Freehills ; A bit harsh ! Lots of us made heartfelt decisions to seek 'tax free' positions in order to benefit the status. We did not seek to manipulate the system like many in CX, Taiwan & the Middle East where people spent more time in their homeland than in the 'declared' place of residence. Tax cheats in otherwords. I was not in favour of high taxes for which the returns were awful. Dreadful schools,chaotic public transport, dangerous hospitals & wicked governmental issues where at one point, in the UK, I was amomngst the highest taxed earners in the world (direct added to indirect). I joined others, forsaking my homeland & enduring vastly different cultures & religions and lifestyles in order, one day, to return to the Fatherland, cash richer. my group, never cheated but declared ourselves non-resident & lived that way. We really were 'non-resident' and forfeited much in order to recoup the taxes we would otherwise have had to pay.
Inland revenue offices are now chasing down the cheats. Different rules for different homelands & I am not suggesting that every tax avoider is a cheat. If the US Government make clear that you pay tax for defence, etc, wherever you domicile, then so be it & you know the rules. Don't hollar "fowl" when that Government seeks to collect.
Legitimate tax 'avoidance' is another game plan but, it is, ligitimate. Mate of mine, very wealthy musician, has, for years, lived six months at home & six months overseas in order to avoid the very top end of tax liability. He would rather live in his delightful mansion in the cotswolds all the year round but suffers six months away. Reasonable forfeit but unpalatable to many.
Day of reckoning for those who thought they were boxing clever, boasted about it & now face the Tax Man knocking at the door.