Every American living abroad has the right to vote in federal elections, yet every cycle, a meaningful number of ballots never make it home, not from a lack of interest, but because a form arrived late, a ballot got lost in the mail, or nobody mentioned that a backup option existed.
Ada Shen from votefromabroad.org, who has spent over two decades helping Americans overseas register, request, and return a ballot, joins the podcast to walk through exactly how the process works. This episode covers the single federal form that handles registration, ballot request, and information updates all at once, how voters who've never lived in the U.S. determine their voting state, the rule that decides which state an overseas voter is tied to, getting a ballot by email under federal law, a legal backup ballot option most people never use, and why voter registration has nothing to do with U.S. tax filing requirements.
──────────────────────────────────────────
WHAT THIS EPISODE COVERS
──────────────────────────────────────────
00:00 - Yes, Americans abroad can vote, and here's what's actually on the ballot
01:32 - The one form that registers you, requests your ballot, and updates your info
04:43 - Why "last resided" isn't a choice, it's a rule
09:27 - Getting your ballot by email, and the deadlines that matter this cycle
15:07 - The backup ballot almost nobody knows they can use
25:14 - Clearing up the biggest misconception: voting and taxes are separate
──────────────────────────────────────────
ABOUT THE GUEST
──────────────────────────────────────────
Ada Shen has spent over two decades helping Americans overseas navigate voter registration and absentee voting through votefromabroad.org.
──────────────────────────────────────────
ABOUT THE HOST
──────────────────────────────────────────
Arielle Tucker, CFP® & IRS Enrolled Agent with Connected Financial Planning, is a cross-border financial planner based in Switzerland helping Americans living abroad navigate U.S. taxes, international investments, and cross-border financial planning.
──────────────────────────────────────────
ABOUT PASSPORT TO WEALTH®
──────────────────────────────────────────
Passport To Wealth® is the platform for current and aspiring US expats looking for trusted, fiduciary support. We connect globally mobile Americans with expert, licensed cross-border financial advisors, tax professionals, and relocation experts who understand the financial and legal complexities of life abroad.
──────────────────────────────────────────
RESOURCES & LINKS
──────────────────────────────────────────
Subscribe to the newsletter: https://www.passporttowealth.com/contact
Order "The Expat Money Playbook": https://www.passporttowealth.com/expat-money-playbook
Schedule a paid Expat Expert call: https://www.passporttowealth.com/about
Find a fiduciary expat financial advisor: https://www.passporttowealth.com/directory
For the FPCA form, state-specific deadlines, ballot tracking, and voter help agents visit: https://www.votefromabroad.org
──────────────────────────────────────────
STAY CONNECTED
──────────────────────────────────────────
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/passporttowealth
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/passporttowealthofficial
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/passport-to-wealth
Website: https://www.passporttowealth.com
──────────────────────────────────────────
SUGGESTED EPISODES
──────────────────────────────────────────
https://youtu.be/cDLAq7OEDUk
https://youtu.be/nJ_-g2j86js
https://youtu.be/E-rY8YwQD_w
https://youtu.be/JgTMtVvKyJM
──────────────────────────────────────────
This video is for educational purposes only and does not constitute tax, legal, or financial advice. Individual circumstances vary. Consult a qualified cross-border financial professional before making any financial or tax decisions.
──────────────────────────────────────────
#expatfinance #financialplanning #passporttowealth #votefromabroad #voterregistration
Spotify 
YouTube 
Apple Podcasts 
Audible 
Amazon Music 
PocketCasts