What forms and schedules do I need to file with my US tax return?

No matter the situation, US expats will need to complete Form 1040, the same form you would need to file if you were living in the US.

In addition, US expats will also want to complete Form 2555 (Foreign Earned Income Exclusion) and/or Form 1116 (Foreign Tax Credit) to take advantage of the tools in place to avoid double taxation.
The schedules you need to file will depend on your personal circumstances, but the most common ones are:

  • Schedule A for itemized deductions
  • Schedule B for interest and dividend income
  • Schedule C for income and expenses from self-employment
  • Schedule D for capital gains or losses
  • Schedule E if you own a rental property

If a US expat is associated with any foreign financial accounts where the cumulative balances exceeded $10,000 at any time during the tax year, a Foreign Bank Account Report (FBAR) must be filed with the US Department of the Treasury. The FBAR filing deadline has changed to follow the Federal filing deadline of April 15th, but US expats receive an automatic two-month extension until June 15th.

Our standard Federal Tax Return was built as a package to include forms that most expats need, in one flat fee, with no surprises. As far as the forms we include in our standard Federal Tax Return, here is a comprehensive list:

  • All standard expat forms:
    • 1040
    • 1116
    • 2555
  • All standard schedules:
    • A
    • B
    • C (profit and loss from self-employed business)
    • D
    • E (one rental property)
    • up to three Schedule K-1s
    • up to 20 bank and brokerage transactions

We’re really proud of our pricing, as we offer fixed and transparent fees which means you never have to worry about surprises on your bill! All our fees are listed here: https://www.greenbacktaxservices.com/expat-tax-pricing/