Articles

US tax treaties: complete guide for expats (2026)

A US tax treaty is a bilateral agreement between the US and a foreign country that reduces or eliminates double taxation on cross-border income. The IRS currently lists 68 treaty entries on Table 3, which was last updated...

What does the "FATCA Filing Requirement" box on Form 1099 mean?

It is a payer or issuer reporting flag, not a box you complete yourself. In current IRS instructions, the 1099 FATCA filing requirement box is tied to chapter 4 account-reporting rules, which are part of FATCA. ...

Form 8858 and Foreign Disregarded Entities: a complete guide

Form 8858 is the IRS return that links your foreign entity's books to your US taxes – and missing it can trigger a $10,000 penalty per entity. Following Farhy, section 6038(b) penalties are treated as assessable in the D.C. Circuit – meaning the IRS can collect them administratively – but the issue remains actively litigated...

Resident citizens vs non-resident citizens vs residents for tax purposes: US tax residency status explained

Citizenship and tax residency are not the same thing – and for many people, that gap comes as a surprise. A US citizen living abroad is still generally inside the US tax system, while a ...

Schedule A (Form 1040): A guide to itemized deductions for US expats

When it comes to taxes, US citizens living abroad often ask the same question: Should I itemize my deductions or take the standard deduction? Schedule A (Form 1040) is a valuable tool for taxpayers who want to maximize their deductions by list...

Form 720: A guide to the quarterly federal excise tax return

If your business sells fuel, provides certain transportation or communication services, or deals in other excise-taxable goods, federal excise taxes may apply. But Form 720 – the Quarterly Federal Excise Tax Return – applies to a wider range of businesses than many people realize. From small employers with self-insured health plans to c...