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Expat Tax Preparation Made Easy

Expat Tax Preparation Made Easy

Dealing with a tax preparer for your expat tax return can feel overwhelming. Knowing what documentation you will need to provide will make it easier for you. You can use this as a guideline for information to save.

The Questionnaire – Your tax professional will ask you to provide the basics: name, address, contact information, ID numbers, marital status, etc. There will also be questions about occupation, ownership of property and businesses. The questions may seem wearisome, but keep in mind; they are necessary to fulfill your filing requirements and can save plenty of time in the long run!

Last year’s return – An important piece of information can be your prior year tax return. This is a starting point for your tax professional. They can see what credits you may have carried over and any income or deduction items you may have overlooked.

Keep a travel calendar – If you travel back and forth between your foreign home and the U.S., it is important to know what dates you left and returned. It is also necessary to know how much of the time away was for business or pleasure. The foreign earned income exclusion and housing exclusion are calculated using this information. Providing this detail to your tax professional is important.

Earned income – If your only earned income is as an employee, this part will be easy. Your employer will provide you with a W-2 or an equivalent from the foreign country. If you are self-employed, the tax professional will need to know if you are paid as an individual or if you have formed a foreign entity. If the latter, is true, a whole new set of questions will come your way! Either way, you will need to provide records of earnings and expenses for the year.

Passive income – You may have interest, dividends, or stock sales. Statements are typically provided by the financial institutions you use for your investments. The 1099-b for stock sales should give the detail of the purchase dates, purchase price, sales date, and sales price. If not, additional information will be needed. Keep in mind, if you have foreign bank accounts, you may have further reporting requirements, check with your tax professional.

Retirement income – If you are in your golden years, you may have 1099-Rs from IRA’s, pensions or other retirement accounts. You also may have Form 1099-SSA from your social security.

Rental income – Many expats have houses in the U.S. that they rent out while they are overseas. The rent collected as well as any expenses paid for the properties must be reported as well.

Other income – You may have other miscellaneous income from partnerships, trusts, gambling income, etc. Any forms you receive reporting income need to be provided to your tax professional.

Deductions – There are many deductions you may be eligible for. Here is a general list:

1. U.S. residence – if you had a U.S. residence during the year, you may have mortgage interest and real estate taxes that are deductible.
2. Foreign housing expenses – Certain individuals have foreign housing expenses that are excluded from income. You will need to provide: rent expense, utilities, insurance, repairs, etc.
3. Other deductions – If you make charitable contributions to charities accepted by the U.S., pay large medical expenses, student loan interest, college tuition, alimony, or misc. business expenses you need to let your tax professional know.

Keep in mind, these are the basics. If you have unusual or other tax issues, it is important to communicate the information with your tax professional. Remember, they are there for you!

Preparing your own Tax Return

Sure I can still prepare my own tax return…Can’t I?!

Many people file their own U.S. tax returns, and do it well. However, now that you are an expatriate, is it still possible? Here is a list of advantages and disadvantages to preparing your own tax return as an expat.

Reasons to prepare your own U.S. return:

1. Cost! – Cost should be a factor in most, if not all decisions. Living overseas can be expensive, and of course most expats look to save money wherever they can. Sometimes, not having a professional complete your tax return can be more costly in the long run!
2. Tax preparation software – There are so many user friendly software programs available and for a reasonable price. The software programs are mainly developed with those living in the U.S. Yes, they do have the foreign tax credit forms, but how do I enter the information correctly?!
3. Can I trust someone across the globe with my information?! – When you hire someone to prepare your U.S. tax return, you need to give them your most personal and confidential information. The list of online companies who tell you they will do the job is long. You can call and talk to us, we are real people! We register with the IRS as tax preparers and the owner is a licensed CPA with other CPA’s on staff.

Reasons to have Expatriatetaxreturns.com do your U.S. return:

1. Tax laws change – It is our job to stay on top of the tax laws set forth by the IRS.
2. Tax Treaties – Numerous countries have entered into tax treaties with the U.S. They do not all have the same rules. Some exempt expats from self-employment tax, others have reduced or eliminated tax on certain types of income.
3. Exclusions, deductions, credits, OH MY! – Making sure you balance a foreign income exclusion with a foreign tax credit can be overwhelming. Do I use one, the other, or both? As professionals, we make sure you are getting the full benefit of all exclusions, deductions and credits.
4. IRS Notices – We have seen many expats complete their own U.S. tax returns confidently only to receive the dreaded envelope from the IRS. It may be a minor issue or they may tell you they are not allowing the exclusions you took and you owe them hundreds or even thousands of dollars. (If this has happened, contact expatriatetaxreturns.com immediately!)
5. Forms, forms, and more forms – It seems like each year there are more forms that are required to be filed by expats. We hear often that in the country of residence, no tax forms need to be filed. The IRS has its own requirements for filing. Many times, there are no tax implications; however, there are filing requirements.

There are many more reasons to have a professional prepare your U.S tax return while living abroad. We have just listed those we feel effect many of you.