Bright!Tax US Expat Tax Blog

Foreign Tax Credit Limitation – What Expats Need to Know

Foreign tax credit limitation for US expats

Without the right tax strategy in place, double taxation is a real possibility for US expats. That’s because the US is among a handful of countries that charges tax based on citizenship, rather than residence.  Fortunately, expats can use the Foreign Tax Credit, among other legislated initiatives, to eliminate the prospect of paying tax twice. […]

Tax Return Filing For US Citizens Living Abroad

Tax Return Filing For US Citizens Living Abroad

Over nine million US citizens are living abroad, including US military and diplomatic staff. According to US law, all of them who meet minimum IRS income requirements have to file a US tax return every year, reporting their worldwide income. Neither international tax treaties, nor where their income is sourced, nor whether US citizens living […]

Foreign Corporation Taxes: CFC & PFIC Taxes for Expats

Whether you’re an expat who owns and runs a foreign business or just holds shares in one, it’s important to understand the tax implications. After all, US taxes work differently for foreign businesses than for domestic ones. Unfortunately, they can be fairly complex — like taxes on controlled foreign corporations (CFCs) and passive foreign investment […]

Challenges and Benefits of Working Remotely Abroad

Challenges and Benefits of Working Remotely Abroad

One of the long-term legacies of the Covid pandemic is forecast to be a widespread transition to remote working. Combined with a pent-up appetite for international travel, this is likely to mean that the next couple of years will bring a surge of interest in working remotely from abroad. Whether pursuing a dream to live […]

Form 1120-F: What Business Owners Need to Know

Form 1120-F - What Business Owners Need to Know

Tax compliance is a major consideration for any business owner, particularly when dealing with international tax obligations. Form 1120-F, U.S. Income Tax Return of a Foreign Corporation, plays a crucial role in how foreign corporations with U.S. business activities report their income and calculate their tax liabilities. Despite its importance, many international business owners are […]

Insurance Challenges and Options for American Expats

Insurance Challenges and Options for American Expats

Adjusting to living abroad takes planning, especially when it comes to your finances and health. Healthcare and health insurance, in particular, come with their own challenges abroad. In this article, experts from International Citizens Insurance share the most common insurance challenges and solutions for American expats.  Challenges of Local healthcare abroad Healthcare in the United States ranks as one […]

Dual Citizen Needing US Tax Help? Here’s a Guide

Dual Citizen Needing US Tax Help Guide

Dual citizens, or dual nationals, are citizens of two different countries. Dual citizenship was prohibited in most countries in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, however the United States has allowed Americans to be dual citizens since 1967. Dual nationality is most often acquired either through parentage, or through naturalization (obtaining a second citizenship through […]

Filing US Back Taxes Late from Abroad

Filing US Back Taxes Late from Abroad

According to the IRS, round a million Americans are living abroad and not filing US taxes. (Would it help us to cite your source?) The requirement for Americans living abroad having to file US taxes on their global income was introduced way back during the Civil War, however it’s only in the last few years […]

US Tax Guide for Americans Gifting to a Foreign Spouse

US Tax Guide for Americans Gifting to a Foreign Spouse

A gift to a foreign spouse (a Nonresident Alien or NRA spouse in IRS speak), can be an effective strategy for Americans living abroad to reduce their US tax bill. Americans living abroad married to a foreign spouse are required to file US taxes on their global income every year. This is true of all […]