RevenueLab.fyi
Overseas / expat taxes · Free estimator

Expat & Overseas Income Tax Calculator

Estimate US tax owed as an American living and working abroad. Models the 2025 Foreign Earned Income Exclusion ($130,000), housing exclusion, and Foreign Tax Credit — for digital nomads, remote workers, and overseas freelancers.

Estimates only — not tax advice. Tax brackets shown are for 2025 (United States). Federal + state income tax (all 50 states + DC). Rates reviewed for 2025. Always confirm with a qualified accountant or tax professional before filing.Need a referral?
Region
Filing status
State
Scenarios
Common scenarios

Tap a persona to auto-load realistic numbers, then tweak the sliders.

My scenarios

Save these inputs as a named scenario, or copy a prefilled link to share the exact setup.

$110,000

Earned income from work performed outside the US.

$18,000

Income tax actually paid to your host country (used for the Foreign Tax Credit).

How it's calculated

Expat tax flow (FEIE + FTC)

US citizens are taxed on worldwide income. The Foreign Earned Income Exclusion (Form 2555) excludes up to $130,000 (2025) of foreign earned income, and the Foreign Tax Credit (Form 1116) credits US tax for tax paid abroad. Most expats use one or the other — sometimes both.

Excluded = min(foreign earned, $130,000) + housing exclusion
Taxable = (foreign − excluded) + US-source − std deduction
US tax = stacked-rate tax on taxable
Owed = max(0, US tax − Foreign Tax Credit) + SE tax on SE share

FEIE vs Foreign Tax Credit — pick the right one

FEIE is best in low-tax / no-tax countries (UAE, Singapore, parts of LatAm, Bali on a long-stay visa). The Foreign Tax Credit is usually better in high-tax countries (UK, Germany, France, Australia) because you're already paying more tax abroad than you'd owe to the US.

  • • FEIE qualification: Bona Fide Residence test OR Physical Presence test (330 full days outside the US in any 12-month period).
  • • Housing exclusion stacks on top of FEIE — capped roughly at 30% of FEIE for most cities (higher for high-cost locations like London, Tokyo, Singapore).
  • • FTC has no day-count test and can carry over excess foreign tax for up to 10 years.

Self-employment tax doesn't go away abroad

FEIE excludes income from US income tax — not SE tax. If you're a US-citizen freelancer abroad, you still owe 15.3% SE tax on net SE earnings unless you live in a country with a Totalization Agreement (UK, Canada, Germany, Australia, Japan, France, and ~25 others) and pay into that country's social system instead.

What to file as a US expat

Even if you owe $0 US tax, you must still file. The penalties for non-filing are substantially worse than the tax itself.

  • • Form 1040 — your annual US return (due June 15 abroad, with extensions to Oct 15).
  • • Form 2555 — claim FEIE and housing exclusion.
  • • Form 1116 — claim Foreign Tax Credit.
  • • FBAR (FinCEN 114) — required if any foreign account balance > $10,000 at any point in the year.
  • • FATCA Form 8938 — additional reporting at higher thresholds ($200k+ single / abroad).

FAQ

Do I really have to file US taxes if I live abroad?

Yes. The US is one of the only countries that taxes citizens on worldwide income regardless of residence. Filing is required even if you owe nothing — and FBAR penalties for non-filing start at $10,000 per account per year.

Does FEIE reduce my self-employment tax?

No. FEIE only excludes income from US income tax, not SE tax. To reduce SE tax abroad, you usually need to live in a country with a Totalization Agreement and pay into that country's social system.

Can I claim both FEIE and Foreign Tax Credit?

Yes — but not on the same dollars. You can FEIE the first $130k and use FTC on income above that. Many high-earning expats combine both.

What about state tax as an expat?

Depends on the state. CA, NM, SC, and VA are 'sticky' and may still claim you if you keep ties (driver's license, voter registration, property). FL, TX, NV, WA, WY, SD, AK, TN, NH are easier to escape since they have no state income tax.

Important: this is not tax advice

Calculations use simplified, current published brackets for United States (2025). US estimates layer the selected state's 2025 income tax rate on top of federal — local city taxes (e.g. NYC, Philadelphia) and progressive within-state brackets are not modelled.They do not account for credits, alternative minimum tax, the Net Investment Income Tax, foreign income, R&D credits, or your personal circumstances. Always confirm with a licensed CPA, chartered accountant, or registered tax agent before filing.