by Noah Green CPA CFE | Oct 17, 2026 | American Expat Tax Lifecycle
The short version Qualifying for the foreign earned income exclusion does not settle your state return. Form 2555 is a federal calculation. A state can separately ask whether you remained a resident, whether it follows or rejects Internal Revenue Code Section 911,...
by Noah Green CPA CFE | Oct 16, 2026 | American Expat Tax Lifecycle
The short version The foreign earned income exclusion, or FEIE, can reduce regular U.S. income tax on qualifying income earned from services performed abroad. It does not, by itself, reduce the separate Social Security and Medicare tax calculated on Schedule SE. That...
by Noah Green CPA CFE | Oct 15, 2026 | American Expat Tax Lifecycle
The short version The FBAR worksheet begins with the annual maximum value of every reportable foreign financial account. Convert each maximum to U.S. dollars using the required December 31 Treasury rate, add the converted maximums, and count documented transfers...
by Noah Green CPA CFE | Oct 14, 2026 | American Expat Tax Lifecycle
The short version The foreign housing exclusion is not a reimbursement for your rent. It is a formula under Internal Revenue Code section 911: start with reasonable qualifying housing expenses, limit those expenses, subtract a required base amount, and then determine...
by Noah Green CPA CFE | Oct 13, 2026 | American Expat Tax Lifecycle
The short version The United States and Brazil do not merge their retirement systems. Their Social Security agreement coordinates them. It can keep the same work from being subject to both countries’ social security contributions, and it can let qualifying...
