Virginia La Torre Jeker, J.D. — US tax matters affecting international clients
Americans working abroad may be eligible to exclude certain foreign earned income (wages, compensation for services) from US taxable income under the rules governing the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion (FEIE). The FEIE amount is adjusted annually for inflation. The amount for 2018 is US$104,100 per individual; for 2019 the amount is US$105,900 per individual. In … Continue reading Foreign Earned Income Exclusion: What is “Earned Income”?
In early April, the House of Representatives passed a bill that would re-design the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). It had a nifty and promising title, the "Taxpayer First Act of 2019". Despite its sweet title, part of the bill would prohibit the IRS from providing taxpayers with free tax preparation software. The for-profit tax preparation … Continue reading House Blocks IRS Free-File Tax Help: Who Cares!
I will be posting here a series of eight related videos which discuss the premise that the United States is imposing a separate and more punitive tax system on U.S. dual citizens who live in (and are tax residents of) other countries. The videos were motivated by recent posts by Toronto lawyer John Richardson and … Continue reading Americans Abroad: Separate But (Not) Equal
Sweeping tax reform was signed into law by President Trump on December 22, 2017. Now that tax returns are being prepared for the 2018 year, individuals are more keenly feeling the impact of the “Tax Cuts and Job Act” (“TCJA”). I’ve had numerous calls on two questions by Americans overseas who own a foreign residence. … Continue reading Overseas Home? Mortgage Interest, Foreign Real Property Taxes & New US Tax Law – Any Workaround?
Regular readers of my tax blog will not be surprised by the title of this post and the content it hints at delivering. They likely realize by now that the American person abroad is not looked upon favorably by the US tax laws. The tax laws look at anything “foreign” with a jaundiced eye when … Continue reading US Tax Law to American Abroad – “How Do I Hate Thee, Let Me Count the Ways”
Americans in Dubai / Singapore – If you are not tax compliant, time is really running out. As reported by Bloomberg on March 8th, an official with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation (CI) unit announced at a Washington DC Federal Bar Association event that CI is considering Dubai and Singapore as its "next … Continue reading Dubai (and Singapore) – Now IRS Targets for Offshore Investigations
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) just issued proposed Regulations dealing with the “Deduction for Foreign-Derived Intangible Income and Global Intangible Low-Taxed Income (“GILTI”)”. The proposed regulations mark a big win for Americans running their businesses through foreign corporations. The regulations are scheduled to be published in the Federal Register tomorrow. In part, they address the … Continue reading Americans Abroad: Taxpayer GILTI Victory Just Announced in Proposed Regulations!
Section 199A of the Internal Revenue Code was created by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA). If a taxpayer can utilize the new law, the taxpayer can save a bundle in taxes since the provision provides a 20% deduction for so-called “qualified business income” ("QBI”). The American abroad will not be so lucky since … Continue reading QBI Deduction? Not for the American Abroad! AND Next Year, IRS Will Be Checking Your Numbers!
President Trump’s tax reform (commonly referred to as the "Tax Cuts and Jobs Act", and also known as "TCJA" was signed into law on December 22, 2017. My recent blog post detailed how TCJA revised the “kiddie tax” rules and how the new rules will take a big bite out of a young person’s investment income, … Continue reading Americans Abroad – How to Cope With Tax Reform & Save for Education
Tax simplification was an enunciated goal of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) enacted in December 2017... but it was certainly a goal that remains unmet. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) itself has estimated that due to TCJA it needs to create or revise more than 400 taxpayer forms, instructions and publications for the … Continue reading Hot off the Press: IRS User-Friendly Guides Explain TCJA Basics
