US expat tax, one question at a time.
Plain-English guides to overseas earnings, foreign taxes, foreign-account reporting, records, and filing dates, with official sources. The collection has a 2025 federal-return focus.
Start with the basicsSix topic guides, three country guides, and pages by how you earn.
Begin with the basics.
The starting guide explains the federal side without asking you to learn every form first. It covers:
- Who needs to check US filing requirements
- How overseas income fits in
- Where tax breaks and separate reports come in
Find the guide that fits your question.
Search by title, question or form number, or filter by topic.
Showing 6 of 6 guides
- GETTING STARTEDDo I still need a US return?US taxes while living abroadFederal filing, worldwide income, and the difference between owing tax and needing to file.
- INCOME & TAX BREAKSCan I exclude earnings from work abroad?Foreign earned income exclusionThe qualifying conditions, the time-abroad questions, and the records behind an exclusion claim.Form 2555
- INCOME & TAX BREAKSWhat if I already paid income tax abroad?Foreign tax creditHow foreign tax can affect a US return, why credit limits matter, and what to have ready.Form 1116
- ACCOUNTS & RECORDSWhich foreign-account report is which?FBAR and Form 8938Two separate reports, where each is filed, and why preparing one does not replace the other.Form 8938, FinCEN 114
- ACCOUNTS & RECORDSWhat should I gather before I start?Your tax documents checklistRecords for income, foreign taxes, time abroad, family, and any investment sales.
- GETTING STARTEDWhich deadline applies to my return?Filing dates and extensionsCheck the tax year, filing and payment dates, and the purpose of different extension forms.Forms 4868, 2350
By where you live, or how you earn.
Country guides connect US filing topics with official local resources. Audience pages explain what the current preparation offer can handle; the topic guides explain the tax topics.
By where you live
Guides for the United Kingdom, Canada and Portugal. They do not offer preparation of those countries' tax returns.
All country guidesBy how you earn
Employment abroad, working for yourself, or investment income.
A starting list of records.
What you need depends on your income and time abroad; you do not need every document on every checklist. This is a starting list, not a universal requirement.
- Pay and income statements
- Foreign tax assessments or payment records
- Dates you lived, worked and traveled abroad
- Purchase and sale details, if you sold investments
Official sources
- IRS Publication 54: Federal taxes for citizens and residents abroad (opens in a new tab)
- IRS: Comparison of Form 8938 and FBAR requirements (separate reports) (opens in a new tab)
Last reviewed 22 October 2026
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