GABRIEL MORROW FIGHTS THE IRS FROM CANADA
FAIRtax supporter Gabriel Morrow has a unique reason for supporting the FAIRtax. We have written before about how the Internal Revenue Code makes life unbearable for Americans abroad. Gabriel brings a new twist to this discussion.
Gabriel moved from Tennessee to Canada to be with his wife, who is a native of the Province of Ontario. While in Canada, Gabriel remained subject to the full brunt of the U.S. income tax code. He was missing his refund for the tax year 2020. One would think the issue is routine, but cross-border postal issues caused a problem. The IRS records showed that, on one hand, the return was lost, and on the other, it was a case of identity theft. How both cases could be true was a headscratcher. Whichever it was, Gabriel had not received the refund he was owed.
Many U.S. expats have the financial means to hire accountants and counsel to grapple with the tax systems of two different countries, but Gabriel’s income was too low for him to hire a professional, not to mention one versed in these unique problems. The IRS 800 telephone help lines are not necessarily toll-free when dialed from Canada or any other country outside the U.S.
Gabriel sought and received assistance from a Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic (“LITC”) sponsored by the University of Washington. LITCs are funded, in whole or in part, by the IRS to assist low-income taxpayers and taxpayers with English as a second language (“ESL”) in disputes with the IRS.
Most taxpayers receiving this assistance are in the United States. Gabriel was fortunate to receive this help in Canada. Apparently, the University of Washington has one other case involving a U.S. Citizen outside its borders. A review of the University’s annual report to the IRS shows that the quality of the assistance it gives these taxpayers is first-class. That may not be the case for other LITCs.
Gabriel says he finally received his refund for the 2020 tax year in 2024, but he is still missing the interest he says is due.
We met Gabriel through a podcast called the DeeScussion with Dee Burris. Check out Episode 310 from July 12, 2026. You can watch the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=reQpl4qTXt4.
When it comes to policy, Gabriel has a lot to say. He highlights the non-financial costs of the tax code, noting that a lot of marriages have been lost or badly damaged because Americans move abroad, and then couples find out about the insane laws around expat taxation. Just try adding a U.S. spouse to your non-U.S. bank account abroad. The bank may close the account because it does not want to subject itself to U.S. tax laws.
Gabriel says residency-based taxation, i.e., taxing only the incomes of those who reside in the United States, is a solution, but it does not go far enough. Gabriel understands that the FAIRtax is the best system to meet the objective of fairness to everyone including him and U.S. citizens abroad. Under the FAIRtax, only consumption in the United States is subject to the tax.
If you know someone with a story like Gabriel’s, I would love to hear from you.
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