You moved abroad for a better life. The IRS moved with you.
The United States taxes its citizens based on citizenship, not where they live. It does not matter if you are in Dubai, Bangkok, Lisbon or Panama City. As long as you hold a US passport or Green Card, the IRS expects to hear from you every single year.
Most Americans find this out too late. Some have been living abroad for years without filing. Others are filing but claiming nothing — leaving thousands of dollars on the table. Others are sitting on a penalty time bomb they do not even know is ticking.
This guide fixes all of that.
Inside, you get a plain-English walkthrough of every US tax obligation an American abroad faces — with accurate 2026 figures, real-world examples, and a standalone compliance checklist you can use without reading anything else.
- How to legally exclude up to $132,900 of your foreign earnings from US federal income tax — saving up to $20,900 per year
- The FBAR report most Americans abroad have never heard of — and the penalties that reach $165,353 per account if you miss it
- A step-by-step path to compliance for anyone who has never filed, with zero penalties in most cases
- Every key deadline in the US expat tax calendar — including the single most expensive mistake expats make every year
- The self-employment tax the FEIE does not cancel — and how to legally reduce or eliminate it
- The state tax trap that cost one expat $38,000 he should never have owed
- A pre-departure planning section covering the decisions that must be made before you leave the US
- A standalone six-block compliance checklist — tick every box and you are compliant
If you hold a US passport or Green Card and live outside the United States, this guide tells you exactly what the IRS expects, in plain English, with everything you need to act on it today.
For educational purposes only. Not legal or tax advice. Always consult a qualified US-licensed tax professional before making decisions about your international tax position. 60SecondstoFIRE is not a law firm.