Filing and Paying US Taxes Support

January 12, 2024 | | 3 minute read
Expat Tax Guide | Everything you need to know about filing taxes abroad in 2024

certificate  Verified by IRS Enrolled Agents and CPAs

In this section, learn about filing and paying taxes for US expats. As well as, foreign income and the exact forms you need to file your expat taxes, and what to do if you made a mistake on your tax forms as an American expat.

Paying Taxes on Foreign Income and US Income in 2024

Factually stating, living as a US citizen abroad does not prevent you from your US tax duties. All in all, you must file an annual tax return if are over the filing threshold – it’s obligatory. Additionally, you may be liable to pay US taxes, which we’ll get into below.

Any foreign-sourced income you make can be taxed at the same marginal rate as any other regular income being earned within the country.

To avoid double taxation – when the US and foreign country you live in both place tax on your income – the IRS allows expat tax benefits. $120,000 of foreign earned income for tax season 2023 (filing in 2024). Furthermore, the Foreign Tax Credit can be used as a credit for specific types of income – unique to each foreign country, allowing you to offset US income taxes with the income tax you paid to a foreign country

If you’d like to learn more about paying taxes on US and Foreign income then take a look at our blog Paying US Taxes as an American Abroad.

In addition to those two commonly used expat tax benefits, there are also several US tax treaties that prevent double taxation on certain types of income.

US Tax Forms for Filing

As a US American abroad, you not only need to be familiar with tax benefits, but the forms that come with them. Therefore, these are some of the most common forms you will be using to optimize your US expat taxes

FormPurpose
Form 1040
Schedule 1
Schedules 2 & 3
US Individual Income Tax Return +
For Foreign Earned Income Exclusion
For Foreign Tax Credit
  • Schedule A
  • Itemized Deductions
  • Schedule B
  • Interest & Ordinary Dividends
  • Schedule C 
  • Business Income
  • Schedule D / Form 8949
  • Capital Gains Income
  • Schedule E
  • Worldwide Rental Income
  • Schedule SE
  • Self-Employment Tax
    (For expats who cannot utilize the Totalization Treaty)
  • Form 2555
  • Foreign Earned Income
  • Form 1116
  • Foreign Tax Credit
  • Form 8812
  • Additional Child Tax Credit
    (For US Tax Refunds for Families Abroad)
  • Form 8833
  • Treaty-Based Return Position Disclosure (For Tax Treaty Benefits)
  • (FBAR) / Form 8938
  • Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts / FATCA
  • Form 4868
  • Application for Automatic Extension of Time to File US Individual Income Tax

    If you feel a bit overwhelmed with fill them all manually, then our expat tax software should make you feel a little less stressed. It has all the forms you need, making the US tax filing process much faster.

    What happens if you made a mistake when filing?

    The IRS Form 1040X can be your saving grace to amend a mistake via your federal tax form. Thus, this form can correct forms 1040, 1040-A, 1040-EZ, 1040-NR, or 1040-NR EZ. Plus, you can change the income amounts previously adjusted by the IRS, and claim a carryback from a loss or unused credit.

    Form 1040X allows you to file for an amendment within three years from the original due date you submitted your return. For example, if you made an error on your 2021 tax return, you have until 2024 to make the necessary changes.

    Additionally, the IRS uses a technological system to process tax returns. It can identify missing income, mathematical errors, required schedules, and more. So, if your tax forms has a mistake or two, the IRS system can adjust the income/numbers accordingly, and you will receive a notification that changes have been made. 

    Then, let’s say you’ve missed filing a tax schedule, the IRS will notify you in two ways: Send you a request to file the program, or will ignore your missing plan and process your return. 

    Alternatively, if you made a mistake or entered incorrect information during the MyExpatTaxes process, we offer assistance in amending your taxes through our middle or higher tiers of service.

    Written by Michelle H.

    January 12, 2024 | | 3 minute read

    Tax Guide Topics

    MyExpatTaxes 2024 US Expat Tax Guide

    Expat Tax Guide

    Enjoy our ultimate expat guide that will help you get and stay tax compliant!

    Search Tax Guide

    You may also like

    See all

    Stimulus Checks for Americans Abroad

    Are you an American living abroad? You might have heard about the stimulus checks handed out during Covid-19. These checks acted as a financial relief to many American families. In…

    Read More ...

    Expat Tax Benefits

    Avoid Double Taxation from these Expat Tax Benefits Double taxation happens when you have to pay taxes on the same income twice. For example, you could be working as a…

    Read More ...

    Retiree Support for Americans Abroad

    Retired or Planning to Retire in 2024? If you are an expat planning your retirement, you need to know that Americans in the US and abroad can gain retiree support…

    Read More ...

    Self-Employment Taxes

    Self-Employment Taxes for US Expats in 2024 If you are your own boss and have control over the services you provide, you are considered self-employed, and the income earned from…

    Read More ...

    Save Even More Money with US Taxes

    Want to know how to save money on your taxes? If you have a family, you can easily save money with US taxes through the child tax credit and foreign…

    Read More ...

    Renouncing US Citizenship

    Renouncing US citizenship is possible as an American abroad, though not recommended. You’ll need to be tax compliant for five years, sign an oath, pay a large exit fee, and…

    Read More ...

    Only our best expat tax tips to your inbox.

    • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.