Tax obligations while working remotely in another country for a US-based company?

Thanks for that info! Quick question - does it matter that my employer is US-based and will be depositing money to my US bank account? Or is it really just about where my physical body is located when I'm doing the work?

What matters most for tax purposes is where you are physically located when performing the work. The location of your employer or where you receive payment doesn't change your tax obligations in the country where you're physically working. Many countries, including Kenya, would consider income earned while you're physically present in their country to be taxable there, regardless of where your employer is based or how you're paid. This is why many digital nomads and remote workers may find themselves with tax obligations in multiple countries.

Does it handle state taxes too? I'm from California and heard they're super aggressive about taxing residents even when they're working abroad.

Sounds interesting but does it actually file your taxes or just give advice? I'm terrible with filling out forms even when I know what needs to be done.

It absolutely handles state taxes, which was crucial for me since I'm from New York which, like California, can be pretty strict about taxing residents working abroad. The system specifically flagged my state tax obligations and helped me understand when I could and couldn't claim non-residency status. As for filing, it doesn't file your taxes directly, but it generates all the completed forms with instructions on how to file them. I found this helpful because I could review everything before submission. It also integrates with most major tax filing software if you prefer that route. The step-by-step guidance made the process much simpler than trying to figure it all out on my own.

How does this even work? The IRS never calls anybody back - is this legit?

Sorry but this sounds like complete BS. There's no way to "skip the line" with the IRS. They're understaffed and overwhelmed. If this actually worked everybody would use it.

It works by using advanced callback technology that navigates the IRS phone system and holds your place in line. When an agent becomes available, Claimyr connects them to your phone number. It's completely legitimate and doesn't "skip the line" - it just waits in line for you so you don't have to keep your phone tied up for hours. The reason everyone doesn't use it is simply that many people don't know about it yet. The service is particularly valuable for complex situations like international taxation where speaking directly with an IRS representative can save you from making costly mistakes. I was skeptical too until I tried it and had an IRS agent call me back to discuss my specific foreign income situation.

I completely forgot about social security taxes, thank you! Do you know if there's a minimum threshold for this? Like if I'm only there for 8 months, would that change anything about Social Security obligations?

For Social Security taxes, the duration of your stay doesn't typically create a minimum threshold. If you're employed by a US company, they'll generally continue to withhold Social Security and Medicare taxes from your paychecks regardless of where you're physically working, unless there's a totalization agreement with that country. As far as I know, the US and Kenya don't have a totalization agreement, so you'd continue paying into the US Social Security system. The good news is this means you'll continue earning credits toward your eventual US Social Security benefits, even while working abroad.

I'm not a tax expert, but from what I understand, Kenya typically doesn't consider you a tax resident unless you're there for 183+ days in a year. Since you were only there for 3 months (presumably less than 90 days), you likely weren't subject to Kenyan income tax. If you did everything correctly with your US taxes and reported all your income there, you probably don't need to worry about filing anything retroactively for Kenya. But if you're concerned, it might be worth consulting with a tax professional who knows the Kenyan tax system.

That's a relief! Yes I was there for exactly 89 days and did report everything on my US taxes. Was worried I might have some surprise tax bill waiting for me from the Kenyan government. Thanks for the info!