Ready to secure your foreign earned income exclusion? When you nail the FEIE physical presence test, you can exclude up to $130,000 of your Hong Kong earnings in 2025. At American Pacific Tax, we turn paperwork into playbooks. We guide you through each step so you hit your 330-day goal without second guessing.
Understand the test basics
Goal: grasp what the FEIE physical presence test requires.
Success looks like a clear roadmap and zero surprises on audit day.
- The physical presence test verifies you spent 330 full days abroad in any 12-month span.
- Qualify here and you tap into the foreign earned income exclusion.
- Combine this with your FEIE requirements so you cover all angles.
Start tracking tomorrow to lock in your start date.
Meet the 330-day requirement
Goal: choose a 12-month window that nets 330 days overseas.
Success looks like a certified count that IRS accepts.
- Define a full day
- Count 24 consecutive hours from midnight to midnight.
- Exclude travel time over international waters.
- Pick your 12-month period
- Start on any date, then run it for 365 days.
- Shift your window forward or backward to hit 330 days.
- Count nonconsecutive days
- You need not stay abroad 330 days in a row.
- Tally every qualifying day until you hit 330.
Lock in your 12-month span by Friday.
Track your qualifying days
Goal: maintain airtight records for every overseas day.
Success looks like a time log IRS can’t challenge.
- Use a spreadsheet or travel-log app.
- Note entry and exit times for each country.
- Save boarding passes and visa stamps as photos or scans.
- Record work locations and project details for each trip.
Set up your travel log this week.
Handle exceptions and waivers
Goal: have backup plans for rare disruptions.
Success looks like meeting test rules, even in war zones or unrest.
- War, civil unrest or adverse conditions can waive days.
- Verify waiver countries in the IRS Revenue Procedure each year.
- Violating U.S. law abroad disqualifies those days (currently Cuba).
- Combine waivers with bona fide residence details if needed.
Check today’s waiver list before your next trip.
File your extension request
Goal: secure extra time if you fall short of 330 days.
Success looks like an approved IRS extension and timely exclusion claim.
- Use Form 2350 to request an extension until December 15.
- Gather proof of your foreign home and earnings.
- File by April 15 and pay any owed tax by the regular deadline.
- Attach Form 2555 to claim the exclusion—see FEIE form 2555.
Submit your extension by December 15.
Connect with American Pacific Tax
Goal: team up with experts who track every travel mile.
Success looks like zero missed days and maximized tax savings.
Our coaches map your Hong Kong work trips, verify your log, and file extensions. You focus on work, we handle the IRS playbook.
Book your free consultation by next Monday to lock in your win.
FAQs
What counts as a full day abroad
You need 24 consecutive hours starting and ending at midnight outside the U.S. Travel over international waters doesn’t count as foreign time.
Can I use overlapping 12-month periods
Yes. Shift your window forward or backward to capture the most qualifying days. You must still hit 330 days in any chosen span.
What if I end up one day short
Request an extension with Form 2350 by December 15. You can still meet the test after April 15 if the IRS approves your request.
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