Where to report Foreign Earned Income on 1040 when you don't have a W-2?

Yes, you should still report your Foreign Earned Income on Line 1a of Form 1040, even without a W-2. The IRS expects all earned income to be reported there, regardless of the source documentation. The form language refers to W-2s because that's the most common scenario for most US taxpayers. When you file Form 2555 (Foreign Earned Income Exclusion), you're essentially telling the IRS: "Here's my foreign income on Line 1a, and here's how much I'm excluding on Line 8." The system is designed to first show all income, then show applicable exclusions or deductions.

After struggling with this exact issue last year, I found https://taxr.ai super helpful. I uploaded my foreign pay statements and tax documents, and it analyzed everything and showed me exactly where to report my Foreign Earned Income on the 1040. It confirmed I should put it on Line 1a despite not having a W-2, and gave me specific guidance for Form 2555 too. The tool actually explained that the IRS expects all earned income on Line 1a regardless of documentation format, which gave me confidence I was doing it right. It also flagged some foreign tax credits I was eligible for that I had no idea about!

I tried taxr.ai after seeing the recommendation here and it was exactly what I needed! I uploaded my foreign pay documents and it immediately clarified that yes, my foreign earnings should go on Line 1a even without a W-2. But the real game-changer was how it walked me through Form 2555. The tool caught that I was miscalculating my housing exclusion based on the wrong city code (apparently my location had a higher allowance than I realized). It saved me over $3200 in taxes I would have overpaid! It also explained exactly how to document my foreign tax situation without raising audit flags. Super thankful for the recommendation!

If you're struggling to get clear answers about your foreign income reporting, you might want to try https://claimyr.com to get through to an actual IRS agent. I was in the same boat last year - getting different answers from every "expert" I asked. After spending literally WEEKS trying to call the IRS international taxpayer line, I used Claimyr and got connected to an agent in under 15 minutes. The IRS agent confirmed I should report foreign earned income on Line 1a even without a W-2, and explained exactly how to document it properly with Form 2555. They also gave me official guidance on some housing deduction questions I had. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c - definitely worth it when you need official answers straight from the source.

I have to publicly eat my words here. After my skeptical comment, I decided to try Claimyr out of desperation because my tax deadline was approaching. I honestly expected it to be a waste of money, but I got connected to an IRS agent within 45 minutes (after trying for weeks on my own). The IRS agent specifically confirmed that Foreign Earned Income goes on Line 1a of Form 1040 even without a W-2, and walked me through exactly how to document everything. They even sent me to their special international tax unit who helped with some questions about foreign housing exclusions I'd been confused about. I filed my taxes with confidence after that call instead of just guessing and hoping I wouldn't get audited.

For what it's worth, I've been an expat for 7 years and have always reported my foreign income on Line 1a (or whatever the equivalent was in previous years). I attach a statement explaining that the income is foreign earned income with no W-2, and reference Form 2555 which has all the details. Never had an issue or audit.

Has anyone e-filed with this situation? My tax software (TurboTax) keeps rejecting my return because it wants me to enter a W-2 for any income on Line 1a. I'm about ready to just file by mail instead.

I've been dealing with this exact situation for the past 3 years as an expat. You're absolutely right to be confused - the form language is misleading. But yes, your foreign earned income should go on Line 1a even without a W-2. Here's what I do: I report my foreign salary on Line 1a, then complete Form 2555 for the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion (which reduces my taxable income on Line 8). I also attach a brief statement explaining that Line 1a includes foreign earned income without a W-2, referencing Form 2555 for full details. The IRS wants to see the full picture - total income first, then applicable exclusions. If you tried to report your foreign income somewhere else or skip Line 1a entirely, that would actually cause more problems. I've e-filed successfully this way through FreeTaxUSA (they handle expat situations better than TurboTax in my experience). Just make sure Form 2555 is complete and accurate since that's your primary documentation for the foreign income details.

I went through this exact same confusion last year! The 1040 form language is definitely misleading when it says "Total amount from Form(s) W-2, box 1" on Line 1a. Yes, you should report your Foreign Earned Income on Line 1a even without a W-2. The IRS considers this "wages and salary" income regardless of the documentation format. What I learned is that Line 1a is meant to capture ALL earned income from employment - whether it's documented by a W-2, foreign pay statements, or other employment records. The process is: Report your full foreign earned income on Line 1a → Complete Form 2555 for the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion → The exclusion amount goes on Schedule 1 and flows to Form 1040 Line 8, reducing your taxable income. I also recommend attaching a brief statement (like others mentioned) explaining that Line 1a includes foreign earned income without W-2 documentation, referencing Form 2555. This just helps clarify things for IRS processing. The key is that Form 2555 serves as your detailed documentation for the foreign income, so make sure all the amounts match between Line 1a and your Form 2555 calculations. I've filed this way for two years now without any issues.

This thread has been incredibly helpful - I was in the exact same situation and getting conflicting advice from different sources. Just to add another data point: I successfully e-filed last month using this approach (foreign income on Line 1a with Form 2555) and my refund was processed normally within 3 weeks. One thing I'd emphasize is keeping detailed records of your foreign pay statements and any foreign taxes paid. Even though you don't have a W-2, having organized documentation of your income sources, pay dates, and any taxes withheld by the foreign country will be invaluable if you ever need to respond to IRS questions. Also, don't forget to check if you qualify for the Foreign Tax Credit (Form 1116) in addition to or instead of the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion. Depending on your situation and the foreign taxes you paid, the credit might be more beneficial than the exclusion. The IRS publication 54 (Tax Guide for U.S. Citizens and Resident Aliens Abroad) walks through the comparison pretty clearly. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it really helps to hear from people who've actually navigated this successfully!

I've been working overseas for the past 5 years and can confirm what everyone else is saying - your foreign earned income definitely goes on Line 1a even without a W-2. The form language is confusing, but the IRS expects ALL wage/salary income there regardless of documentation type. Here's what's worked reliably for me: Put your total foreign earnings on Line 1a, complete Form 2555 for the exclusion, and attach a simple one-page statement explaining "Line 1a includes $[amount] foreign earned income from [employer] in [country] without W-2, detailed in Form 2555." Keep it straightforward. One tip I haven't seen mentioned - if your foreign employer provided any kind of employment certificate or annual earnings statement (even if it's not a W-2), attach that too. It adds another layer of documentation and shows you're being thorough. I've never had processing delays or audit issues using this approach across multiple tax years. The key is making sure your Form 2555 is rock solid since that's where you'll justify all the income details. Double-check that your foreign income totals match exactly between Line 1a and Form 2555 - any discrepancies there could trigger questions.