US Tax Filing for Americans Living Abroad
As a US citizen, you owe federal taxes no matter where in the world you live, one of only two countries with citizenship-based taxation. But you're also entitled to powerful exclusions and credits that, when applied correctly, often reduce your bill to zero. We specialise in exactly this: FEIE, Foreign Tax Credit, and FBAR, all handled by licensed CPAs who work with expats every day.
Is this for me?
- US citizens or green card holders living outside the United States
- Employees of foreign companies or US companies based abroad
- Self-employed or freelancing from another country
- Behind on US filings (our Catch-Up packages handle multiple years)
- Receiving foreign pension, rental, or investment income
Why this is complex
- US citizenship-based taxation applies wherever you live
- Foreign income must be reported even if already taxed locally
- FEIE and Foreign Tax Credit elections interact, getting both right matters
- FBAR penalties for non-filing can reach $10,000+ per violation
- Some US states (CA, NY) continue to tax former residents aggressively
Recommended plans
- ✓ Everything in Premier
- ✓ Foreign Earned Income Exclusion (Form 2555)
- ✓ Foreign Tax Credit (Form 1116)
- ✓ FBAR filing (FinCEN 114) included
- ✓ Everything in Expat
- ✓ Schedules D & E for investments and rentals
- ✓ Foreign asset reporting (Form 8938)
- ✓ FBAR filing (FinCEN 114) included
- ✓ Up to 6 years of FBAR
- ✓ Prepared for streamlined compliance
- ✓ Includes self-employment and platform income
What's included
Our AI gathers your information, spots missing data, and drafts your return, faster and more accurately than forms alone.
A licensed CPA (US) or qualified accountant (UK) reviews every return before it's filed. No AI-only filings.
No hidden fees. The price you see is what you pay, including all forms covered by your package.
[INSERT: customer testimonial, e.g. "software engineer in Berlin, Germany, saved money and stress using Nomadic.Tax"]
- software engineer, Berlin, Germany
Frequently asked questions about US Tax Filing for Americans Living Abroad
Do I really owe US taxes if I haven't lived in the US for years?
Yes. The US taxes citizens and green card holders on worldwide income regardless of where they live. However, the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion (FEIE) lets you exclude up to $126,500 (2024) of foreign-earned income, and the Foreign Tax Credit offsets US tax with taxes paid abroad. Most expats end up owing little or nothing when these are applied correctly.
What is FBAR and do I need to file it?
FBAR (FinCEN 114) is required if the combined value of all your foreign financial accounts exceeded $10,000 at any point during the year. It's filed separately from your tax return, with a deadline of April 15 (automatically extended to October 15). Our Expat and Investor packages include FBAR filing.
What's the filing deadline for US expats?
Americans living abroad receive an automatic two-month extension to June 15 (no form needed). You can request a further extension to October 15 by filing Form 4868. Note: any tax owed is still due by April 15 to avoid interest.
What if I haven't filed in several years?
You're not alone, many expats don't know they need to file. The IRS Streamlined Foreign Offshore Procedure lets qualifying non-wilful non-filers catch up on 3 years of returns and 6 years of FBARs with penalties waived. Our Catch-Up packages are designed for exactly this situation.
Related tax guides
How to exclude up to $126,500 of foreign-earned income and when FEIE beats the Foreign Tax Credit.
Who must file, the $10,000 threshold, deadlines, and the severe penalties for non-filing.
When FTC is better than FEIE, how to use both together, and the irreversible 5-year revocation bar.