Tax Rules and Compliance

If you’re a U.S. taxpayer living stateside with unreported foreign accounts or income, the words “offshore compliance” probably don’t inspire joy. But here’s the good news: the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) knows mistakes happen—and they’ve created a pathway to help you fix them (before things get expensive). It’s called the Streamlined Domestic Offshore Procedures (SDOP), […]

Let’s face it—U.S. tax rules are complicated, especially when you throw foreign bank accounts and global income into the mix. If you’ve just realized you were supposed to report those offshore assets (and haven’t), take a deep breath. You’re not alone—and the IRS knows it. That’s why they created the Streamlined Filing Compliance Procedures (SFCP). Think […]

Living abroad comes with a lot of perks—new foods, new friends, and the chance to answer “where are you from?” in increasingly creative ways. But for U.S. citizens, green card holders, and resident aliens living in a foreign country, there’s one not-so-fun challenge that comes with the adventure: double taxation. The IRS loves to keep […]

Crypto used to feel invisible—wallet address, a few trades, maybe some staking, and not much scrutiny. That era is over. The tax rules themselves haven’t dramatically changed, but enforcement and reporting have. By the 2026 filing season, the IRS has far more visibility into digital asset activity, and taxpayers are expected to match their records […]

It’s not a fitness challenge. You won’t need a stopwatch, a yoga mat, or to prove how many push-ups you can do in a minute. But the physical presence test is a test—one that can save you thousands in U.S. taxes if you pass. Think of it as the IRS’s version of “Are you really […]

You’d think moving abroad would simplify your tax life. File your federal return, maybe claim the Foreign Tax Credit or FEIE, and move on. But if money is still flowing to you from the U.S.—rent, investment income, business revenue—another layer of rules can quietly step in. And sometimes, those rules look a lot like a […]

You can leave the country—but you can’t leave the IRS. Unlike most countries, U.S. taxes are based on citizenship, not residency. That means if you’re a U.S. citizen or green card holder, you’re required to file a federal income tax return every year—even if you’ve spent the entire tax year sipping espresso in Rome or […]

Tax treaties are supposed to prevent double taxation, but for many U.S. expats they read like a legal thriller with no plot summary. You’ve probably heard treaties can lower taxes, and then you hear “saving clause” and realize the U.S. still wants a word. So yes, treaties can reduce your tax bill—but mostly in specific […]

If you worked in a job that didn’t pay into Social Security (such as certain government roles or employment overseas that did not pay U.S. Social Security), you may have run into the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP). This rule reduced Social Security benefits for certain public employees, federal workers under the CSRS, and some U.S. […]