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Showing posts with label form 2555. Show all posts
Showing posts with label form 2555. Show all posts

January 18, 2017

Situations Where Foreign you Income Expat Exclusion Will NOT WORK!

If you think on form 2555 you eligible for the foreign earned income exclusion under the physical presence test, don't be so certain. Read the following link to find out how the IRS can take it away from you on a technicality. If you need help succeeding and preparing a return that will survive audit and IRS scrutiny email us. ddnelson@gmail.com

http://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=c4304733-ff7b-4488-94a4-64261807afa5

January 30, 2014

Qualifying for the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion Physical Presence - When You Have Foreign Residence or Tax Domicile

The IRS can cause you problems if you claim a foreign residence for the Physical Present Test when attempting to use the  foreign earned income exclusion on your tax return. Factors that are looked at to determine if you have a foreign residence are:

In Sochurek v. CIR, the Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit listed some of the factors to be weighed in determining a taxpayer's residence:
a. The taxpayer's intention.
b. Establishment of a home temporarily in the foreign country for an indefinite period.
c. Participation in the activities of the community on social and cultural levels, identification with the daily lives of the people, and, in general, assimilation into the foreign environment.
d. Physical presence in the foreign country consistent with the taxpayer's employment.
e. The nature, extent, and reasons for temporary absences from the foreign home.
f. Assumption of economic burdens and payment of taxes to the foreign country.
g. Status of a resident of the foreign country as contrasted to that of a transient or sojourner.
h. The taxpayer's employer's classification of the taxpayer's income tax status.
i. Marital status and residence of the taxpayer's family.
j. Nature and duration of his employment; whether his assignment abroad could be promptly accomplished within a definite or specified time.
k. Whether the taxpayer's purpose in establishing a foreign home is tax evasion.

Want help with your tax return or have expat or international tax questions. Email us at ddnelson@gmail.com.  We have been doing expat taxes for over 30 years.

May 7, 2013

IRS Announces 2013 Foreign Earned Income Exclusion Amount and Foreign Housing exclusion amounts

The maximum foreign earned income exclusion that can be claimed for 2013 is $97,600. Remember if both you and your spouse live abroad and both work each of you gets to claim this offset against your respective foreign wages and self employment income.

The IRS new guidelines for the housing exclusion  or deduction for 2013 have also been released. This includes  foreign rent, utilities and maintenance expense that can be claimed in addition to the foreign earned income exclusion  has also been released. There is a minium amount of housing expenses that are not deductible is $15,616.  The maximum amount varies by country ( the charts shows amount before deducting the $15,616). Tokyo in the IRS's  opinion is now the most expensive city in the world since it has the highest maximum. of $117,100.  To see the Maximum amount allowed for your home country CLICK HERE.

Learn more at www.TaxMeLess.com or email us at ddnelson@gmail.com 

March 18, 2013

International Flight Attendants & Pilots Use of Foreign Earned Income Exclusion is Limited

The Tax Court has held that an international flight attendant  (this ruling would apply to pilots also) could not use the foreign earned income exclusion to shield all of her wages from tax. Rather, she could only exclude that portion of her wages that was allocable to her flight time that occurred within or over foreign countries.

 A qualified individual may exclude foreign earned income from gross income. (Code Sec. 911(a)) Foreign earned income is earned income received by an individual from sources within a foreign country. (Code Sec. 911(b)(1)(A)) Code Sec. 911 does not define “foreign country.” But the regs provide that the term “foreign country” when used in a geographical sense includes any territory under the sovereignty of a government other than that of the U.S. They go on to provide that the term includes the territorial waters of the foreign country (determined in accordance with the laws of the U.S.), the air space over the foreign country, and the seabed and subsoil of those submarine areas which are adjacent to the territorial waters of the foreign country and over which the foreign country has exclusive rights, in accordance with international law, with respect to the exploration and exploitation of natural resources. (Reg. § 1.911-2(h))

Consistent with this reg, the Tax Court has held that a U.S. taxpayer is allowed the foreign earned income exclusion only for wages earned while in or over foreign countries and not for wages earned in international airspace or in or over the U.S. (LeTourneau, TC Memo 2012-45)

Facts. Yen-Ling K. Rogers was a U.S. citizen and a bona fide resident of Hong Kong. She worked as a flight attendant for United Airlines (United) on international flights based out of Hong Kong International Airport. Under an agreement between United and the union for flight attendants, (1) Yen-Ling accrued nonflight time, such as sick and vacation hours, based on the period of her flight attendant service; and (2) United compensated her for additional categories, such as required training and meetings and the performance incentive program.

United required Yen-Ling to perform preboarding and postarrival services on every flight on which she worked. She was required to report to work 1 hour and 45 minutes before the departure of a flight and to perform approximately 30 minutes of postarrival services. The flight time begins at “out time,” when the plane's brake is released and the plane pushes back from the airport. The flight time ends at “in time” when the plane's parking brake is set after landing. Yen-Ling was not separately compensated for the time spent performing preboarding and postarrival services.

In 2007, Yen-Ling worked the following flights: 16 flights between Hong Kong (HK) and San Francisco (SFO); 16 flights between SFO and HK; 14 flights between HK and Chicago (CHI); 14 flights between CHI and HK; 5 flights between HK and Ho Chi Minh City; 5 flights between Ho Chi Minh City and HK; 2 flights between SFO and Nagoya; and 2 flights between Nagoya and SFO.
The percentage of Yen-Ling's flight time within or over foreign countries during 2007 was as follows:
  • HK-SFO-HK, 63.38% foreign flight time,
  • HK-CHI-HK, 86.05% foreign flight time,
  • HK-Ho Chi Minh City-HK, 100% foreign flight time, and
  • SFO-Nagoya-SFO, 29.19% foreign flight time.
United reported $41,762 of wages to Yen-Ling for 2007 on Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement. United provided her a duty time apportionment for her flights during 2007 that apportioned the minutes of her flight times within or over the U.S., international waters, and foreign countries.

Yen-Ling excluded 100% of her United wages as “other” income on a joint return she filed with her husband for 2007. The “other” income reported on her Form 1040 was specified by reference to the attached Form 2555EZ, Foreign Earned Income Exclusion. On the Form 2555-EZ, she reported $41,762 as the total amount of foreign earned income she earned and received in 2007 and the same amount as their foreign earned income exclusion.


Exclusion limited. The Tax Court observed that even though Yen-Ling excluded wages as foreign earned income, she stipulated that only a percentage of her flight time occurred within or over foreign countries. Therefore, the Court concluded that only a percentage of her United wages qualified for the Code Sec. 911(a) exclusion.

The  Tax Court concluded that her stipulated flight time percentages applied to any of her wages that are allocable to nonflight time that was based on international flight attendant services she performed for United. The Court said that there was no rational basis for allocating these forms of compensation 100% to foreign earned income.

Visit our website at www.expatattorneycpa.com to learn more about IRS International Tax Rules that affect pilots, flight crews, and crew who work on ships, cruise lines, etc. Let us help you with your tax returns.

March 3, 2013

Everything You Wanted to Know about the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion (IRS Form 2555)

One of the best tax benefits in the tax code is the foreign earned income exclusion.  If you live abroad in a no tax or low tax jurisdiction it allows you to save many thousands of dollars in US income taxes.


If you meet certain requirements, you may qualify for the foreign earned income and foreign housing exclusions and the foreign housing deduction.

If you are a U.S. citizen or a resident alien of the United States and you live abroad, you are taxed on your worldwide income. However, you may qualify to exclude from income up to an amount of your foreign earnings that is now adjusted for inflation ($91,400 for 2009, $91,500 for 2010, $92,900 for 2011, $95,100 for 2012). In addition, you can exclude or deduct certain foreign housing amounts.
You may also be entitled to exclude from income the value of meals and lodging provided to you by your employer. Refer to Exclusion of Meals and Lodging in Publication 54, Tax Guide for U.S. Citizens and Resident Aliens Abroad, and Publication 15-B, Employer's Tax Guide to Fringe Benefits for more information.

If you live in a foreign country where you must pay foreign income taxes, you can avoid double taxation by taking foreign tax credits which offset your US tax on that foreign income dollar for dollar.  We have over 30 years experience in assisting US expatriates, green card holders and nonresidents pay the lowest US income taxes possible. We can often help you avoid having to pay US state taxes also.  Email us at ddnelson@gmail.com or visit our websites at www.TaxMeLess.com or www.expatattorneycpa.com 

February 16, 2013

An Overlooked Expat Deduction? - The Foreign housing exclusion or deduction.


In addition to the foreign earned income exclusion, you can also claim an exclusion or a deduction from gross income for your housing amount if your tax home is in a foreign country and you qualify for the exclusions and deduction under either the bona fide residence test or the physical presence test.
The housing exclusion applies only to amounts considered paid for with employer-provided amounts, which includes any amounts paid to you or paid or incurred on your behalf by your employer that are taxable foreign earned income to you for the year (without regard to the foreign earned income exclusion). The housing deduction applies only to amounts paid for with self-employment earnings.
Read more about your expatriate and nonresident income tax benefits and rules at www.TaxMeLess.com.   We have  been preparing expatriate and US nonresident tax returns for over 30 years.

October 29, 2012

IRS INFLATION ADJUSTMENT - DEDUCTION INCREASES FOR 2013


  • The foreign earned income exclusion will go from $95,100 to $97,600 for 2013.  Remember if both spouses work they can each claim up to that amount on their separate foreign wages on form 2555.
  • The gift tax exclusion (threshold after which you must file a gift tax return) is increased from $13,000 to $14,000.  If a husband and wife both give the gift (and both are US taxpayers) they can claim a combined exclusion of $28,000 in 2013.  Gifts for education costs and health care are not subject to gift tax.
  • The maximum contribution limits by an employee to a 401K plan increases to $17,500 in 2013.
  • The social security ceiling for wages subject to that tax increases to $113,700 in 2013 from the current $110,100. Their is no ceiling on the 2.3 percent medicare tax.

February 18, 2012

IRS Exempts 4 countries from Foreign Earned Income Exclusion Rules Time Requirements

The IRS has exempted expats living in Libya, Yeman, Egypt and Syria from certain time requirements under the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion Rules (Form 2555 the current $92,900 earned income exclusion).  They have done this since many US expats may have had to abandon their residency due to political turmoil in those countries during 2011.

To real full details and the time parameters which apply read the Journal of Accountancy Article HERE 

Visit our website at www.TaxMeLess.com for further assistance with your US expat tax return preparation or just to learn more about the various applicable rules and regulations.


August 31, 2011

2011 Foreign Earned Income Exclusion Increases


For 2011, the foreign earned income exclusion for wages earned while working  and living abroad will be $92,900.  That is a $1,400 increase from that allowed for 2010.  If both spouses work abroad, each can exclude their earned income from US taxes up to that amount.  One spouse cannot use the other spouses unused portion of that exclusion.

If your are married and live abroad with your spouse, consider making her an employee or starting her own business since she will also receive a foreign earned income exclusion for 2011 of of $92,900 to be applied against her taxable income on her US income tax return.

You can also claim a deduction for foreign rental expenses, utilities and maintenance above a certain amount up to a maximum amount which varies per the country you in which you are living and working.