FileAbroad

Foreign tax credit consultation

High Earner in a High-Tax Country? You May Be Overpaying U.S. Tax by Defaulting to FEIE.

The Foreign Earned Income Exclusion is the default choice for many expats, but it is not always optimal. High earners in high-tax countries often save more by claiming the Foreign Tax Credit on Form 1116, carrying forward excess credits, and preserving FEIE for future low-tax years. In a paid consultation, I review your host-country tax liability, income mix, and multi-year outlook to map the optimal strategy.

Start My FTC Intake

The preliminary intake is free. Do not send sensitive tax documents through the public intake form.

30 minutes · Directly with Chip

The consultation

What we'll review

The consultation focuses on the facts that determine what needs further attention.

Host-country tax profile

Your residence country, local tax rate, and the foreign taxes actually paid or accrued that may qualify for the FTC.

Income characterization

How your income is classified — general, passive, foreign branch, or Section 901(j) — which determines the Form 1116 basket and limitation.

FEIE history and election

Prior-year FEIE claims, the 5-year lock-in period, and whether revoking FEIE or switching to FTC is advantageous.

Multi-year outlook

Expected changes in income, host-country tax rates, or residence that affect whether FEIE, FTC, or a hybrid approach is optimal.

Carryforward and AMT

Whether excess foreign tax credits can be carried forward, and whether the alternative minimum tax affects the net U.S. liability.

After the call

What you leave with

By the end of the consultation, you should understand the issues that need attention and the next practical step.

  • A comparison of FEIE versus FTC based on your host-country tax liability, income mix, and multi-year outlook.
  • The Form 1116 basket and limitation issues that require further analysis.
  • A record of your FEIE election history and the implications of revocation or switching.
  • Whether FileAbroad can accept the preparation scope or a specialist referral is needed.

You are not required to hire FileAbroad for preparation after the consultation.

Scope

What the consultation does not include

The consultation is a review and scoping session. It does not include preparation or filing of a tax return, FBAR, information return, amended return, or Streamlined submission.

It also does not create an open-ended support engagement. Additional research, document review, preparation, or follow-up work is included only when it is specifically agreed or purchased.

FileAbroad does not provide legal advice or tax litigation services.

The process

How it works

  1. 1

    Start the intake.

    Tell me the broad facts of your situation without uploading sensitive tax documents through the public form.

  2. 2

    I review the inquiry.

    I personally review the intake to determine whether a FileAbroad consultation appears appropriate.

  3. 3

    Book the consultation.

    If the situation fits, you'll receive the next step for scheduling the 30-minute paid consultation.

  4. 4

    We review the situation together.

    We use the call to identify the relevant filing questions, missing information, and practical next step.

  5. 5

    Preparation is separate.

    If FileAbroad can accept preparation work, the scope and price are confirmed before that work begins.

Before you book

Questions we'll use to optimize your foreign tax credit strategy

Which country do you reside in, and what is your approximate host-country income tax liability?
What is your income mix — salary, self-employment, capital gains, rental income, or passive income?
Have you claimed the FEIE in prior years, and if so, for how many consecutive years?
Do you expect your host-country tax rate to change, or do you plan to move to a lower-tax jurisdiction?
Are there sourcing or basket-limitation issues — general, passive, or Section 901(j) income — that complicate the credit calculation?
What should I send before the consultation?

Start with the public intake and describe the broad facts of your situation. Do not send Social Security numbers, tax returns, bank statements, or other sensitive tax documents through the public intake form. If documents are needed later, I will provide secure upload instructions.

Will you tell me exactly what I need to file?

The consultation is designed to identify the filing issues that need attention and the information required to determine the next step. Some questions can be resolved during the call; others may require records, additional research, or preparation work outside the consultation.

Do I have to hire FileAbroad afterward?

No. The consultation stands on its own. If FileAbroad can accept preparation work, you can decide whether to proceed after the scope and price are confirmed.

Can you review documents during the consultation?

Limited document review may be possible when agreed in advance, but the consultation is not a substitute for a full document review or tax-preparation engagement.

Related paths

If this is not the right starting point

FEIE consultation

Use the FEIE path when the foreign earned income exclusion, qualifying tests, or election history are the central questions.

Expat tax filing service

See the broader preparation service when the credit comparison is part of an accepted annual return engagement.

Form 1116 guide

Review the foreign tax credit form and its categories after the consultation scope is accepted.

Start here

Tell me what's going on.

You don't need to know which form, filing procedure, or service you need. Start with the broad facts, and I'll review whether a FileAbroad consultation is the appropriate next step.

Start My FTC Intake

Prefer email? info@fileabroad.com

Do not send sensitive tax documents through the public intake form or ordinary email.