Non-accidental Americans and green card holders living in the EU also face major difficulties for opening bank accounts and basic investments. The accidental ones are the tip of the iceberg, but the problem need a fix for everyone.
That’s like saying “Accidental lottery winners complain they have to pay taxes, but hey, we need to make sure the tax code is good for everyone” - totally, but don’t paint the article like it’s some massive global problem of lottery winners struggling.
You can find a continuous spectrum of Americans suffering FATCA and IRS struggles while living abroad.
At the end of the spectrum are these accidental Americans.
In the middle you can find e everything, e.g. your kid studying in the EU that cannot open a bank account there or issues getting a real estate loan to buy a house in the foreign country you work and live in. Essentially opening a bank account abroad is a no-go unless you lie or have a lot of money.
Then you have ultra wealthy tax evaders that were the target of those regulations. Obviously these people don't have a hard time opening bank relationships anywhere.
