Any US citizen or resident alien who earns an income is generally subject to the US income tax laws no matter where you reside. That means those so called expatriates also are required by law to pay taxes for expats. Any person earning income is subject to tax filing requirements that apply to all citizens and residents of the US who are currently living or even outside the country. Of course, expat tax policies are slightly more different. In fact there are some benefits that could apply if the person meets specific requirements while you are abroad.
One benefit of the taxes for expats is that you can exclude a small amount of your foreign income from the taxes. You can also deduct or exclude your housing amount from the gross income. If you want to file form expat tax, you need to file your tax returns and then attach a specific form for foreign earned income. If your intention is to claim exclusions from the foreign income, you can also use a variation of the same form (Form 2555-EZ). This is what they call the foreign earned Income Exclusions. The most important thing is to file so that you can avoid the inconveniences of paying penalties.
If you ever return to the US after your stint on that foreign country, a benefit of taxes for expats is to claim a tax credit or maybe itemized deductions for the income tax that you will pay. You have to remember that the US has tax treaties with a number of nations. This treaty means that you can benefit from reduced liability on foreign taxes. If you wish to file for the expat tax you have to get the necessary documents and file like any regular citizen or resident in the US.
Who must file for these taxes?
There are different factors to consider before filing for such taxes. The filing statuses, age, gross income, and if you can be claimed as a dependent of another tax payer are big considerations for the filing of your income taxes. To identify your gross income requirements for filing, you have to include all the income that you generated from the foreign sources and even the amount you earned while in the US. There are no exclusions. Even if the income is paid in foreign currency, the host country imposes its own income tax and the income can be excluded (exclusions on foreign earned income). If you are self-employed, the income taxes for expats still apply as long as your income is more than $400 (net) from your self-employment no matter how young or old you are outside or within the US.
Speaking of Exclusions�
You can file for exclusions from taxes for expats if you earn a limited income amount while you were working abroad. Of course, you should file your tax returns before you get that benefit. You can also opt for a deduction on the amount of income especially if you are the one paying for your housing in that foreign country.