Expat & Cross-Border Tax
US tax for citizens and residents abroad: FEIE, Foreign Tax Credit (Form 1116), foreign housing exclusion, FBAR (FinCEN 114), FATCA (Form 8938), Streamlined Procedure, and the Bona Fide vs Physical Presence tests.
3 articles
FBAR vs FATCA: Why You Probably Need to File Both
FBAR (FinCEN 114) and FATCA (Form 8938) are separate reports with different thresholds, penalties, and forms. A side-by-side breakdown of who files what, when, and why filing only one isn't enough.
FEIE vs Foreign Tax Credit: Which to Use (and When You Need Both)
Decision framework for US expats: when the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion saves more, when the Foreign Tax Credit wins, and how to combine them with the housing exclusion.
Streamlined Procedure: IRS Catch-Up Filing for US Expats
If you're a US citizen or green card holder living abroad and missed filing — the Streamlined Filing Compliance Procedures let you catch up without penalties. 3 years of returns, 6 years of FBAR, non-willful certification.
Related Calculators
Foreign Earned Income Exclusion
$130k Form 2555 exclusion, physical presence test, housing deduction
Foreign Tax Credit Calculator
Form 1116 by basket (passive, general, GILTI, treaty); limitation = (foreign TI ÷ total TI) × US tax; carryover tracked
Foreign Housing Exclusion Calculator
Form 2555 lines 28-36: qualified expenses minus base amount (FEIE × 16%), capped by IRS high-cost city table
FBAR Calculator
$10k aggregate threshold, FinCEN Form 114, multi-currency Treasury rates
FATCA Form 8938 Calculator
FATCA reporting threshold by filing status and US/abroad residence, dual year-end/any-time tests
Bona Fide vs Physical Presence Test
Decide which Form 2555 test qualifies you for FEIE: 330-day rule (Part III) vs intent + tax residency (Part II)