Speed check your eligibility for the 2025 exclusion – and find out in seconds how much income you can shield from US tax.
This free foreign earned income exclusion calculator tallies your days abroad and shows if you meet the 330‑day or bona fide residence threshold. It's perfect for expats who need a quick sanity check before filing – saving you from costly mistakes with the IRS.
Benefits of our foreign earned income calculator
Instantly estimates how much of your income you can exclude for the current tax year.
Confirms whether you were physically present abroad for 330 full days – or qualify as a bona fide resident alien.
Provides the insights you need to discuss your foreign income situation with a tax professional.
Built by US expat tax professionals at Taxes for Expats, our tool is
completely free, lightning‑fast, and always updated with the latest
rules from the United States tax code – giving you confidence wherever
you call home.
What Is the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion (FEIE)?
The
Foreign Earned Income Exclusion
(FEIE) lets qualifying USA citizens and resident aliens
living abroad exclude part of their salary or self‑employment
pay from foreign earned income tax.
If you spend most of 12 months overseas – a period that can
straddle any calendar year – you can claim the foreign
earned income exclusion FEIE by attaching
Form 2555
to your return.
The cap is indexed each tax year
For 2025, it increased to $130,000, up from $126,500 in 2024. Before filing, plug your numbers into our
reliable tax calculator for foreign income to be sure your day count and earnings split pass IRS muster.
Personalized tax prep quote
Stop puzzling over 330 days. We show the tax you can skip.
How do you qualify for the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion?
To unlock the FEIE, you only need to pass one of two IRS tests. Pick the
route that best matches your travel pattern – and remember that passing
either test lets you qualify for the foreign earned income exclusion
FEIE without double‑tax pain.
Physical Presence Test
You must be
physically present
outside the United States for 330 full
days within a period of 12 consecutive months. A "full day" starts at
midnight, so flight time over international waters doesn't count.
Example: A short‑term contractor –
spending March 1 to February 28 abroad with only two week‑long visits
home – hits 332 qualifying days and sails through the test. Contrast
that with a remote employee who works six months in Spain and six in
Texas; they fall short and must look to the next test.
Bona Fide Residence Test
Live like a true resident of a foreign country for an entire calendar
year – this longer‑term path, known as the
Bona Fide test, often
suits retirees, digital‑nomad families, or executives posted overseas.
Maintain a legal home abroad (rental or owned) and register locally for utilities, voting, or resident visas.
Show intent to stay: enroll kids in school, join clubs, shift banking relationships.
Limit US ties: short visits are fine, but keep a clear centre of life overseas.
Only one test is required, so if you've settled in Berlin since
1 January, you're done – our foreign income tax calculator will
crunch how much of your pay stays tax‑free.
Frequently asked questions
1. How do I qualify for the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion?
You qualify by passing either the physical presence test – 330 full days abroad in any 12‑month window – or the bona fide residence test for a full tax year.
2. What is the maximum exclusion amount for 2025?
For 2025, the maximum exclusion is $130,000, or $260,000 if both spouses qualify separately.
3. Can I claim both the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion and the Foreign Tax Credit?
You can pair the exclusion with the Foreign Tax Credit on different income streams, but never apply both to the same earnings.
4. Can I use the FEIE if I'm self‑employed?
Self‑employed Americans may use the FEIE to shield their net foreign profits, though they still owe self‑employment tax absent a totalization agreement.
5. What counts as foreign earned income?
Foreign earned income covers wages, salaries, and self‑employment fees for services performed abroad, while investment income, pensions, and capital gains are excluded.
6. Do I need to file a special form to claim the FEIE?
Yes – you must attach Form 2555 to your Form 1040, and a good foreign income exclusion calculator can streamline the figures.
7. What happens if I don't meet the 330‑day requirement by year‑end?
If you fall short of 330 days, you can amend once you qualify, rely on the bona fide residence test, or forgo the exclusion for that year.
Our online foreign income tax calculator tracks each day you spend
abroad, checks it against the 330‑day rule, and instantly projects
how much of your 2025 income can be sheltered under the FEIE.
It empowers digital nomads, contractors, and families overseas with
an IRS‑aligned estimate before they even touch
Form 2555 – no spreadsheets required.
By applying the latest exclusion limits and housing caps, the tool
helps you budget quarterly payments and avoid nasty surprises at
filing time.
We offer a
free consultation call,
so you can run the numbers and get personalised guidance from our tax pros.
