If you’ve ever lived in the United States as an expat — or even just visited — you’ve probably had the same thought: Why are Americans like that?

In this episode, we step away from technical expat topics and explore the cultural side of living in the U.S. From enthusiastic greetings to oversized everything, American behavior can feel confusing, amusing, or even overwhelming when you first arrive. But once you understand the values behind these habits, things start to make a lot more sense.

We talk about the difference between friendliness and friendship in the U.S., why Americans ask “What do you do?” so quickly, and why enthusiasm is such a core part of communication. We also cover everyday cultural quirks like large portion sizes, the focus on work, frequent apologies, and the way space and scale shape American life.

This episode helps decode the behaviors that often surprise newcomers and puts them in cultural context. Rather than judging these differences, we explore how they reflect deeper American values like optimism, efficiency, openness, and social ease.

You’ll learn:

• Why Americans are so friendly — but not instantly “friends”
• The role of enthusiasm in everyday communication
• Why work is a common conversation starter
• How “bigger” shapes American lifestyles
• What American politeness really means
• How understanding culture reduces culture shock

If you’re new to the U.S. or hosting someone who is, this episode offers a light, relatable look at the habits that make America feel different — and often more enjoyable once you get used to them.

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• Download our guide for foreign nationals in the US
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In this episode of Abroad in America, host Jimmy Miller, founder of Baobab Wealth Abroad, tackles one of the most confusing and punishing corners of the U.S. tax code for expats: PFICs (Passive Foreign Investment Companies). What might have been perfectly normal investments back home—mutual funds, ETFs, investment trusts, even some retirement accounts—can suddenly become some of the most complex and harshly taxed assets once you’re a U.S. tax resident.

Jimmy breaks down what a PFIC actually is in IRS terms and what it looks like in real life, why the U.S. cares so much about foreign investment companies, and how rules that were designed to stop tax evasion end up hitting ordinary expats with legacy portfolios from home. He then walks you through how PFICs are reported, why Form 8621 has such a fearsome reputation, and what happens if you’ve owned these investments for years without knowing any of this.

You’ll also hear how PFICs fit into the bigger picture of worldwide taxation—that once you become a U.S. tax resident, the IRS wants to know about income and investments from anywhere on the planet. As always, Jimmy balances clarity with reassurance: yes, PFICs are complicated and sometimes expensive to fix, but there are options, and you’re not the first expat to discover this late.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• What a PFIC (Passive Foreign Investment Company) is in IRS language and what it really means for expats in practice
• Common investments that may be treated as PFICs, including foreign mutual funds, ETFs, investment trusts, and some foreign retirement accounts
• Why the U.S. created PFIC rules in the first place and how anti–tax evasion laws ended up impacting everyday expats
• How worldwide income and asset reporting works once you become a U.S. tax resident
• Why PFICs are taxed so harshly and why Form 8621 is one of the most dreaded forms in cross-border tax
• The three main PFIC reporting methods: the default “excess distribution” regime, the QEF election, and the mark-to-market election
• How failing to report PFICs can trigger other penalties, interest, and never-closing statute of limitations issues on your tax return
• Why most expats who discover PFIC issues late are not treated like tax evaders—and why addressing the problem early makes it easier and cheaper

PFICs are one of the biggest curveballs the U.S. tax system throws at expats, turning normal foreign investments into something that needs specialist attention. But with the right knowledge and support, they’re a problem you can understand and manage—not a reason to panic or give up on life in America.

If you found this episode helpful, share it with another expat who still holds investments back home and may have never heard the term PFIC before.

In the next episode, Jimmy lightens things up by taking a playful look at American culture—why Americans can seem loud, enthusiastic, and supersized—and what makes life here so uniquely fascinating for expats.

Until then: stay informed, stay compliant, and keep exploring.

• Visit Baobab Wealth Abroad
• Buy a copy of Jimmy's book, Divorce the IRS
• Download our guide for foreign nationals in the US
• Follow us on Facebook
• Subscribe to us on YouTube
• Connect with us on LinkedIn

https://baobabwealth.com/foreigners-in-america/

In this episode of Abroad in America, host Jimmy Miller, founder of Baobab Wealth Abroad, tackles one of the most misunderstood, ignored, and frankly feared parts of being a foreign national working in the United States: the FBAR (Foreign Bank Account Report).

Jimmy breaks down what FBAR actually is, who has to file it, and why it exists—all in plain English, without the scare tactics. If you're an expat in the U.S. with bank accounts, investments, or pensions back home, this may be the most important episode you listen to all year.

You’ll learn how that seemingly harmless checking account you opened at 18, the joint account you share with your parents, or the savings account you keep just to pay grandma’s bills can all add up to FBAR reporting requirements—even if you never earn a cent of interest.

Jimmy also explains why the U.S. doesn’t just care about what you earn here, but about your worldwide accounts and income once you’re considered a “U.S. person” for tax purposes, and how global reporting rules mean those foreign accounts are anything but invisible.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• What the FBAR (FinCEN Form 114) actually is and how it differs from your regular tax return
• The $10,000 rule: when your combined foreign account balances trigger a filing requirement—even for just one day
• Who is considered a “U.S. person” for tax purposes (citizens, green card holders, and expats who meet the substantial presence test)
• The kinds of accounts that do count for FBAR reporting—checking, savings, investments, some foreign pensions, and even joint or signature-only accounts
• What doesn’t count, like credit cards, loans, and U.S. accounts held at foreign branches
• How and where you file the FBAR, key deadlines, and why most people treat October 15th as the practical cutoff
• The difference between non-willful and willful penalties, and why voluntary correction can make a big difference
• A simple, reassuring perspective: this isn’t about punishing everyday expats—it’s about global compliance, and it’s manageable once you know the rules

Jimmy closes the episode with a reminder that being global comes with responsibilities, but you don’t have to navigate them alone. Understanding FBAR turns it from a scary acronym into just another part of “adulting” in America—right up there with figuring out health insurance and why the milk tastes different.

If you found this helpful, share it with a fellow expat, coworker, or friend who has financial ties back home and might not know about FBAR yet.

In the next episode, Jimmy dives into another major reporting issue for expats: your investments and retirement accounts back home, and how the IRS views many of them as PFICs (Passive Foreign Investment Companies)—a topic that can be just as confusing and frustrating as FBAR, but just as important to understand.

Until then: stay curious, stay compliant, and keep exploring.

• Visit Baobab Wealth Abroad
• Buy a copy of Jimmy's book, Divorce the IRS
• Download our guide for foreign nationals in the US
• Follow us on Facebook
• Subscribe to us on YouTube
• Connect with us on LinkedIn