Do all expats need to file or are there some exceptions?

You may wonder if there are exceptions for US expats regarding having to file a US tax return.

First off, the following individuals need to file US taxes:

• US citizens (living in the US or abroad)
• Accidental Americans
• Green card holders
• Permanent Resident / Resident Aliens of the USA
• Non Resident Aliens who have US income

You are allowed to not file a US tax return if you made minimal or no income over the past year. However, we suggest to be safe and file a return anyway to be in good standing with the IRS.

However, if you are a US citizen living abroad and have had $10,000 or more total from all foreign financial accounts at any one time during the year, you’ll need to file a Foreign Bank Account Report (FBAR). This is even if you have signature authority over a financial account abroad, like sharing a bank account with your Non-US spouse.