Usa Tax Help Please

[Dancali]

I'm back to Thailand and I need some info on taxes. There must be some others out there in a similar situation.

I have a sole proprietership business involved in exporting from Thailand to America. I earn all my money from customers abroad but live in Thailand for 9 months out of the year.

Do I pay the full normal taxes as if I lived in America for the whole time (even though I'm not out driving on the highways, sending kids to public schools, paying for the cops to patrol my neighborhood)?

I know that expats can get tax exemption in some way on the first X dollars earned. What are the requirements for this?

Any advice or leads is appreciated.

[sbk]

Its called the foreign earned income exclusion and requires that your tax home is outside the country and that you spend no less than 330 days outside the country (doesn't have to be consecutive and has to be in a 12 month period, you pick the 12 months). Here is a link to the IRS website:foreign earned income exclusion info

Good luck!

[lopburi3]

I am retired in Thailand and

Do I pay the full normal taxes as if I lived in America for the whole time (even though I'm not out driving on the highways, sending kids to public schools, paying for the cops to patrol my neighborhood)?

I pay the full normal taxes as if I lived in America. And I am here 365 days a year, not just 9 months.

If you are in Bangkok the American Citizen Service has full tax information (believe they had someone from IRS last week but you missed that). I would guess that you have to pay tax (although perhaps you can deduct what you pay here) but read SBK link well.

[taxout]

As you'll note from the IRS website, there are actually two ways of qualifying for the exemption, one based on physical presence overseas, the other based on bona-fide residence overseas, regardless of physical presence. Like all tax provisions, these are clouded with qualifications.

Self-employed is often not the best status overseas, either for computing the exemption or for computing social security taxes. If this is a long-term arrangement, you might want to seek some professional advice about restructuring your business.

[tutsiwarrior]

I used a tax return preparation service last year in BKK called Taxplan, tel - 252 0177 who were reasonably priced and did a good job...you might want to check them out...

[thaihome]

From American Citizens Services - Bangkok:

5-Mar-04

IRS TAXPAYER SPECIALIST TO VISIT BANGKOK

A tax assistor from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) will

be in Bangkok from Tuesday, March 16, through Friday, March 26, 2004.

The IRS representative can answer your federal income tax questions,

help with account and refund problems, and assist in the preparation

of your tax returns. He will particularly try to address some of the

unusual issues that taxpayers living overseas may encounter.

The assistor will be conducting a FREE seminar on U.S. tax issues

from 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 16, in the Pimarnman

Room of the Four Seasons Hotel (formerly the Regent Hotel) on

Rajadamri Road in Bangkok. The seminar will be followed by a

question and answer session. No advance registration is required.

The assistor will also be available for FREE individual consultation

at the American Citizen Services (ACS) unit of the U.S. Embassy's

Consular Section at 95 Wireless Road in Bangkok from Tuesday,

March 16, through Friday, March 26. Consultation hours will be

from 8:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. and from 1:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m., by

appointment only. Please call ACS at 02-205-4049 if you would

like to schedule an appointment with the IRS representative. (If

you are unable to travel to Bangkok, you may make an appointment for

a telephone consultation.)

Tax assistance is available to any person subject to U.S. taxes

or who files a U.S. income tax return, regardless of nationality.

Any taxpayer who does not speak English should bring a translator.

Please note that IRS help is generally available year-round from

the IRS office in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, over the Internet

at www.irs.gov/taxlaw, or by phone at (215) 516-2000. Consultations

are from Monday through Friday, 6:00 a.m. - 2:00 a.m.,

Eastern Standard Time.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

To subscribe or unsubscribe to this list, go to:

http://usa.or.th/embassy/acsemaillist.htm

The U.S. Embassy is located at 95 Wireless Road,

Bangkok 10330, Thailand (Nearest BTS Skytrain station: Phloen Chit)

American Citizen Services Unit Window Hours:

Monday - Friday, 8 - 11 AM and 1 - 3 PM

Tel: +66-2-205-4049 Fax: +66-2-205-4103

E-mail: [email protected]

U.S. Department of State travel website: http://travel.state.gov

U.S. Embassy Bangkok website: http://usa.or.th

[grim_marmazet]

So, if i get this right. Americans pay taxes, to America, even if you live in another country all year round?

That seems just a tad crazy to me.

[sbk]

over $ 75,000 a year. And surprise surprise, lots of other countries require taxes as well. you better hope yours isn't one of them!

[NedKelly]

Aussies dont pay anything if we work outside the country for more than 90 days as far as I know.

[Boon Mee]

So, if i get this right. Americans pay taxes, to America, even if you live in another country all year round?

That seems just a tad crazy to me.

We gotta pay taxes to Uncle Sam after we're dead!