Who this page is for
This page is for U.S. citizens and green card holders living abroad with a straightforward filing year. Specifically, you're in the right place if:
- You have one W-2 or one salary source from a foreign employer (or a single U.S. employer paying you while abroad).
- You plan to claim the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion or the Foreign Tax Credit.
- You have one or a few foreign bank accounts and the aggregate balance may exceed $10,000 at some point in the year (FBAR territory).
- You do not own a foreign business, are not a foreign-corporation shareholder, do not hold foreign mutual funds or ETFs (PFICs), and are not taking treaty-based positions.
- You are current on your U.S. filings, or only one year behind.
If that description fits, the rest of this page is for you. If you are further along the complexity curve, read expat tax software vs CPA first.
When software is usually enough
A "simple" expat return is simple because it touches only a handful of IRS forms and does not require professional judgment on ambiguous facts. The forms you actually need are:
- Form 1040 — the base U.S. return.
- Form 2555 — if you're claiming the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion.
- Form 1116 — if you're claiming the Foreign Tax Credit.
- Form 8938 — if your foreign financial assets cross FATCA thresholds.
- FinCEN Form 114 (FBAR) — filed separately from the 1040, but triggered by the same foreign account balances.
Every mainstream U.S. tax product can handle Form 1040. Most can handle Form 2555 and Form 1116. The split starts at Form 8938 and widens at the FBAR — and for a "simple" expat return, that's exactly the line where you want the software to work, not refer you elsewhere.
When a CPA or professional help may be better
Software is the wrong tool for any of the following. If any of these describe your year, stop here and read the software vs CPA page before filing.
- Self-employment income abroad — see best software for self-employed expats. Software can handle this, but it's no longer a "simple" return.
- Ownership in a foreign corporation, partnership, or LLC (Form 5471 / 8865 territory).
- PFIC holdings — foreign mutual funds, ETFs, non-U.S. investment accounts. Form 8621 is specialist-level work.
- Treaty-based positions requiring Form 8833 disclosure (e.g. tiebreaker claims, pension treaty elections).
- Multiple years of unfiled returns. For catch-up filings, see best software for back taxes and late filing.
- An active IRS notice, audit, or correspondence about a prior year.
- An exit tax question — green card surrender or expatriation.
What to look for in expat tax software for a simple return
Not all "expat-friendly" software is built for expats. For a simple return, the non-negotiable features are:
| Capability | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Form 2555 (FEIE) | You'll probably use this. If the interview asks the physical-presence and bona-fide-residence questions correctly, you'll qualify correctly. |
| Form 1116 (FTC) | Needed in high-tax countries where FTC beats FEIE, and for passive income even if you also use FEIE. |
| Form 8938 (FATCA) | Triggered above the FATCA thresholds. Thin coverage here is fine for most simple returns but confirm support. |
| FBAR (FinCEN 114) | The one mainstream U.S. software reliably skips. If your software does not prepare the FBAR, you must file it yourself at the BSA E-Filing portal — and miss it at your own risk. |
| FEIE qualifying tests walkthrough | The software should ask the right questions about your presence abroad rather than asking you to fill out the form directly. This is where expat-specialist products earn their keep. |
| Transparent pricing | Tiered clearly by situation, no surprise add-ons at checkout. |
What the mainstream options actually do
For full detail see the main expat tax software comparison. The short version for simple returns:
- TurboTax (Deluxe/Premium) — handles Form 2555 and Form 1116 competently. Does not file the FBAR. Guidance is thin on expat-specific edge cases.
- H&R Block (Premium) — similar coverage to TurboTax. Does not file the FBAR.
- FreeTaxUSA — surprisingly capable for the price. Supports Form 2555 and Form 1116. No Form 8938 support. No FBAR. Works if you already know your situation and don't need guidance.
- IRS Free File — provider-dependent. Expat forms may or may not be fully supported depending on which provider you pick.
For a pure-W-2, no-foreign-accounts expat, any of the above will file a valid return. The moment FBAR enters the picture — which for most expats is the first time they open a local checking account — the mainstream products start referring you elsewhere.
Where MyExpatTaxes fits
This page contains affiliate links. If you use them, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
MyExpatTaxes is designed for exactly this profile — a U.S. expat with a salary abroad, an FEIE or FTC election, and an FBAR to file. The interview is structured around the questions the IRS actually cares about for Form 2555 (qualifying tests, foreign housing, employer-provided amounts), and the FBAR is prepared on the same platform rather than handed off to FinCEN.
For a simple return, the workflow is roughly: you enter your foreign earnings and any U.S.-source income, answer the presence-test questions, list your foreign accounts once (the software reuses that data for both Form 8938 if triggered and the FBAR), and review the return. Professional review is available as an add-on if you want a pair of eyes before filing.
Start with MyExpatTaxes → Why I recommend it →
Balanced conclusion
If your year is "W-2 abroad + one or two foreign bank accounts + FEIE or FTC", software is the right tool. The only question is which one. Mainstream products (TurboTax, H&R Block, FreeTaxUSA) can file the return but will not file the FBAR — meaning you have to do that step separately and not forget. Expat-specialist products (MyExpatTaxes) handle the FBAR on the same platform and tend to ask better questions during the interview. For the price difference — which is modest for simple returns — the expat-specialist workflow is usually the right call.
If any of the "when a CPA may be better" items above describe your year, come back to this page once your situation stabilizes. For now, see software vs CPA or the back-taxes page depending on your fact pattern.
FAQ
What counts as a simple expat tax return?
A simple expat return is typically a single W-2 or salary income source from one employer abroad, an FEIE or Foreign Tax Credit election, FBAR for foreign bank accounts if the $10,000 threshold is crossed, and no self-employment, foreign business ownership, PFIC holdings, or treaty-position claims. If that describes your year, expat-specialist software is the right tool.
Is TurboTax enough for a simple expat return?
TurboTax supports Form 2555 (FEIE) and Form 1116 (FTC) in its Deluxe and Premium tiers, so for a pure-W-2 expat with no foreign accounts over $10,000, it can work. Its two main gaps are FBAR (FinCEN 114 must be filed separately) and expat-specific guidance for edge cases like the bona fide residence test and housing exclusion inputs. If you have any foreign bank accounts, expat-specialist software that prepares the FBAR on the same platform is usually a better fit.
Does MyExpatTaxes handle simple returns?
Yes — this is the use case MyExpatTaxes is built for. Simple W-2 or salary returns with FEIE or FTC, FBAR included in the same workflow, and first-time expat filers are the core product.
When does a "simple" return stop being simple?
The moment you add self-employment income, a foreign corporation or partnership interest, PFICs (foreign mutual funds or investment trusts), treaty-based position claims, a Streamlined back-filing situation with willful-conduct exposure, or an exit tax scenario. Any of those push you out of "simple" territory and into specialist territory.
