why: so the government won’t be able to use your money for whatever the fuck they’re planning for the next 4 years.

as a traveler, none of my money has been funding Israel, for example.

one-step method: you basically fill out one extra tax form called FEIE while you’re doing your taxes, write down the dates you were outside of the country, and then since you aren’t in the country and are not receiving any services from the US, you don’t have to pay income tax up to a certain amount (it’s a little over 125k this year).

  • @9point6
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    287 hours ago

    I always find it mad as hell that Americans have to pay tax in the US even if they are living and earning elsewhere

    Especially given generally Americans are pretty allergic to reasonable taxation

    • @[email protected]OP
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      77 hours ago

      yeah it is totally banana stacks, and nobody tells anybody else how to get around that, of course.

      since nobody knows the sacred knowledge anyway.

      some tax guy, not my tax guy, just a random guy who worked in taxes, offhandedly mentioned it to me like it was no big deal one day and I was like whaaaat?

      most of the expats I know just don’t pay taxes because they’re dumb, or they’re paying taxes that they don’t need to because nobody told them about the FEIE.

      • @[email protected]
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        77 hours ago

        You still need to file every year. An advisor at least here in Germany can do both countries, but you pay a premium for that.

        • @[email protected]OP
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          37 hours ago

          I addressed that in a comment but I did not include that in the body.

          fixed.

          The FEIE is super simple to fill out.

          • Ben Hur Horse Race
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            15 hours ago

            pretty sure you have to fill out the 2555 as well bro

            you also have to pay tax where you are domicile, aka where you live

            • @[email protected]OP
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              5 hours ago

              “…the 2555 as well…”

              nope, not “as well”, the 2555 is the single FEIE form I am explaining about in this post.

              “you also have to pay tax where you are domicile”

              nope, inclusive taxes are usually paid directly to the foreign government.

              you can claim a US housing tax exemption for the same reason as the FEIE, but paying taxes on your foreign housing is usually unnecessary.

              • Ben Hur Horse Race
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                15 hours ago

                yeah ok the 2555 is the FEIE you mentioned.

                its important to note that if youre within the US for more than that 35 day exemption, you start to pay taxes pro-rata.

                I think you agreed with what I said just using different words about paying taxes where you do live- yes, you pay them directly to the government where you are domicle.

                • @[email protected]OP
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                  -14 hours ago

                  “yeah ok the 2555 is the FEIE you mentioned.”

                  yeah, that’s why i said it, haha.

                  “if youre within the US for more than that 35 day exemption, you start to pay taxes.”

                  are you going to rewrite everything I said in the post and comments?

                  to me?

                  "you pay them directly to the government where you are domicle. "

                  you are!

                  You’re paraphrasing my words back to me.

                  huh.

                  curiouser and curiouser.

                  • Ben Hur Horse Race
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                    34 hours ago

                    you know, it’s clear that you’re trying to be helpful to folks, but you come off like an asshole. just an fyi!

    • @inkrifle
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      26 hours ago

      I read somewhere that Eritrea (the North Korea of Africa) is the only other country that has this policy.