10/06/2025
Stimulus Payments for Americans, including expats, were announced as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, passed on March 27th. The purpose of the Stimulus Payments is to provide financial assistance to Americans impacted by the Coronavirus outbreak. As of Friday May 8th, the IRS had sent 595,548 CARES Act Stimulus Payments to […]
11/17/2025
Many Americans living abroad get the opportunity to acquire foreign investments at some point in their fiscal journey. While investing in financial vehicles outside of the US can play an important role in diversifying your portfolio and aligning your investment strategy to the economy of your host country, it’s important to understand how foreign holdings […]
10/06/2025
The majority of Americans use tax software to file their US taxes. In the light of this, it’s strange that the IRS has been changing Form 1040 over the last couple of years, as very few people use it. Instead, the majority either employ a tax preparer, who uses software, or input their information into […]
11/17/2025
If you’re a self-employed US expat, understanding your tax obligations is essential. Self-employed US expats are not only subject to income taxes but also Social Security taxes. Unlike working for an American employer (or some foreign employers1), you are responsible for keeping track of Social Security taxes when you’re self-employed. This is best done proactively […]
10/06/2025
Two years after Donald Trump signed into law his Tax Reform, in the last few days of December 2019 he signed another law called the SECURE (Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement) Act. The law comes into immediate effect in 2020. It is designed to allow American taxpayers, including expats, to better plan and […]
10/06/2025
There are several routes to American citizenship, but the main one is that if you’re born in the US then you automatically become an American citizen. Some people are born in the US to foreign parents who may be there temporarily though, perhaps studying, on a temporary work assignment, or just on holiday. These families […]
05/29/2026
Skyler Rutkowski is the latest winner of the Bright!Tax Global Scholar Award. The award is made biannually to exceptional young Americans who wish to study overseas. Skyler is the eighth recipient of the award, which was launched in 2016 by Bright!Tax, the world-leading expat tax services firm. Skyler is currently working towards a PHD in […]
10/06/2025
The US requires all Americans to file US taxes every year, reporting their worldwide income. This includes Americans living abroad. Additionally, American expats have to claim exemptions such as the Foreign Tax Credit and the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion to reduce their US tax bill. Most US taxpayers living abroad can reduce their US tax bill to […]
10/06/2025
All American citizens and Green Card holders are required to file a US federal tax return every year, reporting their global income, even if they live abroad. Americans may also have to report any foreign registered businesses, financial assets, and bank or investment accounts that they may have. Neither international tax treaties nor filing foreign […]
10/06/2025
Many US citizens living abroad aren’t sure whether they need to file US taxes. In this article we’re going to clear up a few common misconceptions, and provide some strategies for success. Do US citizens living abroad have to file US taxes? Yes. All US citizens, including those living abroad, who earn more than the […]