12/12/2025
The contract says one number, your bank account whispers another. Welcome to Germany, where paychecks are a little like cake: layered, tidy, and occasionally surprising. Income tax here is national and progressive, collected through your local Finanzamt. That means your “bracket” is only the rate on your last slice of taxable income, not the whole […]
10/21/2025
Running a business overseas? Congratulations—you now have not only more stamps in your passport, but also more paperwork in your tax return. Enter Form 8858, the IRS’s way of keeping tabs on your foreign disregarded entities (FDEs) and branches. This form isn’t about paying extra tax—it’s about disclosure. The IRS wants a snapshot of your […]
10/16/2025
Living abroad can reset almost everything—your time zone, your grocery list, even your definition of “good coffee.” What it doesn’t reset? Your obligation to file a U.S. tax return. For expats, the real prize is tax relief through the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion (FEIE) or Foreign Housing Exclusion. But to qualify, you need to show […]
10/11/2025
Getting scammed is one of those experiences you hope will never happen—and yet, it happens to millions of Americans every year. Maybe it’s a too-good-to-be-true investment, a phone call pretending to be the IRS, or an online “friend” who wasn’t who they said they were. However it unfolds, the result is the same: money gone, […]
10/09/2025
If your idea of retirement involves trading rush-hour traffic for winding country lanes, and your morning soundtrack is less car horns and more fiddles and birdsong, then retirement in Ireland might be calling your name. The Emerald Isle has long enchanted visitors with its rolling green hills, cozy pubs, and warm-hearted locals—and for many Americans, […]
10/09/2025
The IRS has officially powered down. As of October 8, 2025, a lapse in federal funding has sent most of the agency’s staff home on furlough—and left taxpayers, especially those overseas, wondering who’s still at the wheel. For Americans abroad, this isn’t just a minor inconvenience. The IRS is the hub for refunds, foreign income […]
12/12/2025
The plan is simple: land in Frankfurt, eat your body weight in pretzels, pretend you understand train timetables. But first—passport control. Germany sits inside the Schengen Area (think France, Spain, Italy and their 20-ish neighbors), which has one set of rules for short stays. So the real question isn’t just “Do U.S. citizens need a […]
10/05/2025
So you’ve moved abroad—traded in your U.S. zip code for a new country, a new life, maybe even a better coffee. But one thing you didn’t leave behind? The IRS. U.S. citizens are taxed on their worldwide income, no matter where they live. The good news: Uncle Sam does throw expats a couple of lifelines. […]
12/12/2025
Buying a house in Germany isn’t a sprint—it’s a tidy, well-signposted jog. Prices are listed per square meter (cue different math), a notary seals every deal, and the land registry has the final say. Banks care less about charm and more about steady numbers, so pre-approval beats “we’ll figure it out” every time. If you’re […]
10/05/2025
Every tax season, U.S. filers face an eternal question: tax deductions vs tax credits—which one actually saves you more money? It’s a bit like asking whether you’d rather have a coupon that takes a few dollars off your dinner bill, or a gift card that covers the whole entrée. Both are great, but they work […]