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I moved to Thailand 3 years ago and yes, the US still taxes me on worldwide income. But there are some strategies that help: 1. The Foreign Earned Income Exclusion (FEIE) lets you exclude up to about $120k of EARNED income (like salary), but doesn't help with investments 2. If you live somewhere with income tax (unlike Caymans), foreign tax credits can offset what you pay to US 3. Consider tax-advantaged accounts for investments (Roth IRA, etc.) 4. Some people restructure investments to be more tax-efficient Whatever you do, don't try hiding anything. The US has info sharing agreements with most countries including tax havens.
I heard some expats are going heavy into crypto to avoid reporting but that seems super risky. Isn't the IRS cracking down on that now?
Using crypto to avoid reporting is an absolutely terrible idea. The IRS has massively increased enforcement in this area. Crypto exchanges are now required to report transactions, blockchain analytics are getting more sophisticated, and the penalties for willful non-compliance can include criminal charges. Remember that crypto transactions (including trading one crypto for another) are taxable events. The IRS considers crypto to be property, not currency, so each transaction can trigger capital gains tax. Some people mistakenly think crypto is "invisible" but that's becoming less true every year as reporting requirements expand.
I moved to Malta last year and my biggest shock was learning about the Passive Foreign Investment Company (PFIC) rules. If you invest in non-US mutual funds or ETFs while abroad, the tax treatment is BRUTAL. Seriously OP, if you're moving to Caymans, keep your investments in US-domiciled funds only. The paperwork and tax rate on foreign funds is insane - like 37% + interest on gains.
Whoa I had no idea about this! Is this true even for index funds that just follow something like the S&P 500 but are based in another country? This is the kind of stuff that makes me wonder if the hassle is worth it...
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Something nobody has mentioned yet is that if your inventory sits around long enough, you might be able to write down "obsolete inventory" which lets you take a deduction for items that have lost value. Like if you're selling trendy items that go out of style or tech that becomes outdated.
How do you actually prove inventory is "obsolete" though? Do you need documentation or can you just decide something isn't going to sell anymore?
You need to have a consistent method for determining when inventory becomes obsolete or has declined in value. This could be based on how long an item has been in stock (like items over 12 months old), items that haven't sold after multiple price reductions, or products that have been replaced by newer models. The key is documenting your process and applying it consistently. You can't just randomly decide something is obsolete when you want a tax deduction. Most businesses create a written inventory policy that explains their method for identifying and writing down obsolete inventory. If you're audited, the IRS will want to see that you followed this policy.
I think you might be confusing cash flow with taxable income. Just because money comes in and goes right back out to pay debt doesn't mean you aren't making a profit for tax purposes. The tax calculation doesn't care if you use your profit to pay debts.
This! I learned this lesson the hard way my first year in business. Had a "profitable" year on paper but all the cash went to inventory growth. Still had to pay taxes on the profit even though my bank account was empty.
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Another reason your math might be "not mathing" is withholding calculations. The IRS withholding calculator assumes withholding is evenly distributed throughout the year, but if you had any changes in income, bonuses, or adjusted your W-4 mid-year, the projected withholding could be off. When I got a raise mid-year from $52,000 to $58,000, my calculations were all wrong until I realized I needed to account for the different withholding rates during different parts of the year.
Hmm that's a really good point. I did get a promotion in August that bumped me from about $52k to the $58k range, so that could definitely be affecting things. Do you know if there's a good way to calculate the prorated amounts when your income changes mid-year?
You'll need to separate your income and withholding into two periods: before and after the promotion. For each period, calculate the annual equivalent of that income level (what you would have made if you'd earned that same amount all year), figure the tax on that annual amount, then prorate it for the number of months at that rate. For example, if you made $4,333/month ($52k/12) for 7 months, then $4,833/month for 5 months, you'd calculate: (Annual tax on $52k × 7/12) + (Annual tax on $58k × 5/12) = Your actual tax liability. Then compare your actual withholdings to this amount.
Has anyone used the IRS2Go app for checking tax calculations? I've been trying to use it to verify some of my math but the interface is so confusing.
The IRS2Go app is really more for checking refund status than doing calculations. I'd recommend using the official Tax Withholding Estimator on the IRS website or something like FreeTaxUSA which lets you run scenarios for free.
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Has anyone used FreeTaxUSA for a situation like this? I'm in a similar boat (moved from Illinois to Tennessee mid-year) and wondering if their software handles part-year state returns well.
Yeah I used FreeTaxUSA last year for a move from Washington to Texas. It worked fine for me but both states don't have income tax so it was pretty simple. I think they do handle part-year state returns but not sure how good they are with the more complicated situations.
One thing I learned from my move from Oregon to Washington - keep EVERY document related to your move. I got audited by Oregon 2 years after moving and had to prove I really moved. Save your moving receipts, lease/purchase documents, utility hookups, everything. States like CA and NY are super aggressive about going after people who moved to no-tax states.
GalacticGuardian
Based on my experience as a dual US-Canadian citizen running a business, consider establishing a Canadian corporation if you're planning to stay in Canada long-term. Here's why: - Canadian corporate tax rates can be very favorable for small businesses (as low as 9% federal + provincial on the first $500K of active business income) - You can defer personal taxation by keeping money in the corporation - You still need to file US taxes as a citizen, but can use foreign tax credits - Your wife, as a non-US person, can receive dividends from the Canadian corporation that may not be subject to US taxation The downside is compliance costs - you'll need to file US FBAR, Form 5471 (for foreign corporations), and possibly deal with GILTI tax. But overall, the tax savings often outweigh these costs.
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Nia Harris
•Do you have to worry about CFC (Controlled Foreign Corporation) rules with the Canadian corporation approach? I heard those can be complicated for US citizens.
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GalacticGuardian
•Yes, CFC rules definitely come into play, particularly the GILTI (Global Intangible Low-Taxed Income) provisions from the 2017 tax reform. These rules can cause immediate US taxation on certain types of income earned through your Canadian corporation. However, with proper planning, you can often manage these effectively. For consulting businesses, you may qualify for the high-tax exception if Canadian corporate taxes exceed 18.9% (90% of the US corporate rate). Also, you can make a "962 election" on your US return to apply foreign tax credits against GILTI tax. It's complex but can be navigated with good advice.
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Mateo Gonzalez
Just a warning from someone who went through this - don't forget about Social Security! As a US citizen in Canada, you'll be covered by the US-Canada totalization agreement. This determines which country's social security system you pay into. Generally, if you're self-employed and residing in Canada, you'd pay into the Canadian system (CPP) and be exempt from US self-employment tax. You need to get a certificate of coverage from the Canadian authorities to claim this exemption. This saved me about $15K in US self-employment taxes my first year abroad that my first accountant missed!
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Aisha Ali
•Is there a specific form you need to file to claim that exemption from self-employment tax? I've been paying both US and Canadian retirement contributions and now I'm wondering if I've been doing it wrong.
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