The IRS rules for expats are complex, but they don't have to be confusing. These guides cover every major topic — from the FEIE and Foreign Tax Credit to FBAR reporting and catching up on missed filings.
Each guide is written to give you a complete picture — not just the basics, but the nuance that actually matters when you're filing from abroad.
The master pillar. Who has to file, FEIE, Foreign Tax Credit, FBAR, Form 8938, state-tax risk, special situations (self-employed, retirees, digital nomads, dual citizens, green card holders, married to a non-U.S. spouse), Streamlined Filing, deadlines, and filing options. Every other guide on the site, mapped.
Exclude up to $132,900 of foreign earnings from U.S. tax for 2026 ($130,000 for 2025). Learn the physical presence and bona fide residence tests, what income qualifies, the housing exclusion, and the mistakes that cost 🇺🇸 Americans abroad real money.
A dollar-for-dollar U.S. tax credit for income taxes you've already paid abroad. Form 1116, category baskets, the limitation formula, carryback/carryforward, and when the FTC clearly beats the FEIE — especially in higher-tax countries.
The single most important decision in expat tax planning. Compare the two main strategies side by side — when the FEIE wins, when the FTC wins, and how to model your own situation before you file.
Foreign bank accounts above $10,000 trigger FBAR filing. FATCA adds Form 8938 for higher thresholds. Understand both requirements, the differences between them, and the severe penalties for non-compliance.
The IRS counterpart to FBAR — broader scope, filed with your return, $10,000 penalty floor. Who must file, what counts as a specified foreign financial asset, how FATCA differs from FBAR, and the most common reporting mistakes.
The 12-month window is not the calendar year, arrival days don't count, and an overnight stop in LAX can cost you three. The counting rules, three worked examples, and what to do if you're a day short.
Almost always — even when you owe nothing. The 2025 and 2026 thresholds by filing status, the $400 self-employment trigger, FBAR and Form 8938, deadlines, and the catch-up path.
Not filing when you owe nothing, the FEIE five-year lockout, missed FBARs, PFICs, quiet disclosures — what each one costs, the fix, and a ten-minute self-audit of your last three returns.
Behind on your U.S. taxes as an expat? The IRS Streamlined Foreign Offshore Procedures let most non-willful filers catch up with no penalties. This guide covers eligibility, what to file, and how the process works.
Seventeen countries side by side: local rates, treaty and totalization status, the winning tool, and whether a $100K salary produces a U.S. tax bill. Plus the two "facts" everyone repeats that are wrong.
The certification is the part of a Streamlined submission the IRS actually reads. The four parts of the form, how to write the statement section by section, filing mechanics, and the mistakes that get certifications examined.
Which deadline you missed decides whether you have a paperwork problem, a penalty problem, or no problem at all. The October 15 extension, the December 15 letter, FBAR timing, and when Streamlined is the right program instead.
🇺🇸 Americans abroad get an automatic 2-month extension to June 15 — but that only extends the filing deadline, not payment. Learn all the key deadlines, how to request further extensions to October 15 and beyond, and the FBAR deadline.
Not all tax software handles expat returns correctly. This guide covers what TurboTax, H&R Block, and specialist services actually support — Form 2555, FBAR, FATCA — and when software isn't the right answer at all.
Self-employed abroad? The FEIE does not eliminate self-employment tax. Learn how SE tax, totalization agreements, quarterly estimates, and foreign corporation structures actually work for American freelancers and contractors overseas.
Honest framework for deciding when guided software is enough vs when a CPA or EA is worth the higher fee. Covers complexity triggers, cost ranges, and the "one paid consultation" middle option most expats don't know about.
If your expat return is W-2 income, clear FEIE eligibility, one or two foreign accounts — software handles it cleanly. Honest comparison of MyExpatTaxes, TurboTax, H&R Block, FreeTaxUSA, and TaxAct for the simple-return case.
Self-employed expats face the 15.3% SE tax FEIE does NOT reduce, plus Schedule C, plus potential totalization agreements. Which software actually handles all of this — and when you should escalate to a CPA/EA instead.
Behind on filings? Streamlined Foreign Offshore Procedures is the IRS path back to compliance — three years of returns, six years of FBARs, one non-willfulness certification. Which software handles the full Streamlined workflow on-platform.
Mixed-family tax basics for Americans with a Filipina spouse: IRS dependency tests, citizenship/residency rule, ITIN vs SSN, Child Tax Credit vs Credit for Other Dependents, and three worked examples.
FEIE vs FTC decision framework, FBAR checklist, country cheat sheets, and software comparison. Updated for 2025 & 2026.