Sheryl

1 hour ago, PingRoundTheWorld said:

Why are you paying state tax?? Just get a mailing address in a state like Texas where there is no state income tax and file using that address. You have no legal obligation to pay taxes to a state you don't live in.

No need for an address in a different US state. Just file from Thailand where he lives.

41 minutes ago, PingRoundTheWorld said:

It appears I am indeed wrong, and you CAN claim the FEIE on income from US employers as long as you meet the requirements (bona fide foreign resident). I am slightly shocked as in the past I spent a decade paying US income tax while living overseas because I had an online business incorporated in the US. It's too late to amend those returns, but good to know...😵

Yes, of course you can claim the Foreign Income Exemption if you have a US Employer (unless it is the US Government).

There is even a place on the relevant tax form for "Employer's US address".

3 hours ago, Tiber said:

Yes just seen, type of cancer slow growing, but once effects are felt, fast growing, just as well I got early diagnostic

So nto relevant to this thread which is about colonoscopy, a screening for colon cancer.

2 minutes ago, NorthernRyland said:

Well in that case I do spend 2 months a year in Colorado  so I wouldn't apply. Paying state seems ridiculous being there only 2 months with no residence. Maybe I should hire an accountant. 🙂

You may still qualify as having bona fide residence in Thailand.

I also spend 2 months a year in US. For the past 28 years I have taken the foreign income exclusion based on bona fide residence.

See https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/i2555.pdf

Section II

"Whether you are a bona fide resident of a foreign country
depends on your intention about the length and nature of your
stay. Evidence of your intention may be your words and acts. If
these conflict, your acts carry more weight than your words.
Generally, if you go to a foreign country for a definite, temporary
purpose and return to the United States after you accomplish it,
you aren't a bona fide resident of the foreign country. If
accomplishing the purpose requires an extended, indefinite stay,
and you make your home in the foreign country, you may be a
bona fide resident"

As for Colorado taxes, look up the state tax rules regarding nonresidents/part year residents. During the 2 months you are back in US, are you working?

41 minutes ago, NorthernRyland said:

I'm taking no such exemptions, I don't think your location matters to the IRS anyways because I never got an accountant, just TurboTax. As far as they're concerned I live in the US and pay federal + state tax based on my parents address.

In that case -- and assuming you are either permanently settled in Thailand or out of the US 330 out of 365 consecutive days -- you may have  been missing a chance to avoid federal tax on your income.

And depending on your state, you may be paying unnecessary state taxes, too.

However given that you for some reason choose to -- or have to -- do this, you could apply any taxes paid in Thailand as a tax credit.

37 minutes ago, NorthernRyland said:

When I got the *12* month extension they literally asked me about my employer and my income. It's illegal based on old laws that no longer make any sense and everyone knows it apparently. Instead of kicking us out taxing us makes more sense I would think.

Are you using the income method or the 400k in the bank method? If the latter should not need to tell them anything about your work.

50 minutes ago, NorthernRyland said:

True or false: your tax rate is determined by your income so if you're earning enough to be in the 35% bracket it doesn't matter if you import 100k per month or 10k per month, your rate on that money will be 35%. I understand there are myriad deductions but those on are your income, not the amount imported. Can anyone confirm this?

 False for most expats. But true for those whose income is derived from work performed in Thailand.

2 minutes ago, JimGant said:

Am I the only one confused here?

Actually it has finally become clear.

He performs work remotely for a company based in the US. So cannot get a work permit. Technically illegal but common enough in the modern age and usually overlooked.

He owes Thailand taxes on that income and he seems to understand this but is concerned that he would be filing a tax return on income that resulted from working illegally (i.e. without a work permit, but for a company based in the US).

He expects different Thai governmental departments to coordinate together on matters that impact on expats,  which of course they do not.

The solution to his problem is a bit less clear. His options to me seem to be:

- file and pay taxes in Thailand on the (probably safe) assumption that the fact that he filed will not come to the attention of the Labor Dept (who likely could care less about remote work for a US based company anyhow).

- not file and, if asked, claim the remittances were from savings. Risking serious penalties if found out to be untrue.

#1 IMO is the safer course of action but also the costliest, at least in the short term (#2 could get very costly if he is caught). 

He is likely taking the foreign income exemption on his US taxes so tax credit from payments in Thailand will not do much if anything for him financially.

29 minutes ago, NorthernRyland said:

 

I don't understand how this doesn't intersect with immigration. So they're expecting people without work permits to file taxes on money earned while living Thailand? If they want us to pay taxes they really should make this clear. I don't expect they will of course and we'll just keep doing what we do until we get pulled aside and questioned.

Immigration (which issues visas and extensions of stay), Labor Department (which issues work permits) and Revenue Department are all entirely separate government departments and have nothing to do with each other.

It  is not unique to Thailand that entirely separate  government departments  do not particularly communicate or coordinate  and that rules of one often conflict with rules of another.

24 minutes ago, NorthernRyland said:

 

Is it illegal to live in Thailand more than 180 days a year while employed by a US company?

 

Not sure what you mean, getting a work permit is not possible if you're already employed by another company. Thailand obviously knows people are doing this but they've turned a blind eye because there's no victims. I'm sure the new tax rules are aimed at people like us because there's money on the table and they know it.

I do not understand what you mean by "getting a work permit is not possible if you're already employed by another company". The company you are employed by, should help you get a work permit.

It appears from a few posts up, that your company is not based in Thailand. This would explain why they cannot get you a work permit. In other words, you are working remotely for a company based in the US.

Technically illegal but pretty much unenforced. I would however certainly not advertise the fact or tell it to immigration.

And yes, any income you bring into Thailand is tax assessable in Thailand.

2 minutes ago, Tiber said:

Thanks, just unfortunate I caught it, non smoker, hardly touched booze, can hardly state no sex.

 

   Its the early diagnostic that is important, might be slow growing, but its there ,once stage 3 or 4 its all over

I thought from your other posts you had esophageal cancer not colon cancer???

Meanwhile after many hours online with the so-called "help" staff at Revolut I have found out why Google Pay -- which I wasted much time setting up solely for this purpose -- does not work.

It is because my Google Pay is linked to a credit card and Revolut does not accept credit cards. In other words, you can use Google Pay for Revolut only if Google Pay has linked to it a debit card that Revolut would have accepted directly. (Which is precisely what I do not have and why I then resorted to setting up Google Pay. ). Don't ask me then what is the point to using Google Pay, apparently none at all in this situation.

59 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

I know there is some discussion about the benefit to risk ratio in that I have read that without a history of cancer or what not, the risk of the test can outweigh the risk of not testing. It would be nice if Sherle weighed in. 

 

My doctor told me that he recommends every ten years, unless they find something. 

The risk of screening does NOT outweigh the risk of cancer for the age group recommended for screening, unless there  are some specific individual contraindications. (Example: a known bleeding disorder).

Every ten years from ages 45 to 75 (more frequent if multiple polyps or large polyp found, or other risk factor) is the standard guidance. After age 75, risks of the procedure increase somewhat at a population level so it needs to be decided on an individual basis taking into account what, if anything,  was found on prior screenings and the individual's overall health status.

45 minutes ago, Tiber said:

Ten years? you would be dead and buried in that timeframe

Colon cancers are fairly slow growing. The 10 year interval does not apply to people with history of polyps found or other risk factors. If someone has a completely clean colonoscopy result (no growths of any type seen) and no exceptional risk factors, they are not going to newly develop and then die of colon cancer within ten years.

When multiple polyps have been found, or a single polyp that is large, the frequency of screening is 2-3 yearly.

I think that Revolut thinks (wrongly)  it is a cedit card and not a debit card based on the number and makes that decision before the number is fully entered.

Revolut help & support are worse than useless o nthe matter.

28 minutes ago, scottiejohn said:

Do you maybe have to activate the card before first use maybe online or at an ATM etc?

 

OOPS! our post just crossed each other!

The card is activated and I use it regularly, several times a week.  Definitely not an activation problem.

As mentioned the error message comes up before the full card number is even entered.

No luck using Google Pay either (which seems to be Revolut's preferred method). Set up Google Pay solely for this purpose, get error message that there is "no acceptable payment method"  on my Google Pay account. But the account shows my visa card there and verified and bank says all is well.

3 minutes ago, george said:

 

Are you using a physical Kbank card?  (Kbank virtual card doesn't work).

If you use VPN you should disconnect it when using Revolut.

Physical card.

No VPN.

Revolut has some sort of issue with the debit card number, after entering the first 6-7 digits I get error message that the card is not supported.

1 minute ago, scottiejohn said:

I top up my Wise physical debit card in seconds using a UK bank debit card.  Most times I do NOT need 2FA as I do it regularly with the same card!

My problem is with a Revolut card using a Thai bank debit card.

8 minutes ago, KhaoNiaw said:

Yes, always been instant for me since I added the card. The only difference I can notice between my account and Sheryl's is that I used a UK address with the Thai phone number. 

I used a US address with Thai phone number.

I do not think it has anything to with details of my account as the error message comes in the split second I enter the card number.  In fact before I even finish entering the number. The error message ("Sorry, this card isn't supported") kicks in when I get to the third sequence of 4 numbers.

It is a newly issued debit card.

3 minutes ago, george said:

 

@SherylI topped up my Revolut account with a foreign VISA debit card, no problems, it was instant. I deposited a small amount to cover the DHL delivery fee to Thailand.

 

Are you saying it doesn't work to top up Revolut with a Thai debit card?

Correct. Would not accept my Kasikorn Bank debit card nor my (Cambodian) ABA debit card. Kasikorn card got error message "Card not supported" as soon as I entered the number, before even submitting it. ABA card got error message that cards from Cambodian banks  not accepted. 

My US debit card has unfortunately expired and new one not yet arrived so can't try with that. 

11 minutes ago, Expat68 said:

My doctor recommended that I had done when blood was slightly high. He arranged everything 

I think "blood was slightly high" is not correct description  more lijlkely your red blood count was low (anemia) or there was blood in your stool. 

But yes, easily arranged if doctor recommends it for a medical problem and the hospital has the capacity to do it (not all government hospitals do).

It is getting one for tlroutine screening that is sometimes hard to arrange at government hospitals.  Not always, but sometimes. 

4 minutes ago, Yellowtail said:

I meant transfer from your bank account into your Revolut account. I'm pretty sure that's what I did with Transfer Wise, and I think it was free, and but it's been a while. 

Exactly what I answered to. First time takes about 5 days. Presumably quicker after that.