哈里王子的宝宝出生后，美国可以向英国王室征税了（组图）

英国哈里王子和美国女星梅根的第一个孩子即将出生，这个王室宝贝带来的不只有喜悦，也有烦恼——关于钱的烦恼。

根据美国法律，梅根的孩子将自动成为美国公民，这意味着苏塞克斯公爵夫人和她的王室宝贝都要向美国交税，而且一直严格保密的英国王室财务情况也可能因此不得不向美国税务部门公开。

Britain's Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry the Duke of Sussex visit the Andalusian Gardens in Rabat, Morocco February 25, 2019. Facundo Arrizabalaga/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo

As first-time parents-to-be, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have plenty to worry about already -- but thanks to the US tax system, there could be one more thing keeping Harry and Meghan and their new baby awake at night.

即将初为人父人母的哈里王子和梅根王妃本来就有一大堆要担忧的事情，但是如今又有一件事让他们和腹中宝宝夜不能寐了，这要感谢美国的税收制度。

Since the royal couple announced their pregnancy last October, all eyes have been on Meghan and her emerging bump -- and it seems even the palace accountants are taking interest.

自从这对王室夫妇在去年十月宣布怀孕后，所有的目光都聚焦在梅根和她隆起的腹部上，如今似乎连王室会计也投来了关注的眼神。

That's because as US citizens, both Meghan and her baby -- who will be seventh in line to the British throne -- will be liable to pay US taxes, which could potentially open up the notoriously private royal accounts to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

这是因为作为美国公民，梅根和腹中的宝宝——英国王位第七顺位继承人——将必须向美国缴纳税款，这可能会迫使以私密著称的英国王室账户向美国国内税收署敞开大门。

liable['laɪəbl]:adj. 有责任的，有义务的

Britain's Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, leaves after an International Women's Day panel discussion at King's College London, in London, Britain, March 8, 2019. REUTERS/Toby Melville/File Photo

"The United States has -- unique among nations -- a citizenship-based taxation (system), so as long as Meghan is a citizen of the United States she is taxed," explained David Treitel, the founder of American Tax Returns Ltd., which provides taxation advice to US expats.

为旅居海外的美国公民提供报税建议的美国纳税申报有限公司创办者戴维·特雷特尔解释说：“美国的纳税制度很特别，是基于美国公民身份的税收制度，所以只要梅根仍是美国公民，她就要缴税。”

The law means US tax inspectors could scrutinize Harry and Meghan's royal wealth, and the income of their newborn child.

这一法律意味着美国税务稽查员将有权审查哈里王子和梅根王妃的王室财产，以及他们宝宝的收入。

"The baby is being born to a United States citizen and that baby, little boy or girl, who comes along in the next few weeks, will automatically be a citizen of the United States simply because her mother is," Treitel told CNN. "There is no other precedent of anybody else in the Royal Family who's been American. So nobody else has ever faced this circumstance before."

特雷特尔告诉美国有线新闻网（CNN）说：“由于梅根是美国公民，她将于几周后生下的宝宝（无论是男孩还是女孩）一出生将自动成为美国公民。过去英国王室从来没有美国籍成员诞生的先例，因此从来没有人遇到过这种情况。”

As a US citizen, regardless of where she lives, Meghan will be obliged to file a US tax return and to report any foreign accounts, assets over $200,000 and gifts valued more than $15,797 "regardless of whether it is actually in your possession," according to the IRS.

根据美国国家税务局规定，身为美国公民的梅根不管住在哪里都必须向美国报税，也要如实报告海外银行帐户、超过20万美元（134万元人民币）的资产，以及价值超过15797美元的礼物，“无论是否拥有这些礼物”。

Britain's Prince Harry poses with Meghan Markle in the Sunken Garden of Kensington Palace, London, Britain, November 27, 2017. REUTERS/Eddie Mulholland/Pool/File Photo

Meghan may have to declare items like the wedding ring gifted by the Queen from a nugget of Welsh gold from the Royal Collection, the priceless diamond in her engagement ring taken from Princess Diana's world famous jewelry collection, wedding presents from international royalty and A-list friends. Then there's the biggest gift of all -- the multi-million-dollar newly renovated home, Frogmore Cottage, in Windsor where the couple got married.

梅根需要申报的可能还有女王送给她的结婚戒指（来自王室收藏，用威尔士天然黄金打造），天价的订婚戒指钻石（来自戴安娜王妃世界闻名的珠宝收藏），还有各国王室成员和一线明星朋友送给她的结婚礼物。当然还有最大的礼物——价值数百万美元的婚房——新翻修的温莎庄园弗罗格莫尔别墅。

nugget['nʌɡɪt]:n. 天然金块，矿块

"The Queen has got to sit there and her advisers have to sit there thinking: well if I lend Meghan a tiara, if I have the baby use a beautiful silver rattle that was used by Queen Victoria, how much is that worth? What's the value of it? How much is to be reported to the States? It's a tough question, it's not easy," Treitel said.

特雷特尔说：“女王和她的顾问们都要坐下来好好想想：如果我借给梅根一顶头冠，如果我让梅根的宝宝玩维多利亚女王用过的美丽的银拨浪鼓，这些东西价值多少钱？要向美国国税局申报多少金额？这是一个棘手的问题，没那么容易。”

Not only will Meghan have to declare gifts but if she considers selling any of them, she would be taxed on any rise in their value -- and with her name attached to them, the jump in value is likely to be great.

梅根不仅需要申报礼物，而且如果她考虑卖掉其中的任何一件，她都须为增值的部分交税，考虑到梅根名字的分量，增值部分应该相当可观。

While all of this could create a big tax headache for the royal couple, it won't have come as a surprise. Treitel believes Harry and Meghan will have been considering potential tax troubles, "long before they were married, when they were dating, just in case a baby came along because they knew if they had a child that the baby would be American."

尽管所有这些都会让哈里梅根因为缴税而头疼，但他们并不会感到意外。特雷特尔认为他们应该已经考虑到了潜在的税收麻烦，“早在他们结婚前，在他们约会时，他们应该就想到了，万一生了小孩，这个小孩将会是美国人”。

Britain's Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex leaves Westminster Abbey after a service to mark the centenary of the Royal Air Force in central London, Britain July 10, 2018. REUTERS/Simon Dawson/File Photo

The only way for Meghan to avoid paying US taxes would be to renounce her US citizenship once she becomes a British citizen. However, even if she does so, the couple's baby will still be liable for US taxes until the age of 18.

唯一让梅根避免向美国交税的方法就是在取得英国国籍后放弃美国国籍。不过，就算她放弃了美国国籍，她和哈里的孩子仍须向美国纳税，一直要到18岁。

renounce[rɪ'naʊns]:vt. 宣布放弃

According to the US Department of State, in the case of the royal baby, he or she will acquire US citizenship because s/he was born in wedlock abroad to an American citizen who has lived in the US for a period of five years, at least two of which were after the age of 14.

根据美国国务院的说法，王室宝宝这种情况会直接获得美国公民资格，因为宝宝是在美国连续生活5年的美国公民婚内在国外生的孩子，而且连续生活的5年当中至少有2年须在14岁以后。

That means that throughout the child's life, he or she will also have their assets and income exposed to US taxes -- including any "unearned income" over $2,100 -- until they are 18 years old, and have the opportunity to renounce their citizenship, if they choose to do so.

这意味着这个孩子要一直向美国国税局申报资产和收入，包括任何2100美元以上的馈赠。一直到18岁后，才有机会选择放弃美国国籍。

Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attend a Commonwealth Day youth event at Canada House in London, Britain, March 11, 2019. Chris Jackson/Pool via REUTERS

Treitel believes that as soon as the royal baby is born, he or she will inherit investments which will generate income that will be reportable and taxable in the US.

特雷特尔认为，这个王室宝贝一出生，就会继承价值可观且不断增值的资产，这些财产都必须向美国申报和纳税。

"One would expect because the Queen comes from a wealthy family, Diana came from a wealthy family, we would expect that they've put aside some investments for future generations, presumably to future unnamed children and grandchildren and so on," Treitel explained.

特雷特尔解释道：“因为女王和戴安娜王妃都来自富有家庭，可以预期到她们会给子孙后代留下不少资产，当然也包括未来出生的尚未命名的孙子孙女。”

To add to this, the baby will likely receive a trust fund that enables the Royal Family to pass money down the royal line. According to Treitel, this would fit the description of a foreign trust, wherein Americans receive money from a trust fund set up abroad, and therefore can be taxed in the US.

除此以外，这个宝宝还将获赠王室家族借以传承财产的信托基金。特雷特尔说，根据美国国税局关于海外信托基金的规定，从海外建立的信托基金获得收入的美国人必须向美国缴纳税收。

The minefield of the US tax system means Harry and Meghan's baby will likely create a lot of paperwork for the Royal Family's accountants.

美国税收制度“步步惊雷”，哈里和梅根的宝贝恐怕要让王室会计有的忙了。

英文来源：CNN