The U.S. capital gains rate has gone up to 23.8% for most Americans, including Expats

The key to maximizing the tax benefits of being offshore is to generate retained earnings in an offshore corporation.

2013 Retirement Account Limits have increased.

The value of the FEIE is falling fast, following the US dollar in a tailspin

An Offshore Corporation can be a great tax tool, but is fraught with risk for the uninformed

Let’s say you have filed all of your delinquent returns, and the foreign-earned income exclusion, along with the other suggestions in this book, and did not eliminate your entire U.S. tax bill. Now the IRS is at your door…what should you do? Step One: Know your risks First, you must understand that the IRS can

Great News for Some ExPats and Dual-Nationals As an ExPat American, you know that you are required to file a U.S. tax return each year and report your foreign bank accounts if you have more than $10,000 offshore. Unless you have been living under a rock in Bangladesh, you also know that the IRS has

One of the most misunderstood areas of living, investing or operating a business abroad are the U.S. tax filing and reporting requirements. The purpose of this summary is to review the basic requirements and I recommend that you consult an international tax expert as to how they fit your particular situation. One of the foundations

This section is an introduction to the benefits of an offshore corporation for U.S. citizens living and working abroad. It is not meant for those living abroad on their pension (retirees) or those with passive investment income. Most Expats know that the U.S. taxes its citizens on their worldwide income and that all U.S. citizens

EDITORS NOTE: This article was published in 2010 and has some valuable information. For a more recent and detailed article on this same site, click here.   When it comes to investing in property overseas, there is often little difference than if you were investing in U.S. property. Three situations bear investigation: 1. The first

Each month I get one or two inquiries from U.S. citizens who have had enough and want to give up their U.S. citizenship. While it is rare for someone to take such drastic steps, especially after they learn how to manage their U.S. tax obligations while living abroad, it is an important subject. Here are

Foreign Income Must be Reported As an American citizen overseas—regardless of where you live or work—you are generally required to file a U.S. tax return, reporting any income generated abroad, in addition to your earnings on the U.S. side. You are also subject to the same filing requirements that apply to U.S. citizens or residents

The biggest challenge facing Americans living and/or working abroad is the United States Internal Revenue Service. The U.S. is one of the few countries that tax its citizens abroad, and the only one that regularly locks up its people up in prison cells for violations of the tax code. The Service’s hostility to foreign tax

Want to hide money from the tax man? Come to the United States. The U.S. system welcomes foreigners with arms wide open and eyes wide shut

Good news for the millions of Americans with 401(k) plans. Buried in the Fiscal Cliff bill was a big break - you can now convert your 401(k), 403(b) and other defined contribution plans to a Roth at any time.

First Things First: Taking Care of Unfiled Tax Returns The first step in dealing with the IRS is to file your delinquent federal personal income tax returns. Until these tax returns are submitted, the IRS can’t set up an Installment Agreement or accept an Offer in Compromise. Clients often come in missing two, five or

The IRS Wage Garnishment: How It Works, How to Stop It When you owe money to the IRS and you do not contact the government to set up monthly payments or file an Offer in Compromise, they can levy your paycheck, and this course of action is referred to as an IRS wage garnishment or

IRS’s Enforced Collection Measures and What to Do About It If you owe money to the IRS, the government will usually file a Federal Tax Lien. A tax lien is a negative mark on your credit report and “attaches” to any real estate you own. It is typically filed with your country recorder’s office. By

What to Do When You Owe the IRS: The Offer in Compromise The IRS Offer in Compromise (OIC) program is the most misunderstood, misrepresented, and abused tax debt resolution program in history. It reached nearly mythic status with late-night television ads promising to settle your tax debt for pennies on the dollar, and then crashing

When Your Hard-earned Money Is at Risk—The IRS Bank Levies If the IRS has levied your account, you have only 21 days to submit all the necessary documents and secure a release before the money is gone. Time is of the essence, so please contact us immediately! One of the most powerful and vicious collection