A Primer on AARO

Who We Are, What We Do and How We Do It

Johanna Dishongh, Fred Einbinder, Laura Snyder, Paul Atkinson, Doris Speer

Motivations Behind AARO’s Establishment

In the early 1970s Americans abroad were faced with numerous obstacles to the full exercise of their rights as citizens, such as:

• Archaic voting laws made voting by absentee ballot almost or totally impossible
• Children born abroad to an American parent were denied U.S. citizenship because of unmet residency requirements
• Young adults lost their U.S. citizenship because of similar residency requirements
• Americans who acquired another nationality were stripped of their U.S. citizenship
• U.S. embassies would not hire local Americans

Faced with these injustices, a small group of American women founded AARO in 1973. As a result of their efforts and those of others, these problems have been partially alleviated.

AARO, headquartered in Paris, France, has become a global, non-partisan, non-profit volunteer association with members in over 45 countries on 6 continents, advocating in the areas of citizenship, taxation, banking, financial reporting, voting, Social Security and Medicare. We celebrated the 50th anniversary of our founding in 2023.

AARO’s mission is to build awareness in the U.S. of the issues affecting Americans overseas and the inequities regarding their fiscal and civil rights; to seek fair treatment for Americans abroad by the U.S. government; and to inform our members of issues affecting them and of their rights and responsibilities as American citizens

AARO’s motto is “Americans Helping Americans Abroad.”

Strategies to Expand AARO’s Reach Around the World

We strive to increase our visibility. AARO Directors are writing more and more on our issues; some have been published in prestigious publications. AARO is consulted more and more by news organizations to speak on overseas American issues. In September 2023, AARO filed an amicus curiae brief with the Supreme Court of the United States on an important taxation case, Charles G. Moore, et al. v. United States., and, in October 2024, AARO participated with other organizations in an amicus curiae brief that was filed in a Pennsylvania Federal Court in support of the voting rights of overseas Americans. We will continue to write and speak. Our goal is to be “top of mind” when it comes to overseas American issues.

For our outreach, web-based technology is an invaluable tool. Webinars, Meetups and Zoom have become regular features of event planning. Our meetings are hybrid (in-person and online) when feasible. We have increased our online presence, and have a growing network of followers on social media with Facebook, LinkedIn, X and Meetup. The AARO website contains a wealth of resources to highlight our advocacy and provide information for members and non-members alike.

We find that our unique health insurance plan, discussed below, is a good tool to encourage potential members to take a look at AARO. AARO’s Directors, who live in several countries – France, Taiwan, China, India and the U.S. – also do outreach for us.

Engagement by AARO to Ensure its Members’ Voices are Heard and Represented

AARO uses web-based technology, which greatly helps us to engage with members worldwide. During Covid, we moved to Zoom for our meetings, and have continued to use this technology to hold events, meetings and seminars both virtually and physically, as we see that this helps us engage better with those members outside our home base. We have instituted online voting at our Annual General Meetings so members worldwide can now easily vote absentee.

In the fall of 2020, we conducted a comprehensive survey of our members and other expatriates to aid us in our advocacy efforts. Its 70 questions covered the topics of FATCA, banking, investment and retirement accounts, taxation, Social Security, Medicare, voting, U.S. citizen services, passport renunciation and representation in Congress. The results of the survey were very informative and gave us fuller insights into our members’ issues, which we then used in our advocacy going forward. We had asked respondents to make specific comments, and we received thousands of comments, rich in details, real human stories. We wrote a Survey Series of 11 articles informing our members of the results of the survey and providing context and background on these issues. In 2023, we used the results of this survey, as well as the results of another survey conducted by an AARO Director for another organization, in our Dear 535 Campaign, whereby we wrote a letter to each member of Congress, with comments of their constituents attached, to highlight the difficulties faced by overseas Americans.

In our News & Views (bi-weekly newsletter distributed worldwide) we often ask for input and feedback. We welcome input from all members wherever they live.

AARO held a Town Hall meeting in the spring of 2024 (online to encourage worldwide participation), during which we summarized our priorities for the coming year and asked for input. We received several comments and suggestions, which we are implementing.

AARO advocates for all Americans abroad wherever they live.

Support Services AARO Provides to Members

AARO’s mission includes informing its members of the issues affecting them and of their rights and responsibilities as American citizens. To satisfy this mission:

• Throughout the year AARO organizes educational seminars on such vital topics as taxation, absentee voting, citizenship, banking, estate planning, and Social Security / Medicare. We also publicize seminars of interest held by third party providers.
• AARO has an "Ask an Expert" feature on its website whereby members and potential members could ask for advice on various topics: Tax, banking, Social Security, Medicare, voting, etc.
• AARO publishes its informative News & Views on a bi-weekly basis, which keeps members informed of policy updates, current events, topics of interest and relevant articles.
• On AARO’s website one can find videos of past events and a host of other information.
• AARO hosts social events (Meetups), during which members exchange stories and overseas experiences with each other.
• Members engage with each other on our various social media platforms, monitored by AARO’s Social Media Coordinator.

While AARO typically focuses on the “hard” (i.e., substantive) issues, such as laws and regulations in the areas of tax, banking, citizenship and voting, we recognize that Americans abroad also face challenges involving family, local customs, distance and separation. So, we created a new webpage entitled “Living Abroad,” which has a "Stories from Abroad" section to focus on these “softer” (i.e., practical, emotional) issues.

This webpage is being populated more and more to provide our members with practical information, such as U.S. government contacts and travel tips. The “Stories from Abroad” section of this webpage showcases articles, including those written by our members, addressing challenges Americans face when living abroad, including adjustment issues for those immersed in new countries and cultures.

AARO’s Health Insurance Plan

Since 1987 AARO has provided a reasonably priced medical insurance plan designed for Americans resident outside the U.S. The health plan is backed by the internationally recognized insurer Groupama GAN Vie and administered by MSH International, which operates worldwide 24/7 with 5 regional centers around the world. The health plan was created to meet the unique needs of Americans living abroad. It is open to AARO members and their immediate family members.

Top features of the health plan include:

• Availability in almost every country worldwide
• English-speaking representatives to assist members worldwide
• Easily portable (with few conditions) if you move from one country to another outside the U.S.
• Possibility to have two countries of residence for reimbursement purposes
• Emergency medical coverage in non-resident countries, including the U.S.
• Coverage in the U.S. for up to 30 non-consecutive days per year.
• No age limit
• No annual limit of benefits
• Competitive family pricing and third child coverage without charge

There are three choices in the level of benefits: Hospitalization only, medical coverage, and comprehensive (medical plus dental and optical coverage). Different rates of reimbursement can also be chosen. The plan can provide comprehensive coverage or, in France, Belgium, Austria and the Czech Republic, be used as a supplement to the national medical insurance system.

More information can be found here: AARO Health Plan

AARO’s Legislative Priorities

As part of its advocacy, AARO monitors legislation that is proposed in the House of Representatives and the Senate for their impact on Americans abroad. We then publicize on our website the bills that we think are important. Below are the top bills that we supported in 118th Congress (Jan. 2023 – Jan. 2025), and why:

In the tax area

• “Tax Simplification Act” (H.R. 5432), intended to create a short form tax return, expand the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion, and consolidate FBAR reporting into FATCA
• “CLEAR Act of 2023” (H.R. 3789), which would require Treasury to submit proposed or temporary regulations to the National Taxpayer Advocate (NTA) for comment and to consider the NTA’s comments
• Introduced in the waning hours of the 118th Congress, the “Residence-Based Taxation for Americans Abroad Act,” which would permit an American living abroad to elect to terminate residency for Federal income tax purposes while maintaining U.S. citizenship
• “Stop Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act” (S. 4057), which would postpone certain tax filing deadlines for U.S. nationals and their spouses who are unlawfully or wrongfully detained abroad or held hostage abroad.

On banking issues

• “Bank Privacy Reform Act” (H.R. 1220), which would require a search warrant before financial institutions report certain financial information to government agencies
• “Prohibiting IRS Financial Surveillance Act” (S. 453), which would prevent a FATCA-type reporting situation in the United States
• “Overseas Americans Financial Access Act” (H.R. 8873), which would exclude from FATCA reporting requirements financial accounts held in foreign tax homes by Americans living overseas.

Representation of Overseas Americans in Congress

AARO supports the “Commission on Americans Living Abroad Act of 2023” (H.R. 2729), which would create a commission to report on how federal laws and policies affect U.S. citizens living abroad.

Social Security / Medicare

• “Social Security Fairness Act of 2023” (H.R. 82 / S. 597), which would eliminate the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP)
• “Earned Benefits Equality and Family Reunification Act” (H.R. 5299), which would create a demonstration program in 10 countries for overseas Medicare coverage
• “Philippine Medicare Portability Study Act” (H.R. 7442), which would require a study to assess the feasibility and financial effects of expanding coverage under Medicare to items and services furnished in the Philippines.

The Social Security Fairness Act was successfully passed in December 2024 and signed into law by President Biden in January 2025. The other Top Bills expired at the end of the 118th Congress, so AARO is advocating for the re-introduction of these bills in the 119th Congress (Jan. 2025 – Jan. 2027).

Successes in AARO's Advocacy Efforts

AARO was successful on citizenship and voting problems after its founding. More recently the Social Security Fairness Act was successfully passed in November (by the House) and in December (by the Senate) and, as a result, Americans are no longer subject to the Windfall Elimination Provision. (See here how each member of Congress voted on the bill) AARO had advocated vigorously for its passage. AARO also was successful on the November 2024 election voting issues. The October amicus curiae brief that was filed on behalf of AARO and others, successfully convinced the Pennsylvania Federal Court to dismiss a lawsuit attempting to disenfranchise overseas voters from Pennsylvania.

But very different and difficult issues remain, despite our concerted efforts to change the U.S. legal and regulatory frameworks governing the burdens on Americans abroad, including citizenship-based taxation and the FBAR and FATCA filing duplication and the low thresholds for reporting, amongst other issues. AARO is convinced, however, that its efforts have recently influenced Congress from passing legislation that would increase the burdens already placed on Americans abroad.

AARO’s working through its network of experts and AARO Directors’ interventions with various officials has on numerous occasions been able to help individual overseas Americans secure or retain their access to financial accounts; to navigate the difficulties in Social Security; to vote in federal elections; and to contact their individual congresspersons on individual issues or questions. In addition, through contacts with executive agencies, AARO has been able to secure changes in how certain agencies operate (e.g., difficulties in contacting social security from overseas telephone numbers).

How AARO Influences Policy Decisions

AARO's active advocacy programs have focused on persuading Congresspersons (House and Senate) of the need to enact or modify legislation to reduce the tax, financial and administrative burdens arising from citizenship-based taxation, FATCA/FBAR declarations, WEP and the inability of certain persons to vote. Our advocacy is constant, persistent and year-round. Its focal point is Overseas Americans Week (OAW) when a delegation of AARO Board members, joined by our sister organization FAWCO (Federation of American Women's Clubs Overseas), visits Washington D.C. to meet with Congressional Offices as well as private organizations such as think tanks and the Americans Bankers Federation, the State Department and the IRS.

Challenges Faced by Americans Overseas

Significant challenges for Americans abroad remain, especially in the areas of taxation, financial reporting and banking, with overseas voting rights again becoming problematic. AARO is currently focusing on 7 priorities, the first three being in the areas of taxation, financial reporting and banking.

On taxation, AARO continues to strive to secure fairer tax treatment and to eliminate citizenship-based taxation. Financial reporting has become more of an issue in recent years as there are more and more draconian penalties for simple mistakes in financial reporting on overseas accounts. AARO sees cases weekly. We support the consolidation of financial reporting (FBAR/FACTA) requirements and advocate to eliminate big penalties on FBAR.

Banking is also an area of concern. Laws put in place to combat tax evasion, namely FATCA, and laws enacted after 9/11 to stop money laundering and terrorism financing were written too broadly and catch us in their net. These laws cause banks, U.S. as well as our local banks, to drop Americans abroad, so we lose our accounts both where we live and back in the U.S. AARO advocates to ensure overseas Americans’ ability to keep bank accounts and savings and retirement plans.

Other priorities are to:

1. Obtain Medicare coverage overseas;
2. Increase our influence in Congress by creating a non-voting representative for overseas Americans in Congress; and
3. Secure the right to vote of disenfranchised Americans, particularly those Americans who do not have the right to vote in 12 States for failure to satisfy local residency requirements

Many of the “top bills” discussed in a previous question, if passed, would address most of our priorities.