To qualify, you must meet specific requirements, such as having a tax home in a foreign country. You must also meet the Bona Fide Residence Test or the Physical Presence Test. It's important to note that income earned from the U.S. government or its agencies does not qualify for this exclusion.
One of the main catalysts for the IRS to learn about foreign income which was not reported is through FATCA, which is the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act. In accordance with FATCA, more than 300,000 FFIs (Foreign Financial Institutions) in over 110 countries actively report account holder information to the IRS.
Every year, the FEIE exclusion amount is adjusted for inflation. For income earned in 2024, the FEIE maximum exclusion amount is $126,500. In the table below, you can see the FEIE exclusion amounts for every year since 2020.
First, you cannot claim a foreign tax credit or a foreign tax deduction on the income you exclude. Generally speaking any credit or deduction that you normally would be allowed to take cannot be taken on the excluded income (IRS frowns on double-dipping). Second, you will not be eligible for the earned income credit.
Limit on excludable amount
The maximum foreign earned income exclusion amount is adjusted annually for inflation. For tax year 2023, the maximum foreign earned income exclusion is the lesser of the foreign income earned or $120,000 per qualifying person. For tax year 2024, the maximum exclusion is $126,500 per person.
Form 2555 is the key form for claiming the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion (FEIE). To qualify, you must meet the following criteria: Foreign residence or physical presence test. You must pass either the bona fide residence test or the physical presence test.
An expatriate or expat is a person who moves to another country long-term to live and work or to retire. Many American expats are retirees or have relocated for a job. Increasingly, they are mobile workers who can work from anywhere using the Internet.
To be exempt from withholding, both of the following must be true: You owed no federal income tax in the prior tax year, and. You expect to owe no federal income tax in the current tax year.
If you decide to move back to America after time spent overseas, you may transfer the funds from your foreign bank account to your American bank account. Since this isn't income and is simply moving around your money, you won't have to pay taxes on the transfer.
The Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) requires foreign banks to report account numbers, balances, names, addresses, and identification numbers of account holders to the IRS.
FATCA requires reporting foreign financial assets on Form 8938, separate from the FBAR. Failing to file Form 8938 can result in a $10,000 penalty, with an additional $10,000 added for each month the failure continues, up to a maximum penalty of $50,000.
What's not taxable. Nontaxable income won't be taxed, whether or not you enter it on your tax return. The following items are deemed nontaxable by the IRS: inheritances, gifts and bequests.
In 2024, the standard deduction is $14,600 for single filers and married persons filing separately, $21,900 for a head of household, and $29,200 for a married couple filing jointly and surviving spouses.
Buying property overseas doesn't automatically trigger a US tax reporting requirement. Selling foreign property will result in a capital gain or loss that is reportable on your US tax return. Buying or selling foreign property may create tax obligations in your country of residence.
See the new contact information below. The expatriation tax provisions under Internal Revenue Code (IRC) sections 877 and 877A apply to U.S. citizens who have renounced their citizenship and long-term residents (as defined in IRC 877(e)) who have ended their U.S. resident status for federal tax purposes.
The term often refers to a professional, skilled worker, or student from an affluent country. However, it may also refer to retirees, artists and other individuals who have chosen to live outside their native country.
If you earned Social Security benefits, you can visit or live in most foreign countries and still receive payments. Look up the country on the SSA Payments Abroad Screening Tool to be sure you can receive your payments.
To benefit from the foreign earned income exclusion, the taxpayer must meet one of the following criteria: Works full time in a foreign country for an entire calendar year—known as the Bona fide residence Test. Works outside of the United States for at least 330 of any 365 day period—known as the Physical Presence Test.
The Foreign Earned Income Exclusion, or FEIE, is also known as Form 2555 by the IRS. This expat benefit allows you to avoid double taxation by excluding up to a certain amount of foreign earned income from your US taxes. In 2025, for the 2024 tax year, you can exclude up to $126,500 of foreign earned income.
However, you may qualify to exclude your foreign earnings from income up to an amount that is adjusted annually for inflation ($107,600 for 2020, $108,700 for 2021, $112,000 for 2022, and $120,000 for 2023). In addition, you can exclude or deduct certain foreign housing amounts.
Four states are known for making it especially difficult to escape their taxation when moving abroad. They are sometimes called “sticky” states and include Virginia, New Mexico, California, and South Carolina. California especially can be difficult for expats.
Foreign Tax Credit
If you qualify for the Foreign Tax Credit, the IRS will give you a tax credit equal to at least part of the taxes you paid to a foreign government. In many cases, they will credit you the entire amount you paid in foreign income taxes, removing any possibility of US double taxation.
Yes, if you are a U.S. citizen or a resident alien living outside the United States, your worldwide income is subject to U.S. income tax, regardless of where you live. However, you may qualify for certain foreign earned income exclusions and/or foreign income tax credits.