06/15/2026
Extra income sounds like a win until you start wondering how much of it the IRS will keep. A raise, bonus, freelance project, or overseas income can all change the rate that applies to your highest dollars. That is where marginal tax rates come into play. Your marginal tax rate is the rate applied to […]
06/15/2026
Life abroad has a way of turning savings into survival money. A rental deposit, visa fee, emergency flight, or gap between jobs can make an IRA suddenly look very available. The catch is that the IRS usually charges for early access. If you take money from an IRA before age 59½, you may owe regular […]
06/15/2026
Americans abroad often pay tax where they live and still have to file with the IRS. The Foreign Tax Credit exists for that overlap. It can reduce your U.S. tax bill when you’ve paid eligible income tax to another country, making it especially useful for expats in higher-tax countries. But it isn’t a blanket credit […]
06/15/2026
Two Americans abroad can earn the same income and still need different tax strategies. One may save more with the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion, which excludes qualifying foreign earnings from taxable income. The other may do better with the Foreign Tax Credit, which reduces U.S. tax based on eligible foreign taxes paid. For 2026, the […]
06/09/2026
Leaving the U.S. does not end your U.S. tax filing obligations. Americans abroad still have to report worldwide income, even when that income is earned and taxed in another country. The Foreign Earned Income Exclusion can reduce that burden. For the 2026 tax year, qualifying taxpayers can exclude up to $132,900 of foreign earned income […]
06/15/2026
Opening a bank account in your new home country can feel like a small life-admin victory. To the U.S. government, though, it may also make you an offshore account holder with a new reporting obligation: FinCEN Form 114. FinCEN Form 114, better known as the FBAR (Foreign Bank Account Report,), is an informational report. It […]
06/15/2026
If you received a letter about your Malta QROPS and U.S. tax reporting, you are not alone — and you are not automatically in trouble. Some U.S. taxpayers with Malta-based QROPS arrangements are being asked to review whether their pension has been reported correctly under U.S. tax rules. That can feel unsettling, especially if the […]
06/15/2026
New country, new bank account, new tax system. Same annual hello from the IRS. For Americans living abroad, U.S. tax obligations often continue long after the moving boxes are unpacked. U.S. citizens, green card holders, and some resident aliens still need to file a federal income tax return, even when they earn income in a […]
06/15/2026
If your life involves visas, travel days, remote work, or U.S. investments, your tax season is rarely a simple, single-page affair. The IRS doesn’t track your cross-border income on a standard tax return. Instead, it requires Form 1040-NR. Form 1040-NR, or the U.S. Nonresident Alien Income Tax Return, is used by non-U.S. citizens to report […]
06/15/2026
Self-employment abroad has a lot going for it: more freedom, more flexibility, and no one hovering over your shoulder asking whether that report is “almost ready.” The IRS, tragically, remains unmoved by the romance. If you’re a U.S. expat working for yourself, your business income may still need to go on your U.S. tax return. […]