In fact, the exclusion applies only if you are a qualifying individual with foreign earned income who meets all of the requirements to claim the foreign earned income exclusion and you file a tax return reporting the income. The maximum foreign earned income exclusion amount is adjusted annually for inflation.

How can I claim Foreign Service exclusion on my tax return?

Special rules apply to Foreign Service and military personnel. The exclusion is an election. Taxpayers may claim the exclusion only if they file IRS Form 2555 or Form 2555-EZ. The form must be attached to a timely filed U.S. Individual Income Tax Return (IRS Form 1040) for the first year of election, or an amended timely filed return.

How much can I exclude from foreign income?

However, you may qualify to exclude your foreign earnings from income up to an amount that is adjusted annually for inflation ($103,900 for 2018, $105,900 for 2019, $107,600 for 2020, and $108,700 for 2021). In addition, you can exclude or deduct certain foreign housing amounts.

Can a self employed person claim the foreign housing exclusion?

The excluded amount will reduce your regular income tax but will not reduce your self-employment tax. Also, as a self-employed individual, you may be eligible to claim the foreign housing deduction instead of a foreign housing exclusion.

Do you need to file a tax return for foreign earned income?

One of the most common misconceptions about foreign earned income exclusion is that there is no need or urgency to file a U.S. tax return if the taxpayer’s compensation can be fully excluded by the foreign earned income exclusion. This cannot be further from the truth.

How much foreign income can I exclude from my taxes?

How much foreign income can I exclude? If you’re an expat and you qualify for a foreign earned income exclusion from your 2019 U.S. taxes, you can exclude up to $105,900 or even more if you incur housing costs.

Can a married expat exclude foreign earned income?

Married US expats can each exclude the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion amount, assuming that they both have earned income and meet the IRS tests for living abroad described below. Expats should note that the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion can only be used to exclude certain types of income however (see below for details).

Do you get tax credit for foreign earned income?

The Foreign Tax Credit doesn’t reduce adjusted gross income though, so some expats may benefit more from claiming the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion on their 2019 tax return. The devil is in the details though, as expat parents who claim the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion can’t normally claim the Child Tax Credit.