFFAA board. We particularly value her legal expertise and in-depth understanding of the issue.

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

I am a lawyer by training, a member of the bars of the States of New York and Michigan. I have worked as an “avocate” in major New York City law firms (starting out my career in NYC at Shearman & Sterling), and as a “juriste” in France. My last position in France was as Deputy General Counsel – Mergers & Acquisitions for the Alstom Group, a French industrial multinational company, at which I was responsible for all legal aspects of the Alstom Group's worldwide M&A activity. I am now a legal instructor teaching classes for associations and companies on the drafting and negotiation of international contracts. I am also the President of the Association of Americans Resident Overseas (AARO), an international, non-partisan, non-profit association which seeks fair treatment for Americans abroad by advocating to the U.S. Congress and Administration the issues that negatively affect their lives.

What motivated you to join the TFFAA board?

I thought that Fabien Lehagre’s idea to put together the leaders of overseas organizations and RBT adherents on one Board of one association focussed on one topic was a brilliant idea and I wanted to be part of that. AARO has a broader mandate; we focus not only on taxation but also on banking, financial reporting, citizenship, voting, U.S. Social Security and Medicare. I had wanted AARO to do more RBT advocacy and TFFAA seemed to be a good way for me to achieve that. I also wanted to work with people who were knowledgeable and energetic on the topic.

Why do you support ending CBT?

I could write an entire paper on that. But to be succinct: Because I think that it is unfair; people shouldn’t have to declare to the United States, nor pay taxes on, income earned outside the United States. Also, personally, I have been double taxed.

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

The Act will help many Americans abroad avoid declaring their overseas income and/or paying taxes on it, although we must be cognizant that it won’t solve the problem for everyone. The electivity of RBT in the Act makes it attractive.

In your opinion, what makes TFFAA unique?

The fact that it is laser-focused entirely on one topic, RBT, and that it joins together a group of true experts in the field. Also, TFFAA works in a very collaborative, non-partisan manner and has chosen an excellent advisor to assist us, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck.