--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was determined not to become an…" description: "\"I was determined not to become an American citizen but I did it for completely cynical reasons: to avoid paying inheritance tax in the U.S.\" — Emily Mo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42a/emily-mortimer-9413_american-citizen_i-was-determined-not-to-become-an-americ_645256.png" --- # I was determined not to become an American citizen but I… ![“I was determined not to become an American citizen but I did it for completely cynical reasons: to avoid paying inheritance tax in the U.S.” quote by Emily Mortimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42a/emily-mortimer-9413_american-citizen_i-was-determined-not-to-become-an-americ_645256.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42a/emily-mortimer-9413_american-citizen_i-was-determined-not-to-become-an-americ_645256.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42a/emily-mortimer-9413_american-citizen_i-was-determined-not-to-become-an-americ_645256.png) > “I was determined not to become an American citizen but I did it for completely cynical reasons: to avoid paying inheritance tax in the U.S.” [Emily Mortimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-mortimer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He avoided US citizenship mainly to evade inheritance tax, showing personal decisions can be driven by financial self‑interest. **In simple terms:** He became a citizen to avoid tax. Key Takeaway Consider motives behind major life choices. Themes tax citizenship self‑interest Mood reflective critical Type personal ethical When to use this quote - inheritance planning - immigration decisions - tax avoidance - personal finance Key Concepts financial planning legal strategy Questions to Reflect On - What values guide your citizenship decisions? - Do financial incentives outweigh civic identity? A Different Perspective Legal and ethical implications of tax avoidance can be complex. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American citizen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-citizen/) [Cynical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cynical/) [Determined](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/determined/) [Inheritance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inheritance/) [Inheritance tax](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inheritance-tax/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Taxes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taxes/) ## Related quotes > [Yeah, it's pretty hard not to be completely cynical these days.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-byrne/yeah-it-s-pretty-hard-not-to-be-completely-cynical-these-days/) [David Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-byrne/) > [We must end the iniquitous multi-taxing of the same money. It is not right to tax people's incomes, then their savings on that income,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liam-fox/we-must-end-the-iniquitous-multi-taxing-of-the-same-money-it-is-not/) [Liam Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liam-fox/) > [Income and inheritance taxes imply the denial of private property, and in that are different in principle from all other taxes. The government says…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-chodorov/income-and-inheritance-taxes-imply-the-denial-of-private-property-and/) [Frank Chodorov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-chodorov/) > [I have issues with inheritance tax, particularly coming from a migrant family. My dad has worked incredibly hard all his life, so it seems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjeev-bhaskar/i-have-issues-with-inheritance-tax-particularly-coming-from-a-migrant/) [Sanjeev Bhaskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjeev-bhaskar/) > [If inheritance tax were to be introduced for the monarch, it would mean slowly slicing away the royal assets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-bradford/if-inheritance-tax-were-to-be-introduced-for-the-monarch-it-would/) [Sarah Bradford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-bradford/) > [It is not fair that people who are born in the UK to parents who are domiciled here, can later in life claim to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-osborne/it-is-not-fair-that-people-who-are-born-in-the-uk-to-parents-who-are/) [George Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-osborne/) > [When I was young, my father had a serious heart attack. He survived, but we lost our house and car. Under the Canadian Medicare…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emo-philips/when-i-was-young-my-father-had-a-serious-heart-attack-he-survived-but/) [Emo Philips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emo-philips/) > [I don't see why a man shouldn't pay an inheritance tax. If a Country is good enough to pay taxes to while you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/i-don-t-see-why-a-man-shouldn-t-pay-an-inheritance-tax-if-a-country/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [Inheritance taxes are so high that the happiest mourner at a rich man's funeral is usually Uncle Sam.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/inheritance-taxes-are-so-high-that-the-happiest-mourner-at-a-rich-man/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It seems to me that the least deserving recipients of wealth are inheritors. Further, there are many indications that inheritors often have trouble adjusting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-robertson/it-seems-to-me-that-the-least-deserving-recipients-of-wealth-are/) [Julian Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-robertson/) > [Inheritance Tax; - it is, broadly speaking; a voluntary levy paid by those who distrust their heirs more than they dislike the Inland Revenue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-jenkins/inheritance-tax-it-is-broadly-speaking-a-voluntary-levy-paid-by-those/) [Roy Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-jenkins/) > [Imagine his delight after it 'leaked' that he will propose raising taxes on the wealthy by $320 billion over the next 10 years, including…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-podhoretz/imagine-his-delight-after-it-leaked-that-he-will-propose-raising/) [John Podhoretz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-podhoretz/) > [Now they got such a high inheritance tax on 'em that you won't catch these old rich boys dying promiscuously like they did. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/now-they-got-such-a-high-inheritance-tax-on-em-that-you-won-t-catch/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [More astronauts have been to the moon than farmers who paid the inheritance tax in 2013.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/more-astronauts-have-been-to-the-moon-than-farmers-who-paid-the/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [They have passed the big inheritance tax, and that gets you when you are gone. You used to could die and be able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/they-have-passed-the-big-inheritance-tax-and-that-gets-you-when-you/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) ## More by Emily Mortimer > [I never felt I was quite the ticket academically. I always felt I had to put in an enormous amount of effort not to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-mortimer/i-never-felt-i-was-quite-the-ticket-academically-i-always-felt-i-had/) [Emily Mortimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-mortimer/) > [The thing I miss about L.A. is time. I feel like I had much more time there, partly because no one is ever really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-mortimer/the-thing-i-miss-about-l-a-is-time-i-feel-like-i-had-much-more-time/) [Emily Mortimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-mortimer/) > [The ratings thing is the real issue. It really hurts movies. For example, in Redbelt, I smoked. The whole plot of my character was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-mortimer/the-ratings-thing-is-the-real-issue-it-really-hurts-movies-for/) [Emily Mortimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-mortimer/) > [I was terribly shy when I was growing up, I really wasn't confident with other people and I think I was always afraid of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-mortimer/i-was-terribly-shy-when-i-was-growing-up-i-really-wasn-t-confident/) [Emily Mortimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-mortimer/) > [I am a good mother and I feel proud about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-mortimer/i-am-a-good-mother-and-i-feel-proud-about-it/) [Emily Mortimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-mortimer/) > [I did my homework and didn't go out much, and had a very highly developed kitsch fantasy life where I dreamed of being a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-mortimer/i-did-my-homework-and-didn-t-go-out-much-and-had-a-very-highly/) [Emily Mortimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-mortimer/) > [I think half the time I just assume I don't really know what I'm doing - you have to do that to a certain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-mortimer/i-think-half-the-time-i-just-assume-i-don-t-really-know-what-i-m/) [Emily Mortimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-mortimer/) > [I'm still shy - I'm no good at my children's parent-teacher conferences, and I'm slowly learning how to ask for what I want. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-mortimer/i-m-still-shy-i-m-no-good-at-my-children-s-parent-teacher-conferences/) [Emily Mortimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-mortimer/) > [I've only half-admitted I'm a professional. I know I am, I've paid my dues, but one of the things I could do better when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-mortimer/i-ve-only-half-admitted-i-m-a-professional-i-know-i-am-i-ve-paid-my/) [Emily Mortimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-mortimer/) > [There were moments where I was being kicked in the stomach, and even though I had this brace on to protect me, I still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-mortimer/there-were-moments-where-i-was-being-kicked-in-the-stomach-and-even/) [Emily Mortimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-mortimer/) > [I guess secrets are part of the fabric of everybody's lives. I mean everybody's lives, and guilt is part of the fabric of everybody's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-mortimer/i-guess-secrets-are-part-of-the-fabric-of-everybody-s-lives-i-mean/) [Emily Mortimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-mortimer/) > [I decided to give acting a serious, committed try, and soon after, I read the script for 'Lovely and Amazing.' The story was beautiful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-mortimer/i-decided-to-give-acting-a-serious-committed-try-and-soon-after-i/) [Emily Mortimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-mortimer/) > [New York is great, but I miss L.A. - I feel like there was something exotic about L.A. that I kind of underestimated at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-mortimer/new-york-is-great-but-i-miss-l-a-i-feel-like-there-was-something/) [Emily Mortimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-mortimer/) > [But I have to grow out of it, because it's very boring, really. Even when you're telling people how crap you are, you're still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-mortimer/but-i-have-to-grow-out-of-it-because-it-s-very-boring-really-even/) [Emily Mortimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-mortimer/) > [You do the one film that you think is terrible, but it's a big studio film and you hope you'll get another job because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-mortimer/you-do-the-one-film-that-you-think-is-terrible-but-it-s-a-big-studio/) [Emily Mortimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-mortimer/) [Explore all 73 Emily Mortimer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-mortimer/) ## More American citizen quotes > [The sheer evil of antisemitism, left unchecked, has evolved and grown into an ever more virulent hatred, one that no American citizen should ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-britt/the-sheer-evil-of-antisemitism-left-unchecked-has-evolved-and-grown/) [Katie Britt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-britt/) > [Once you step foot on the Supreme Court steps, you lose your first-amendment rights. I don't see how, as an American citizen, you can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raheem-devaughn/once-you-step-foot-on-the-supreme-court-steps-you-lose-your-first/) [Raheem DeVaughn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raheem-devaughn/) > [The typical American citizen is the business man. The typical business man is a bad citizen; he is busy. If he is a 'big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lincoln-steffens/the-typical-american-citizen-is-the-business-man-the-typical-business/) [Lincoln Steffens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lincoln-steffens/) > [1920 was an auspicious year for a young person to enter the world as an American citizen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-brokaw/1920-was-an-auspicious-year-for-a-young-person-to-enter-the-world-as/) [Tom Brokaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-brokaw/) > [I am an Iranian by birth and of my Islamic faith. I am also an American Citizen and I seek to help change America…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-jarrett/i-am-an-iranian-by-birth-and-of-my-islamic-faith-i-am-also-an/) [Valerie Jarrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-jarrett/) > [As long as my record stands in federal court, any American citizen can be held in prison or concentration camps without trial or hearing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-korematsu/as-long-as-my-record-stands-in-federal-court-any-american-citizen-can/) [Fred Korematsu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-korematsu/) > [It was a really big deal to become an American citizen the right way. You have to work really hard, and it is such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camila-alves/it-was-a-really-big-deal-to-become-an-american-citizen-the-right-way/) [Camila Alves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camila-alves/) > [I'm a writer. In Latin America, they say I'm a Latin-American writer because I also write in Spanish and my books are translated, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabel-allende/i-m-a-writer-in-latin-america-they-say-i-m-a-latin-american-writer/) [Isabel Allende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabel-allende/) > [I'm not a doctor, nor am I a member of the military. What I am is an appreciative, concerned American citizen, who was horrified…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-wahl/i-m-not-a-doctor-nor-am-i-a-member-of-the-military-what-i-am-is-an/) [Ken Wahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-wahl/) > [When I became an American citizen, nothing's changed because I'm still Asian.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-o-yang/when-i-became-an-american-citizen-nothing-s-changed-because-i-m-still/) [Jimmy O. Yang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-o-yang/) > [Finding the Russian scientists may be a problem being that Russia does not have a Social Security System, as here in America, that allows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/finding-the-russian-scientists-may-be-a-problem-being-that-russia/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [I'm obviously an American citizen. My parents are American citizens. But I'm not looked at as an American.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-castillo/i-m-obviously-an-american-citizen-my-parents-are-american-citizens/) [Ana Castillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-castillo/) > [I'm not an American citizen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-browder/i-m-not-an-american-citizen/) [Bill Browder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-browder/) > [I wanted to participate in the political responsibilities of an American citizen. I wanted to vote. I wanted to be a full member of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-thrun/i-wanted-to-participate-in-the-political-responsibilities-of-an/) [Sebastian Thrun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-thrun/) > [Politics is the practical exercise of the art of self-government, and somebody must attend to it if we are to have self-government; somebody must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elihu-root/politics-is-the-practical-exercise-of-the-art-of-self-government-and/) [Elihu Root](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elihu-root/) [Browse all 168 American citizen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-citizen/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was determined not to become an American citizen but I did it for completely cynical reasons: to avoid paying inheritance tax in the U.S.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Emily Mortimer" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-mortimer/i-was-determined-not-to-become-an-american-citizen-but-i-did-it-for/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "American citizen" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-mortimer/i-was-determined-not-to-become-an-american-citizen-but-i-did-it-for/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42a/emily-mortimer-9413_american-citizen_i-was-determined-not-to-become-an-americ_645256.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42a/emily-mortimer-9413_american-citizen_i-was-determined-not-to-become-an-americ_645256.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/42a/emily-mortimer-9413_american-citizen_i-was-determined-not-to-become-an-americ_645256.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I was determined not to become an American citizen but I did it for completely cynical reasons: to avoid…” — Emily Mortimer", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Emily Mortimer", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-mortimer/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I was determined not to become...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-mortimer/i-was-determined-not-to-become-an-american-citizen-but-i-did-it-for/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-mortimer/i-was-determined-not-to-become-an-american-citizen-but-i-did-it-for/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```