MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
We will be in touch
My girlfriend has come to see STW as the answer to all her questions and she has told me to ask you lot about paying taxes.
She’s from the US, and the US government in their wisdom has said any citizens living abroad must file taxes with the US. She wants to know if any US citizens living over here could give her some tips about where to get started with this- whether it’s best to go to an accountant (and if so which one, surely this is fairly specialist stuff?) or do it herself, and if there’s any other advice you could offer.
Basically, she's after someone with first hand experience of doing this rather than a bit of googling and getting the wrong end of the stick.
Thanks in advance.
the US government in their wisdom has said any citizens living abroad must file taxes with the US
Yeah, but, it's only federal taxes, and there's a high tax-free allowance, and you can deduct the tax that she's already paid to the UK (because there is a double taxation treaty), and if you don't owe them any money, they're not really too bothered about you failing to file returns while you are overseas (or ever).
Yeah, I think she mentioned that. So in theory she doesn't necessarily have to do it? She's a bit of a stickler for getting stuff like this done so there's no bother in the future though and I think she'd rather do it regardless. Which is mental.
Yup - I'm a dual national, haven't filed a US tax return in 35 years...
If she isn't earning in the USA they won't be bothered. If you plan on going to the USA later in life and she is sponsoring you, then she needs her tax returns up to date. We had a very nice lady at the US Embassy help us with it all.
If she isn't earning there then her own tax return should be pretty easy.
The US Embassy 'US Citizen Services' is a good place to start for all things US expat in UK:
[url= http://london.usembassy.gov/service.html ]http://london.usembassy.gov/service.html[/url]
We will be going to the US with her as a sponsor at some point- best to keep them in check then? She has no US income.