Mel Whitney
Articles
Can foreigners buy property in the US? Complete 2026 guide for non-US citizens
Foreign nationals can legally purchase homes, rental properties, and other real estate in the United States without becoming US citizens or permanent residents. Buying the property is often the straightforward part. The tax consequences – particularly FIRPTA withholding, US rental-income tax, Form 1040-NR reporting, and federal estate tax &...
Who is exempt from FATCA reporting? FATCA exemptions, thresholds, and exemption codes (2026)
Most US expats who ask whether they are exempt from FATCA reporting are not actually exempt – they are simply below the ...
PTEP regulations explained: Previously taxed earnings and profits rules for US expats in 2026
Previously taxed earnings and profits, or PTEP, are amounts already included in a US shareholder's gross income that can be distributed tax-free when repatriated from a controlled foreign corporation. The exclusion is governed by ...
IRS nonresident alien estate tax: the $60,000 US situs assets exemption explained
A nonresident who is not a US citizen can face US federal estate tax with only $60,000 of US-situated assets, a threshold that is not indexed for inflation. That is very different from the $15 million basic exclusion amount for US citizens and US domiciliaries who die in 2026. The IRS nonresident alien ...