G'day from the big big island. Why have Amazon frozen your assets?

@FrayedBear Amazon has frozen my ass... because they can. I'm a dual citizen US/NZ living in NZ since I was 5. Amazon asked me which country I wanted to pay tax to and I said NZ (the country that has supported me for the past 55 or so years). They asked me where I was born -- I said US. They asked me where my father was born -- I said US. They didn't ask me where my mother was born (NZ), but asked me if I still had US citizenship -- I said yes (because I've never seen any reason to renounce it. I only applied for NZ citizenship after Bush's 2003 illegal invasion of Iraq -- but I didn't tell Amazon that). So they said, "WE think you should be paying tax in the States, and until this is resolved we will suspend/freeze your account". Well, Mr Bezos obviously has a much greater need for my royalties than I do, so who am I to argue? And how do you argue with Amazon, anyway?

@Garbonza What is the US tax free limit per person and do your royalties per annum exceed it? If not then Amazon hasn't a leg to stand on imo.
They are just a bunch of bullying thieves who do not in the main pay their fair share of tax or proper wages to their employees, instead preferring to spend money on dubious lawyers to avoid payment.
Does NZ have tax agreements with US? Have a word with your tax office and tell them NZ is being denied its due remittances by Amazon.

@FrayedBear Hiya, no I don't think my royalties exceed anything -- but I don't know because that part of my account is invisible if not frozen. I've just paid our tax office here my tax for the year so I'm due for consideration -- I might just have a quiet word with them on their website. How are things in Ballarat? I've only been to Brisbane on your side of the ditch but my mother's grandmother came from Goulburn.

@Garbonza [en.m.wikipedia.org]

@Garbonza [visitgrampians.com.au]