A lot of Americans abroad hear “you still have to file U.S. taxes” and immediately think it means “you will definitely owe twice.” But filing and owing are not the same thing.

U.S. citizens and resident aliens generally still file U.S. taxes while living abroad. Some may qualify for tools like the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion, Foreign Tax Credit, or foreign housing exclusion/deduction, but those usually require filing correctly.

For tax year 2026, the maximum Foreign Earned Income Exclusion is listed by the IRS as USD $132,900 per qualifying person; for tax year 2025, it is USD $130,000.

For Americans living in Colombia: what was the most confusing part of your U.S. tax filing after moving abroad?