11/12/2026
Give someone more than $19,000 in 2026, and you’ll need to file IRS Form 709 unless another rule exempts the gift from reporting. The regular deadline is April 15, 2027, even if your gift tax bill comes to $0. That’s the part that catches people out. You help your daughter buy a flat or move […]
11/12/2026
California doesn’t charge an exit tax just because you move. But if you keep renting out your Los Angeles condo, fly back to work in San Francisco, or exercise options you earned while working in the state, California can still tax that income. And if your move is temporary, you may still be a California […]
11/12/2026
Paying income tax abroad doesn’t automatically mean you’ll pay U.S. tax on the same income. But it doesn’t get you out of filing a U.S. return, either. The Foreign Tax Credit, the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion, and tax treaties can all help, depending on what you earn and where it’s taxed. At Bright!Tax, we start […]
11/10/2026
Qualifying Americans abroad can exclude up to $130,000 of foreign earned income on a 2025 return and $132,900 for 2026. You claim it on Form 2555, need a tax home in a foreign country, and must meet either the Physical Presence Test or the Bona Fide Residence Test. At Bright!Tax, we help Americans abroad check […]
11/05/2026
Living abroad may change your view, your routine, and your favorite snacks. It doesn’t automatically end your U.S. tax filing duties. U.S. citizens and resident aliens must still report worldwide income when they meet the filing requirements. At Bright!Tax, we help Americans living abroad work out what to file, which tax breaks to claim, and […]
11/04/2026
There’s no single IRS exchange rate for every expat tax situation. The right rate depends on what you’re reporting: regular income, a foreign account, an asset sale, or foreign taxes. At Bright!Tax, we help U.S. expats get those conversions right. Here’s when to use an annual average, a transaction-date rate, or a year-end rate—and why […]
11/04/2026
Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) can increase your U.S. tax liability when a separate calculation produces a higher result than the regular tax rules. A large investment gain, stock-option exercise, or certain deductions can bring it into play—even while you live abroad. At Bright!Tax, we help Americans abroad understand their U.S. tax obligations. Here’s how AMT […]
11/02/2026
Living abroad doesn’t end your U.S. tax obligations—but filing a return doesn’t necessarily mean you owe tax. Your income, accounts, and eligibility for tax breaks determine what you need to report and pay. At Bright!Tax, we help Americans living abroad make sense of those details. Here’s our U.S. expat tax advice for getting the paperwork […]
10/30/2026
Giving money to family abroad—or receiving a generous gift—doesn’t automatically mean a U.S. tax bill. But gift tax exclusions, the donor’s tax status, and reporting requirements determine what you need to file. At Bright!Tax, we help Americans abroad understand their U.S. tax obligations. Here’s how to separate a gift that needs paperwork from one that […]
10/29/2026
A non-U.S. spouse can qualify for spousal Social Security benefits on a worker’s U.S. earnings record—even without a U.S. work history of their own. Receiving those benefits while living abroad requires a separate check of citizenship, residence, and overseas-payment rules. At Bright!Tax, we help Americans abroad understand the U.S. tax implications of retirement income. For […]