Best of luck, Tony.  I look forward to reading your article. 

I've never had a problem... UBS is accepting US persons with open arms; they even created a special investment unit for us that includes SEC-registered funds which avoid the PFIC tax bullshit.

I really don't like being captive to one bank, though.  =(

I find it completely discriminatory that in the swiss

Tax form they ask: 

Are you an American ? 

Thanks Richard, and epicure for your replies.  The Swiss perspective seems to be if a company (bank) wishes to focus away from certain clients (retail-banking Americans) then that is legit, given the added risk and hardship placed on them to comply with US regulations, or avoid US prosecution.  None will admit Americans are hands-off, though.

My editor has given me a few more days, in case anyone wants to mull this over before committing to an interview.  I have until Sunday.

Thanks again for your time!

Tony

@ Tony

You might want to post this same question over on English Forum (www.englishforum.ch) as I think this subject has been discussed by a few people and you might be able to find a "situation" or two.

Good luck.

Verbier

@ Tony,

Someone has already posted your question on EF under the topic "US citizens with Swiss bank issues"

You might want to follow it up with some more detail if needed.

Thanks for the heads-up Verbier!

The piece is slated for Tuesday (tomorrow.) If all goes well, it should run at 640/810 and be available at worldradio.ch first thing.  Link to come..

Thanks again for your help!

http://worldradio.ch/wrs/news/switzerland/some-swiss-banks-make-american-clients-a-casualty-.shtml?30738

I welcome any comments here, or on the WRS website.  Or by e-mail of course, [email protected].  Thanks again!

Try showing up at a bank with a suitcase full of bills and see if they turn you down!!! They'll probably change your diaper if you asked 'em too!!!

The BKBE asked me to fill out a w-10 before opening an account because they found out I have dual citizenship. I told them to take a walk, havn't lived in the states in 15 years and they aren't finding out anything about me. Why, so they can bail out some scumbag on the board of directors at Goldman sacks, tax someone else not me...

In a sense the US is right. I mean the Swiss who are always on their high moral ground tend to do business with the biggest scumbags on the planet earth. Dictators for example, I don't think there is one that has been ousted during the Arab Spring that didn't have his cash here... Try also drug lords and every other low life dirtbag on this planet.

Hmmm, did the name Adolf Hitle and Holocost ever ring a bell. UBS and Credit Suisse would like send him free Lindt on the house while at the same time he set up tee times with his buddy's in the front office of UBS and Credit Suisse. But the worse is those upstanding bankers from Zürich didn't even want to give the money back when the scandle broke loose... LOL, and the scandle broke loose because some dude emptying the trash out happened to find the documents that were "coincidentely" headed for the incinerator!!!

Suisse Bankers, my definition of upstanding citizens!!! They have about as much moral standard as the average girl in a Zürich street corner cabert does, and you can quote that... I wouldn't let them dudes hold my coat if I was going in a night club, that how much trust they'll get from me.

So maybe a tough deal on Americans in Switzerland, but yeah those scummy bankers deserve it they've always been giving the shaft, time for them to get on all 4 now...