Tax Rules and Compliance

Tax treaties are supposed to prevent double taxation, but for many U.S. expats they read like a legal thriller with no plot summary. You’ve probably heard treaties can lower taxes, and then you hear “saving clause” and realize the U.S. still wants a word. So yes, treaties can reduce your tax bill—but mostly in specific […]

If you worked in a job that didn’t pay into Social Security (such as certain government roles or employment overseas that did not pay U.S. Social Security), you may have run into the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP). This rule reduced Social Security benefits for certain public employees, federal workers under the CSRS, and some U.S. […]

Imagine building a life abroad—new job, new home, new community—only to find out the IRS still expects you to file U.S. taxes every single year. For millions of Americans overseas, that’s not a surprise waiting in the fine print—it’s the reality of citizenship-based taxation. This taxation system means that even if you earn your entire […]

You filed your U.S. tax return. You dotted your I’s, crossed your T’s, maybe even triple-checked your 1040. And yet—somewhere in the IRS’s massive labyrinth of rules—you missed one tiny-but-critical detail: an international information return. If you’ve got ties to a foreign trust, corporation, or financial asset, the IRS wants more than your income. It […]

If you’re a U.S. taxpayer with foreign accounts, FATCA — the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act — is probably lurking somewhere on your radar. It’s the law that makes sure Americans aren’t quietly stashing money overseas without telling the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The twist? Not everyone has to jump through all the hoops. FATCA […]

Living abroad can be an adventure—new culture, new coffee, new rent receipts. But if you’re a U.S. taxpayer overseas, there’s one perk you don’t want to miss: the Foreign Housing Exclusion. The Foreign Housing Exclusion (FHE) allows qualified expats to deduct certain housing costs from their taxable income—on top of the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion. […]

Inheriting cash or a flat in another country feels like winning the life lottery—right up until you remember the IRS has opinions. Here’s the good news: there’s no separate foreign inheritance tax under U.S. law. The less-good news: there are rules, forms, and deadlines, and the IRS would very much like you to follow them. […]

Winning the lottery feels like the universe just handed you a golden ticket—until the IRS shows up with scissors to take its cut. Whether you cash out in a lump sum payment or spread your jackpot over annual payments, taxes on lottery winnings are unavoidable. Between federal rates (up to 37%) and state rules that […]

Living abroad comes with plenty of perks: better weather, stronger coffee, and the chance to reinvent yourself at least once a year. But even if you’ve traded New York for Hong Kong or settled into a cozy village in the United Kingdom, one thing still follows you: U.S. taxes. That’s why the right expat tax […]