"Did you know?" (Expat edition)

Hi friends. Are you an American living overseas? Do you have an overseas bank account(s)? Did the total net worth of those bank accounts exceed $10,000.00 at ANY POINT during the last year? Well, then you my friend must fill out an obscure form that I've never heard about until today. Yes, the US Treasury Department, in all its wisdom, wants to know what you're up to, financially speaking. Once a year you must submit this little form in or face hefty fines/prison/unpleasantness. Who knew.
Form: http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f90221.pdf

Ah, the joys of expatriate living. I'm sure I'll discover more thrilling forms as tax season (US = April 15th, Australia = June 30) descends upon me. Just think: I'll get to file US Federal, Massachusetts (hello rental income!), Connecticut (hello Coast Guard!), and possibly Australian taxes this year. Not to mention the joyous addition of various Treasury Department forms. It's enough to make you Libertarian. Almost.

Today I found out that I have to apply for an Australian tax ID number for my new job in Canberra. That way they can withold taxes and such. Oops. Of course, I also found out that I can't apply for a tax ID until I hold a different visa than I currently have. Oops. Hopefully I won't find out that I need the tax ID to apply for the visa. Then I'm really screwed. Dr. Kafka, that's me.

I did decide to break down and purchase Quicken. I had been living a happy life of non-formal financial tracking, but now that is no more. I have no idea which edition to purchase, so will start with the Basic and see if my lifestyle requires more complexity. Fingers crossed. I like to think of myself as a simple guy, but apparently not.

Further financial bulletins as events warrant.