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[cyberbill]

Hi guys,

This is my first full year residence in Thailand. I am uncertain about some questions about tax filing, but hope many US expats here might already have extensive experience and hopefully some tips.

I am unemployed, do not have any income generated in Thailand. I do have interest and dividend income from US banks and brokerage, which will be reported in my 1099.

1) Federal Form 2555EZ: Not sure if i need to file this form with my return. I have no Thailand earnings to report, so nothing to claim exclusion, but I fit the physical presence requirement. The top of the form reads --You may use this form if.....Earned wages/salaries in a foreign country----but I do not have any type of income in Thailand. Do i file it just for the sake of reporting to the IRS that I am physically here in Bangkok? Is there any requirement to file this form just based on physical presence? Is there any benefit in filing this form at all, for now or the for possible future benefits?

2) State tax: I also maintained my apartment in the US (still pay my share half the rent with a roommate) and my old phone number. I think i should file state return because I do have interest and dividend income, but as a non-resident. Is there any benefit to filing in other category (i.e. partial resident) that I should be aware of?

3) I use H&R software, which now warns that I cannot efile with a foreign address. Looking around, i found about half of the people physically mailed in the return (which is now a bit late for me), and half people just use an address in US, so that the software allow to efile. I am likely to use my old address in the US and efile.

TIA for any advice/opinion/tips you might be able to share.

Edited April 6, 2011 by cyberbill

[el jefe]

1. No need to file 2555 if you have no earned income.

2. Depends on your state and how many days you lived in that state in 2010.

3. Lots of options:

- You are entitled to an automatic extension of time to file your return (but not to pay the taxes) if you are out of the US on April 18, 2011. Use Form 4868.

- You can use a priority delivery service to ensure that the mail gets to the US by April 18, 2011

- It may be possible to deliver the return to the US Embassy, before some specific date. Check with them if this service is still available.

If you file using your former state address, there is a good chance that they will contact you if you do not file a return with them and they compute that, based on the numbers on your 1040, you would owe state taxes.

hth.

El Jefe, CPA

[lopburi3]

I have no problem filing on-line using my Bangkok address with TaxAct for the last seven years if you want to try that.