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s/o - filing taxes abroad
i'm sure you get a ton of these questions, but i'd love if someone has some wisdom they can kindly share!
i'm an american living in canada on a visitor visa, permanent residency in process. i can't work (per canada) so i sah while h works (he's canadian). given the nature of my visa, i'm not technically "living" abroad, just "traveling" with and end date that i must leave the country.
so i have no income and i'm technically on vacation - do i have to file?
i've gotten as far as finding the irs form 1116 which i would file with a 1040 if i had an income... do i fill them out anyway, listing $0 all the way?
advice? anything? i'm sorry for being so stupid :-/
eta: looking more and the 1116 isn't for me because it's only if you have an income.
Re: s/o - filing taxes abroad
thanks!
at first glance i don't qualify for this form either - i do for the bona fide residence, but i don't have a "tax home" since i don't have an income. (my understanding form other stuff i've read.)
i may just go ahead and file a 1040/1040ez without filing any of the foreign stuff since nothing i've found yet applies. that way i've covered my ass by showing (lack of) income if they ever try to come after me in the future. i hope.
I think Publius is right. I think you need to make more than 3,000 or 4,000 dollars a year.
Dont we have until June 15 to file?
You can file under the foreign earned income exclusion if you meet one of two tests. First, you are a bona fide resident of another state. It doesn't sound like you quality here, since you are on a tourist visa. Second, you pass the physical presence test, which means you've been outside of the US for a set period (I believe 330 days) and therefore were not physically present in the States.
However, in your situation, I wonder if you need to bother with the foreign earned income exclusion. You mention that you don't earn a salary. Do you earn income from other sources, like interest on savings or significant gifts? If not, there's really no income to 'exclude' and to my mind, no reason for the additional form.
Yes:
'If you are a U.S. citizen or resident alien residing overseas, or are in the military on duty outside the U.S., on the regular due date of your return, you are allowed an automatic 2-month extension to file your return and pay any amount due without requesting an extension. For a calendar year return, the automatic 2-month extension is to June 15.'
http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/international/article/0,,id=97324,00.html
Not true. Not true.
You do not have to file if you do not meet the IRS filing requirements. For married filing separate you have to earn a minimum of $3,700 to be required to file a return.
Publication 54 is the bible guide for taxpayer's abroad. http://www.irs.gov/publications/p54/index.html
OP there is a completely separate form you might be required to fill out called Form TD F 90-22.1, Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts - it's on the IRS website. If you had access (signature authority) over a bank account outside the US that at any point had a value of more than $10,000 US dollars. Even if it was only for a day - gotta file it. This is not associated with a tax return at all - totally different, it's due June 30 - no extensions.
Clarification... Is it "a bank account" or a combination of bank accounts? I'm guessing it's the latter, but I just wanted to make sure. Otherwise I'm going to open multiple accounts and make sure there's less than $10K in each just so I don't have to file that god-awful form.
I don't even care about hiding it from the US government; I just don't want to waste two hours of my life on a TD F 90-22.1. Heck, it takes ages just to type the form number!
Sorry. It's aggregate value of the accounts.
thank you so much! this confirms the stuff i've read.
i have zero income. no work, no significant interest earned (i think it was under $5 last year, haha), nothing. and our bank account/s in canada has never come close to $10k.
side note - i really like this board! i've lurked here a bit and and find a lot of comfort in knowing that there are people who get homesick and have to deal with taxes and think about politics in other country. but i feel like a whiny baby because i'm not overseas abroad, it's *just* canada... but its' still immigration and a transition and a different culture. anyway, i really appreciate your advice here!
Yes, we get the 'it's just England' line a lot. And then we don't talk to those people anymore. It is not 'JUST' anything--Canada or the UK. Yeah, there's some English which makes it *easier* (when we aren't confusing one another) but there is still quite a bit more than most of the people making those *ahem* comments really get.
Seriously. I was in Canada for three years before this move (we were in Ottawa). It was hard as heck. I couldn't get a work permit to save my life, was trying to learn French to find a job, and couldn't use my cell phone like I did in the States. That, plus dealing with border control all the time definitely makes it a foreign country, no matter how close.