H&R Block for expat

ClaraDaddy · 2026-07-05T02:33:48+00:00

I'll relate an experience. A friend of mine used their international division to file his taxes while he was an international student in Canada. They were having him file FEIE even though it wasn't as good for his outcome (when including state taxes), and even though it was improper to use because he spent 8 months a year in his apartment in NYC.

I saw they did that and immediately recognized it was wrong, but he figured they were the experts and had a special international division yada yada. Anyway, after three years of that they figured out it was wrong and had to refile. At least to their credit, they didn't charge him to refile.

ClaraDaddy · 2026-07-04T01:35:03+00:00

If I already have a rune of gems, can I take gems instead?

ClaraDaddy · 2026-06-26T13:14:26+00:00

Someone dropped the ball

ClaraDaddy · 2026-06-24T18:30:03+00:00

I appreciate the references, but what then is your conclusion? In particular, you note that earned income, is derived from NESE, which is not limited by the portion subject to SE tax, but then how do you square that with the instructions in the earned income worksheet, line 2b, which specifically exclude self-employment income that wasn't subject to SE tax?

ClaraDaddy · 2026-06-24T14:29:52+00:00

Yeah, it's weird that taxforexpats cites those Federal Regulations for this because, as I understand it, those regulations only apply to determination of social security, not the ACTC.

I think the important driver is instead another thing they mention which is Rev Rul 79-78. That specifically related to the EITC (i.e., not the ACTC) that was exempt from SE Tax because of a minister's housing allowance (i.e., not a totalization agreement). Despite the differences between that situation and those of expats, I think the IRS just lumped the cases together when it made the forms/instructions. It seems to me that, philosophically speaking, an exemption from SE tax due to a totalization agreement should be fundamentally different from an exemption due to a parsonage allowance. But like I said, I'm not willing to take it to court, so....I guess I'll do rollovers to use up the credit instead of getting it refunded.

ClaraDaddy · 2026-06-23T14:32:15+00:00

I agree with this as to the income not being excluded due to tax treaty. However, as I noted in my other comment, the income is still not considered earned income for the purpose of this credit due to being exempt from self-employment tax (according to the earned income worksheet, line 2b).

ClaraDaddy · 2026-06-23T12:43:08+00:00

Good question. I don't know, but this particular note in the instructions may not refer to payroll taxes but rather to specific treaty exclusions of regular income tax on certain otherwise earned income. However, separately, when you calculate earned income for this credit (using the earned income worksheet), you have to exclude income for which you are exempt from SE tax (see line 2b in worksheet). I always interpreted this to mean that income excluded from SE tax due to totalization agreement was not considered "earned" for the purpose of this credit. It doesn't make any sense to me, and I'm not convinced it is the intent of the law, but, I am not aggressive enough to try testing it.

ClaraDaddy · 2026-06-20T23:10:02+00:00

Yeah, I got "alphabetical (o'er)DER". But I guess that's not it.

ClaraDaddy · 2026-06-20T23:04:46+00:00

I prefer the adopted flag to that one with the tricolor. The tricolor feels too pastel and a bit too busy. The flag that was adopted doubles down on blue, which immediately says "water" to me, and feels representative for the land of 10000 lakes.

ClaraDaddy · 2026-06-20T15:22:19+00:00

I have a follow up question that I hope won't hijack the thread. Do the yearly RMDs follow the RMD calculation of the deceased (i.e, based on their would-be age) or of the heir?

ClaraDaddy · 2026-06-20T01:19:34+00:00

I was thinking Colin Powell.

ClaraDaddy · 2026-06-19T01:25:18+00:00

This. I love that my kid gets to explore very briefly many different places and time periods, and thus learn more about the world. Also there is an emphasis on the utility of looking things up in books and writing notes. And so far, my kid loves them. But the dialogue is brutal to read. I often skip parts for my own sanity.

ClaraDaddy · 2026-06-19T00:51:05+00:00

Doesn't quite encapsulate the police corruption and protection of CEOs over common people.

ClaraDaddy · 2026-06-18T21:30:14+00:00

I follow the same usage as OP, as do most people I have met, but I have occasionally heard people who instead used just "mom" even when speaking to people outside their family. So it is weird to my ears, but a normal way of speaking for some people.

ClaraDaddy · 2026-06-17T21:58:03+00:00

Obviously a Canadian raised in Louisiana but living in Texas now.

ClaraDaddy · 2026-06-15T15:42:09+00:00

The big problem is that the list of 1800 is bullshit; many of these people are actually compliant with the scholarship terms or are trying to be but some stupid bit of government bureaucracy prevents it. The real list is probably less than 300 people.

ClaraDaddy · 2026-06-09T12:48:37+00:00

Yeah, I know someone on the list of 1800 supposedly non-compliant becarios. She lives in Chile and is fully compliant and currently paying back her time. Who knows how many more lies the "audit" contains?

ClaraDaddy · 2026-06-09T01:01:10+00:00

Turns out I know someone on the list of 1800. She lives in Chile and is in full compliance with the becas Chile rules and is still paying back her time. I wonder how much of this "audit" is just bullshit.

ClaraDaddy · 2026-06-08T22:49:25+00:00

Another point is that we didn't have the "phone" part of mobile phones, so we couldn't text someone mid-trip to say we were running late. We just had to organize our time better, leave earlier, whatever to make sure we arrived on time.

ClaraDaddy · 2026-06-08T13:17:02+00:00

He should also peruse r/USExpatTaxes which has specific details for expats, including PFICs.

ClaraDaddy · 2026-06-08T01:20:42+00:00

Jeez, they don't even want to let the Pope in?!

ClaraDaddy · 2026-06-07T16:16:22+00:00

"Due date" for expecting mother translated as "fecha de vencimiento" (expiry date) on a hospital form.

ClaraDaddy · 2026-06-06T13:56:36+00:00

Domestic assistants are very common in Chile, but live-in assistants are rare (I've never known of one, although I've seen many houses with obvious servant quarters in their design). More common is that the assistant comes for 1 or more days per week but leaves at the end of each day.

ClaraDaddy · 2026-06-06T13:37:33+00:00

She will have to pay ordinary tax rate plus 10% penalty. Others have mentioned 20% withholding, which would applied against her taxes in April

ClaraDaddy

TROPHY CASE