Wondering who exactly needs to file this form, how to do it, and why it matters? We’ll answer all of these questions and more below.
Form 8960: When Investment Income Triggers an Extra U.S. Tax
09/15/2026
Missed the Deadline? How to File Taxes After October 15
09/08/2026
Missed the October 15 tax deadline? You haven’t missed your chance to file. The IRS still accepts late returns, and the sooner you submit yours, the less expensive the delay may be. You should still file even if you can’t pay your full tax bill. Filing and paying are separate, and waiting until you can […]
Controlled Foreign Corporation Tax Rules: What Changes for U.S. Owners in 2026
09/08/2026
If you’re a U.S. citizen who owns a company abroad, its profits can affect your U.S. tax return—even when the business operates entirely overseas and hasn’t paid you a dividend. That’s because the United States has special rules for foreign companies largely owned by U.S. shareholders. Congress changed these controlled foreign corporation rules in 2025, […]
The October 15 Tax Deadline: Can Expats Get More Time?
09/04/2026
October 15, 2026, is the filing deadline for many Americans abroad who requested extra time to submit their 2025 U.S. tax return. If that includes you, there’s still time to get everything in order. One thing to know upfront: an extension gives you more time to file, not more time to pay. Here’s what’s due […]
The IRS’s New Automatic Exemption from Penalty: What Expats Need to Know
09/04/2026
If you’ve filed and paid your U.S. taxes on time for the past three years but slip up once, the IRS may now waive certain penalties automatically. The change comes from a new program called Automatic Exemption from Penalty (AEP), announced in July 2026. Starting with eligible 2025 tax returns, the IRS will check whether […]
The Best Countries to Retire in 2026
08/17/2026
Most retirement decisions are made from thousands of miles away. This includes where to live, how you’ll access healthcare, and which residency rules you’ll need to navigate. For Americans planning to retire outside the U.S., that distance can make it difficult to properly evaluate a country and determine if it’s actually practical to live in. […]
What Americans Should Know Before Moving to Mexico in 2026
07/29/2026
Moving to Mexico is easy to picture from the U.S.: short flights, familiar time zones, beach towns, major cities, and a lower cost of living. But the move itself depends on more practical questions. Will you live somewhere walkable or car dependent? Are you prepared for residency paperwork, Spanish-language errands, bottled water, rainy-season disruptions, and […]
The U.S. Remittance Tax Is Now Law: What This Means for Americans Abroad (2026 Guide)
07/16/2026
A routine money transfer could now come with an unexpected extra cost. Starting in 2026, a new U.S. remittance tax applies to certain transfers sent abroad, including some used to support family or move money across borders. The good news is that the final law is much narrower than earlier proposals. The tax rate is […]
What Marginal Tax Rates Really Mean for Your Take-Home Pay
06/15/2026
Extra income sounds like a win until you start wondering how much of it the IRS will keep. A raise, bonus, freelance project, or overseas income can all change the rate that applies to your highest dollars. That is where marginal tax rates come into play. Your marginal tax rate is the rate applied to […]
Need to Access Retirement Funds Abroad? The IRA Early Withdrawal Penalty Explained
07/22/2026
Life abroad has a way of turning savings into survival money. A rental deposit, visa fee, emergency flight, or gap between jobs can make an IRA suddenly look very available. The catch is that the IRS usually charges for early access. If you take money from an IRA before age 59½, you may owe regular […]