Tax Rules and Compliance

When Americans move abroad, they are usually more focused on the adventure ahead than on getting to grips with US tax rules for expats. In fact, many assume that their foreign income is tax exempt. It’s counter-intuitive, in a way, that US expats are required to file US taxes from abroad, declaring their worldwide income. […]

American expats are unfortunate in having to continue filing US taxes from abroad, often as well as filing a tax return in the country where they reside. Filing US taxes from abroad is more complex than filing from within the US though. For example, there are normally more forms to file, and there are also […]

US citizens are required to report their worldwide income to the IRS by filing a federal tax return each year, regardless of whether they live in the US or abroad, whether they are paying foreign taxes or not, or whether they live in a country which has a tax treaty with the US or not. […]

President Trump’s campaign promise of tax reform was eventually signed into law as the Tax Jobs and Cuts Act on December 22nd 2017. Some of the changes the Act contains have been well publicized, such as the so called Apple Tax, and lower tax rates. For many, the changes mean planning ahead and making changes […]

Over the last few years, millions of US expats have been asked by their foreign banks and investment firms to fill out IRS form W-9. Receiving form W-9 often causes surprise or alarm. While there’s no need to panic, there are a number of things that expats should know if they receive form W-9, to […]

Year-end tax planning this year is slightly different this year due to the proposed changes to the tax system. Despite this uncertainty, however, there are still plenty of things that expats can do before the holidays to make their lives easier in 2018, and possibly save them money too. Assemble your 2017 records The first […]

Tax season is upon us, and if you’re a US expat living abroad, you might be feeling the pressure to file your US tax return on time. But what if you need more time to gather your financial documents or navigate the complexities of international tax laws? The good news is, as a US expat, […]

Living abroad is the adventure of a lifetime, however American expats are still required to file a US tax return reporting their worldwide income, as well as complying with the tax rules in their country of residence. Furthermore, there are extra US tax filing requirements that only apply to expats, such as filing an FBAR, […]

Inpats, or inpatriates, are foreigners who have been transferred to work in the United States. So in a sense, inpats are also (from the perspective of their country of origin) expats. As individuals working in the States, inpats normally become subject to the US taxation system. This is probably the first time they’ll encounter the […]

Many Americans own property in the US when they move abroad, and so are faced with the question of whether to sell or rent it. How to answer this question often depends on whether they are moving abroad temporarily or permanently: if they are moving overseas temporarily, if may make more sense to rent it, […]