Tax Reference

International Tax

US tax obligations for global citizens: FBAR, FATCA, expat returns, pre-immigration planning, CFCs, and cross-border structures.
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The US taxes its citizens and residents on worldwide income regardless of where they live or work. This creates complex filing obligations for expatriates, immigrants, and anyone with foreign financial accounts or business interests. This section covers the full spectrum of US international tax obligations - from the FBAR filing threshold to the mechanics of controlled foreign corporation rules.

FBAR, FATCA & Reporting
Tool
FBAR & Form 8938 Checker
Determine your FBAR and FATCA filing requirements.
Calculator
FBAR Penalty Estimator
Willful vs. non-willful penalty ranges.
Guide
FBAR Penalties Guide
Penalty structure, Streamlined procedures, offshore compliance.
Guide
FATCA / Form 8938
Foreign financial asset reporting thresholds and rules.
Tool
Streamlined Filing Checker
Eligibility for IRS Streamlined compliance procedures.
Guide
International Information Returns
Forms 5471, 5472, 3520, 8854, 8938 - complete map.
Guide
Streamlined Filing Compliance (SFOP/SDOP)
Foreign offshore (Form 14653, $0 penalty) vs Domestic offshore (Form 14654, 5% Title 26 penalty). 3 years returns + 6 years FBARs. Non-willful certification. March 2025 form revision. Rev. Proc. 2014-55 Canadian retirement carve-out.
Guide
Form 3520: Foreign Gifts & Trusts Deep Dive
Form 3520 mechanics. $100,000 threshold (NRA/foreign estate gifts); $20,116 (2025) / $20,573 (2026) for foreign corp/partnership. 35% gross distribution penalty under §6677. 25% gross gift penalty under §6039F. Aggregation across related foreign donors. Rev. Proc. 2014-55 RRSPs and Rev. Proc. 2020-17 tax-favored trusts. Throwback tax. Streamlined Filing relief. May 2024 proposed regs.
Residency & Expat Returns
Calculator
Substantial Presence Test
IRC §7701(b) residency analysis with exclusions.
Tool
Closer Connection Checker
Form 8840 eligibility - escape SPT residency.
Tool
Treaty Navigator
Find applicable US tax treaty provisions.
Guide
US Expat Tax Guide
Filing obligations, FEIE, foreign tax credit, forms.
Guide
FEIE Guide
Foreign earned income exclusion, bona fide residence, physical presence.
Guide
Dual-Status Returns
Year of immigration or emigration filing rules.
Guide
Pre-Immigration Planning
Planning before the green card date.
Guide
§911 FEIE 2026 Deep Dive
$132,900 exclusion for 2026. Housing base $21,264 / max $39,870. Bona fide residence vs physical presence (330 days). Stacking rule §911(f). Does NOT exclude SE tax or NCTI. FEIE vs FTC framework.
CFCs, GILTI & Corporate
Tool
Form 5471 Checker
CFC filing requirement analysis - categories 1-5.
Guide
GILTI / NCTI Explained
Global intangible low-taxed income, §250 deduction, high-tax exclusion.
Guide
Subpart F / CFC Basics
CFC income inclusions, look-through rules.
Guide
Section 962 Election
Individual CFC shareholders accessing §960 FTC.
Guide
PFIC Guide
Passive foreign investment companies, QEF election, mark-to-market.
Guide
Foreign Tax Credit
Form 1116, baskets, FTC limitation, high-tax exclusion.
Guide
Form 5471 CFC Deep Dive
OBBBA 2026: GILTI → NCTI rebrand. §250 deduction 50%→40% (rate 10.5%→12.6%). FTC haircut 20%→10%. QBAI eliminated. Downward attribution restored. Schedule H-1 for CAMT.
Guide
Form 8865 Foreign Partnership
§6038 / §6038B / §6046A four categories. $10K base / $60K cap per partnership/year. Cat 3: 10% FMV cap $100K. §721(c) gain deferral method. §6501(c)(8) SOL trap. K-2/K-3 mandatory.
Guide
Form 8858 FDE / Foreign Branch
Foreign disregarded entity and foreign branch reporting. §6038(a) authority. 6 filer categories. $10K base / $60K cap per FDE/year. New Schedule G Line 14 for Pillar Two/QDMTT/IIR/UTPR. Notice 2025-44 DPL repeal 2026.
Guide
GILTI → NCTI: OBBBA's CFC Rewrite
OBBBA renamed GILTI to Net CFC Tested Income effective 2026. §250 deduction 50%→40%. QBAI 10% DTIR REPEALED entirely (broadens base). FTC haircut 20%→10% (90% creditable). 12.6% corporate effective rate. 14% foreign cross-over. New §951B FCUS. §954(c)(6) look-through permanent. BEAT 10.5%.
Cross-Border & Treaties
Guide
US-Canada Tax Planning
Snowbird residency, RRSP treaty election, departure tax.
Guide
US-Canada Treaty
Article-by-article overview.
Guide
RRSP/RRIF for US Persons
Treaty election, Article XVIII, US reporting.
Guide
Russia Treaty Suspension
Partial suspension 2023, Article 4 still operative.
Guide
Foreign Pension Reporting
FBAR, 8938, treaty treatment by country.
Guide
FIRPTA
Withholding on dispositions of US real property interests.
Guide
Form 1116 Foreign Tax Credit
FTC mechanics, 7 baskets, OBBBA NCTI 90% credit, carryback 1/forward 10, FEIE vs FTC decision.
Additional Resources
Guide
Digital Nomad Tax
FEIE, SE tax trap, state domicile issues for remote workers abroad.
Guide
ECI & FDAP Income
US source income rules for nonresident aliens.
Guide
International Info Returns
5471, 5472, 3520, 8938, FBAR - penalties and deadlines.
Advanced & Specialized Topics
Guide
Pillar Two Global Minimum Tax
15% GloBE, IIR/UTPR/QDMTT, US CAMT vs Pillar Two, UTPR retaliation risk.
Guide
Foreign Currency §988
§988 ordinary income, bank accounts, §988(e) election.
Guide
SaaS International Tax
EU VAT OSS, B2B reverse charge, FDII for foreign revenue.
Guide
Reinsurance Tax
§845, BEAT on offshore premiums, ECI for foreign reinsurers.
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