Get to know the authorIt has been estimated that there are several thousand Americans living in Algeria.
Living in Algeria is a fascinating if complex experience for a number of reasons, including the friendly locals, the culture, and the quality of life. As an American expatriate living in Algeria though, what exactly do you need to know regarding filing US expat (and Algerian) taxes?
All US citizens and green card holders who earn a minimum of around $10,000 (or just $400 for self-employed individuals) anywhere in the world are required to file a US federal tax return and pay taxes to the IRS, regardless of where in the world they live or their income is generated.
The good news is if you are paying income tax in Algeria, there are various exclusions and exemptions available to prevent you paying tax on the same income to the IRS too.
US taxes – what you need to know
If you earn over US$10,000 (or just $400 of self-employment income), wherever the income originates in the world you have to file IRS form 1040. While any US taxes due are still due by April 15th, expats get an automatic filing extension until June 15th, which can be extended further on request until October 15th.
If you have overseas assets worth over US$200,000 per person, excluding your home if it is owned in your own name, you also have to file form 8938 to declare them.
If you had a total of at least US$10,000 in one or more foreign bank and/or investment accounts at any time during the tax year, you also have to file FinCEN form 114, otherwise known as a Foreign Bank Account Report or FBAR.
If you pay income tax in Algeria, there are several exemptions that allow you to pay less or no US income tax on the same income to the IRS.
“Under Algerian rules, individuals are subject to tax on their worldwide income if they are considered as Algerian tax residents, irrespective of source or recharge arrangements.”
– PwC
The main exemptions are the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion, which lets you exclude the first around US$100,000 of foreign earned income from US tax if you can prove that you are a Algerian resident, and the Foreign Tax Credit, which gives you a $1 tax credit for every dollar of tax you’ve paid in Algeria. These exemptions can be combined if necessary. Remember though that even if you don’t owe any tax to the IRS, if your income is over US$10,000 (or $400 if you’re self-employed) you still have to file a federal return.
The US and Algerian governments share taxpayer info, and Algerian banks pass on US account holders’ account info to the IRS, so it’s not worth not filing or omitting anything on your return. The penalties for incorrect or incomplete filing for expats are steep to say the least.
If you’re a US citizen, green card holder, or US/Algerian dual citizen, and you have been living in Algeria but you didn’t know you had to file a US tax return, don’t worry: there’s a program called the IRS Streamlined Procedure that allows you to catch up on your filing without paying any penalties. Don’t delay though, in case the IRS comes to you first.
Algerian taxes – what you need to know
Algerian residents are taxed on their worldwide income above the personal allowance on a scale of 0% to 35%. Non-residents are only taxed on Algerian sourced income.
Foreigners living in Algeria are considered a resident for tax purposes if they they spend more than 183 days in Algeria in a tax year, if they own a home in algeria or rent one for at least a year, or if they perform a professional activity in Algeria.
The Algerian tax year is the same as in the US, which is to say the calendar year. If your only income is fom employment in Algeria, tax will be deducted at source by your employer and you don’t need to file a Algerian tax return. Otherwise, income tax returns are due by April 30th. The Algerian tax authority is called the Directorate General of Taxes.
We strongly recommend that if you have any doubts or questions about your tax situation as a US expat living in Algeria that you contact a US expat tax specialist.
