03/18/2026
You file from abroad, report your foreign salary, maybe claim the FEIE or foreign tax credits—and then something odd happens. A credit disappears, a deduction shrinks, or your Roth IRA eligibility quietly evaporates. The culprit is often one number: your Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI). MAGI matters because it’s the IRS’s gatekeeper for a long […]
03/17/2026
Let’s face it—U.S. tax rules are complicated, especially when you throw foreign bank accounts and global income into the mix. If you’ve just realized you were supposed to report those offshore assets (and haven’t), take a deep breath. You’re not alone—and the IRS knows it. That’s why they created the Streamlined Filing Compliance Procedures (SFCP). Think […]
03/16/2026
Living in the United Kingdom as an American can come with many perks—from easy travel across other European countries to access to the UK’s public healthcare system and a completely different pace of life. But one thing doesn’t stay behind when you move overseas: tax obligations. For U.S. citizens, taxes don’t stop at the border. […]
03/15/2026
Ask any American living abroad what keeps them up at night, and double taxation is right up there with jet lag and missing decent bagels. As a U.S. citizen, resident alien, or self-employed global adventurer, the IRS expects you to report your worldwide income—even if you earn every penny in a foreign country. Enter the […]
03/14/2026
Got a bank account abroad? Congratulations—you’re more interesting than the average taxpayer. Unfortunately, you’re also on the IRS’s radar. Enter the FBAR: the Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts. Filed on FinCEN Form 114, the FBAR exists thanks to the Bank Secrecy Act, which basically says, “If you’ve got money overseas, we want the […]
03/08/2026
“Free healthcare” sounds reassuring—especially if you’re coming from the U.S. And from the outside, Germany’s system can look exactly like that: universal coverage, strong hospitals, no shock bills. But does Germany have free healthcare? Not quite. Health insurance is mandatory, and what you pay depends on whether you’re in the public system or private coverage. […]
03/12/2026
A capital gain is the increase of the value of an asset that you realize when that asset is sold. Capital gains (and losses) are reported on Form 1040 Schedule D; however the calculations to arrive at the capital gain or loss are reported on IRS Form 8949.
03/08/2026
China doesn’t ease you in gently. It moves fast, changes quickly, and rewards people who arrive prepared. For Americans living in China, 2026 brings real opportunity—global careers, major cities, deep cultural history—but also layers of paperwork, local rules, and practical realities that don’t always translate neatly from life back home. The good news is that […]
03/10/2026
Living abroad comes with a lot of perks—new foods, new friends, and the chance to answer “where are you from?” in increasingly creative ways. But for U.S. citizens, green card holders, and resident aliens living in a foreign country, there’s one not-so-fun challenge that comes with the adventure: double taxation. The IRS loves to keep […]
03/09/2026
Crypto used to feel invisible—wallet address, a few trades, maybe some staking, and not much scrutiny. That era is over. The tax rules themselves haven’t dramatically changed, but enforcement and reporting have. By the 2026 filing season, the IRS has far more visibility into digital asset activity, and taxpayers are expected to match their records […]