Yes, you do. If you earn income and live abroad, you will have to file a return every year. You will need to report all income earned worldwide if the income meets the minimum income filing requirements for filing status and age (which are the same requirements whether or not you are living in the United States).

Following is a table outlining the 2008 IRS income/status/age requirements for filing:

For purposes of determining whether or not you need to file, include any income that you might otherwise exclude under the foreign earned income exclusion and/or housing deduction and exclusion (see below). If you are self-employed, gross income also includes Profit or Loss from Business on Schedule C of Form 1040 (or Net Profit from Business on Schedule C-EZ).

You can download all IRS tax forms from the internet.

You may substantially reduce your tax liability if you qualify for a foreign earned income exclusion and/or housing deduction and exclusion. As of tax year 2008, the maximum exclusion amount for foreign earned income is $87,600. The amount you may exclude or deduct for housing expenses depends on your circumstances. Qualifying information is published in Chapter 4, IRS Publication 54.

If you plan to use the exclusions and deductions described above, you will need to file Form 2555 (and use Form 2555 Instructions) or Form 2555-EZ (and use Form 2555-EZ Instructions). Use Form 2555-EZ if you are only planning on using the foreign earned income exclusion. If you plan to use both the earned income and housing exclusions/deductions, use Form 2555.

Don’t forget about taxes in the country where you live. Some countries will credit you for taxes you pay to the IRS, others may not. If you do pay taxes in the country where you live, do not claim those taxes on your U.S. tax return as federal income tax withheld. You may, however, claim the amount as a foreign tax credit or foreign tax deduction. Check out Chapter 5, Taxes of Foreign Countries and U.S. Possessions for more information.

If you have questions, you can contact the IRS in the following ways:

• Go to http://www.irs.gov


• Phone: 1-800-829-1040 –this is the national hotline. Expect it to be very busy as tax deadline day looms closer


• Or you can read through IRS Publication 54, Tax Guide for U.S. Citizens and Resident Aliens Abroad

If you need forms and cannot download them, you can call 1-800-829-3676, or write to the National Distribution Center at P.O. Box 8903, Bloomington, IL 61702-8903.

Learn more about federal income taxes and the law at FreeAdvice.com. To find a tax attorney, go to AttorneyPages.com.

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