Sending our love to all who are working overseas this Valentine’s Day.
Expat Tax Returns
TRUMPS TCJA (Tax Cuts and Jobs Act) and THE EXPAT
Originally it was thought the tax relief was on the horizon for expats when President Trump’s new tax program was put into law, but the reality is that nothing is really different from the new rules that apply to all US taxpayers:
- Tax Brackets
- Standard Deduction
- Personal Exemptions
- Child Tax Credit
- Mortgage Interest Deduction
- State and Local Tax Deductions
The major change regarding international taxpayers is how Controlled Foreign Corporations are handled. Trump’s tax reform details a new category of corporate income called the Global Intangibles Low-Taxed Income (or GILTI), that requires recognition of a percentage of previously deferred foreign earnings and is now taxed as Subpart F income.
Current undistributed retained earnings are taxed at 15.5%, if held in liquid assets, and 8% if held in illiquid assets. This is a one-time tax and can be paid over 8 years.
Starting with your 2018 Corporate Tax Filing, everything is Subpart F Earnings. Any income in excess of $102, 100 (or $204,200 if your spouse is active in the business) will be taxed at ordinary income rates.
Questions regarding your unique situation can be directed to Expatriatetaxreturns.com.
The Importance of Taking Risks to Experience Life
Taking risks is never the easy route to go. This is especially true when the risk is taking a journey that will change your life and your family’s lives. Becoming an expatriate and moving overseas for a year or two is certainly a risky decision. However, it is a decision that will allow you to reap the benefits of being an expat – living in a new part of the world and contributing to your company on a global scale.
Studies have shown that risk-taking is essential to business people’s success. In fact, American expats have written about how taking the risk and spending time overseas with their family has been one of the most beneficial moments of their professional journey.
Human beings naturally tend to view risk-taking negatively, often regarding it as dangerous and even unwise. Some risks don’t pay off, but those are usually the uncalculated ones. When you choose to become an expatriate, you’ll do it in a very calculated and intelligent way. This is called a calculated risk and it will pay off for you both personally and professionally. Taking a risk and becoming an expat will also help you stand out and present yourself as a leader and smart risk taker among your colleagues.
When you choose to become an American expatriate and travel overseas for your job, one of the most important things to remember during this calculated risk journey is to select the right accounting firm to handle your expatriate tax returns. ExpatriateTaxReturns.com is the industry leader for preparing the often-complicated tax returns of American expats. Fill out the simple form on our website or call us today at 877-382-9123 to get started.
The Big Move Means Big Decisions for New Expats
Now is the time of year that many big corporations are discussing HR changes for the fall. If you’re involved in these discussions, you could soon be contemplating a big move overseas.
If you plan to move abroad this year, it will be an exciting and challenging time. There are many factors to consider like what your spouse will do overseas and where your kids will go to school. There are also a plethora of opportunities and experiences to look forward to as an American expatriate. After accepting a new job overseas or a job transfer to a country outside the United States, it’s important to create a long “To Do List” with critical items like finding a place to live, forwarding mail, and finding a physician in your new country. Selecting a trustworthy and dependable CPA firm with experience working with expats is also essential.
Expatriate Tax Returns has many years of tax planning and preparation experience specifically for expats. We put that knowledge to work for you — our clients. It’s critical to inform the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) that you are moving abroad and to call our accounting team to make sure you’re prepared before you make the big move.
A few things to remember before you become an expat: update your contact information with the IRS so they can properly send your refund or any future correspondence. You can update your address with the IRS by completing Form 8822, Change of Address at any time during the year. Failure to notify the IRS of an address change can be costly. For example it can keep you from contesting a lien for unpaid taxes. At Expatriate Tax Returns, we understand that planning for the big move abroad is challenging and there are already so many things to think about. We can help you alleviate the stress by walking you through this journey hand-in-hand. We’ve helped thousands of U.S. expatriates successfully transition to their new country and we’ll help you too.
No matter where you are in the process of your preparation for becoming an expat, call on us for trusted, professional assistance. There are some many wonderful advantages to being an expatriate, but it’s also a time full of important decisions to make. Here’s an easy one: Call ExpatriateTaxReturns.com today at 877-382-9123 or fill out the form on our Website. We’ll be with you every step of the way.
Expat Advice: Don’t Lose Your Passport
You’re An Expatriate Not an Ex-Patriot
Once you made the decision to become an expatriate and travel outside of the United States for a job in another country, you likely received some odd comments from friends and family. No doubt, many of them assumed that you moving to London, Paris, Tel Aviv or Sydney for work meant that you were no longer going to be a U.S. citizen. Of course, nothing could be further from the truth.
Just because you’re an expatriate, doesn’t mean you’re an ex-patriot. American expats still enjoy all of the benefits of being an American citizen, you’re just living and working abroad. And let’s be honest, you’re really enjoying your experience as an expat too. The cultural enjoyment alone is enough to wonder why more Americans don’t pack their bags for a few years out of the country.
The one thing to remember when you’re an expat, however, is that the benefits of maintaining your citizenship mean you still have to file a tax return. The expat tax return filing is different than the annual tax returns you filed while living in the U.S. and that is important to remember. Expat taxes can be confusing and that’s why it’s best to leave it to the professionals at Expatriate Tax Returns. We’ve made it our specialty and passion to work exclusively with American expats. Our process is simple and we employ the latest technology to make your expat tax filing fast, efficient and reliable.
Call our Support Hotline today at (877) ETAX-123 or (877)-382-9123 and we’ll get you set up so expat taxes are a breeze and you can enjoy your life as an expatriate.