“Living in Singapore, my previous CPA kept botching Form 2555. Clark got it right and saved me about $14,000 my first year.”
Briefly tell us your situation below.
The basics, explained plainly
U.S. citizens and green card holders owe U.S. taxes on worldwide income, no matter where they live. The good news: a stack of treaty rules, exclusions, and credits usually means most expats owe little or nothing to the IRS. Here are the answers to the questions almost every client asks us first.
Yes, if you are a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident, you file U.S. federal taxes every year on your worldwide income, regardless of where you live or where the income is earned. Your foreign country's tax filings do not replace U.S. filings. The U.S. is one of two countries (with Eritrea) that taxes by citizenship rather than residency.
FEIE (Form 2555) lets qualifying expats exclude up to $130,000 of foreign earned income for 2025 ($126,500 for 2024) from U.S. federal tax. To qualify you must pass either the Physical Presence Test (330 full days outside the U.S. in any 12-month period) or the Bona Fide Residence Test (established residence in a foreign country for an uninterrupted tax year). FEIE applies only to earned income (wages, self-employment), not to passive income like dividends or rentals.
It depends on your country of residence and income mix. Foreign Tax Credit (Form 1116) is usually better when you live in a high-tax country (Germany, U.K., Australia, most of Europe) because the credit can offset U.S. tax dollar-for-dollar with no income cap, and unused credits carry forward 10 years. FEIE wins in low-tax or no-tax countries (UAE, Singapore, Hong Kong). For most clients we model both before filing and pick the lower-tax outcome, sometimes splitting income types between them.
Filing deadline is automatically extended to June 15 for taxpayers living outside the U.S. on April 15 (interest still accrues from April 15 on any tax owed). Form 4868 extends to October 15. Form 2350 can extend further if you need additional time to qualify for FEIE under the Physical Presence Test. FBAR is due April 15 with automatic extension to October 15 (no form needed for FBAR extension).
State tax exposure depends on your prior state of domicile. California, New York, New Mexico, South Carolina, and Virginia are notoriously sticky, treating expats as residents until you formally establish domicile elsewhere. We help structure your move, file the part-year return, and document the breaks (license surrender, voter registration change, lease termination) that disconnect you from the prior state.
Free, no-obligation, same-day reply.
Sound Familiar?
Do not wait until you receive a notice. Get compliant now and protect your assets.
You pay taxes in your host country and do not want to pay again to the U.S.
Our Fix
Foreign Tax Credit (Form 1116) or Foreign Earned Income Exclusion (Form 2555). We pick the optimal strategy for your situation.
You did not realize U.S. citizens owe taxes worldwide and have not filed for years.
Our Fix
Streamlined Foreign Offshore Procedures catch up on 3 years of returns and 6 years of FBARs, usually with zero penalties.
You do not know which FEIE qualification you meet, or if you meet any.
Our Fix
We analyze your day counts, tax home, and ties, then pick the qualification test that saves you the most.
You live in Tokyo, London, or Singapore and FEIE does not cover the full compensation.
Our Fix
Foreign Housing Exclusion and Deduction stack with FEIE to cover expensive overseas locations.
California, New York, or Washington insists you still owe state taxes even though you left.
Our Fix
State domicile analysis and sever-of-ties documentation to end residency claims cleanly.
Freelancing or consulting from another country facing self-employment tax on top of foreign taxes.
Our Fix
Totalization agreement analysis and SE tax strategies. Most treaty countries let you avoid U.S. SE tax.
What We Handle
Every filing, every form, handled by specialist CPAs.
Federal Form 1040 with Form 2555 (FEIE) and/or Form 1116 (Foreign Tax Credit). State return as needed. Full treaty analysis. Most expats reduce U.S. tax owed to zero or near-zero.
For expats who fell behind on U.S. filings. Three years of tax returns and six years of FBARs filed together under Streamlined. Zero penalties for qualifying non-willful cases.
For freelancers, consultants, and business owners abroad. Totalization agreement analysis, Schedule C and foreign tax coordination, SE tax minimization, and entity structuring advice.
For expats earning above FEIE limits ($130,000 and up). Foreign Housing Exclusion stacking, strategic treaty elections, and year-end planning to optimize U.S. tax exposure.
For your year of departure or return. Part-year resident, part-year non-resident. Dual-status calculation done correctly, avoiding common expensive mistakes.
For expats whose former state (CA, NY, WA) is still sending notices. Domicile analysis, sever-of-ties documentation, and response strategy.
Not sure which service you need?
Speak to an International Tax ExpertClient Stories
Common situations and how we resolved them
“I had foreign accounts in India from before I moved to the US, and nobody had ever explained FBAR to me. By the time I found out, I was three years behind. Clark walked me through the Streamlined Filing process, we submitted everything, and I ended up with zero penalties. Worth every dollar just for the peace of mind.”
Priya S.
Streamlined Filing
“Living in Singapore for work, my previous CPA kept botching the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion and I kept getting surprise tax bills. Clark actually understands Form 2555 and the foreign housing exclusion. First year working with him, I saved about $14,000 on my federal return.”
David H.
Expat Tax Returns
“I set up a UK Ltd for my consulting work and had no idea I was supposed to file Form 5471 every year. TS CPA caught it in our first meeting and got me compliant before the IRS noticed. They handle the annual GILTI and Subpart F calculations now, and the fee is flat, not hourly. I know what I'm paying each year.”
Marcus L.
Foreign Corporation
“My mother passed away in Korea and I inherited around $400,000. I had no idea Form 3520 existed. Two other CPAs told me they couldn't help. Clark had the filing drafted within a week and walked me through every line in plain English. No IRS letters, no stress.”
Jennifer K.
Foreign Inheritance
“I have a rental property in Guadalajara and a consulting job in California. Between FBAR, FATCA, Mexican tax credits, and the rental income, my return was a mess every year. Clark untangled all of it, got me the foreign tax credits I'd been missing, and I got a refund for the first time in four years.”
Ana R.
Dual Citizen Filings
“I came back to California after six years in Germany with a stack of European mutual funds that apparently are all PFICs. Two prior CPAs quietly ignored them. Clark identified them, ran the QEF elections, and put together a clean filing. He also caught a treaty position I'd been missing, and that saved me about $9,000.”
Sophia T.
PFIC Filings
Start with a free, no-obligation conversation. Most clients hear back within 3 hours.