You're a US citizen abroad.
Your taxes don't have to be overwhelming.
US filing rules follow your citizenship, wherever you live in Asia. We’ll walk you through what applies and what doesn’t.
Take a breath.
Here's what's actually true.
Discovering you have US filing obligations can feel like a wall. In practice, for most people in Asia, it’s a process — not a crisis. Four things worth knowing before we get into specifics:
01
Many people only just found out. / Maybe you discovered it through a bank form, a friend, or a new job in Asia. You’re not alone. We see this every week.
02
Wherever you live, your US filing obligation follows your citizenship. That part doesn’t change with your address.
03
Often the amount is much less than expected: the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion and Foreign Tax Credit do a lot of work here. Filing and paying are different things.
04
The IRS has a procedure designed for people in exactly this situation. You don’t need to panic, and you don’t need to face it alone.
The four pieces most US citizens abroad need to know.
Not every line item applies to every client, and we’ll confirm your specifics on the first call. But it’s usually some combination of these four.
Your annual federal return reports income from anywhere you earned it: HK salary, APAC investments, side projects, the lot. It’s the foundation everything else hangs off.
If your foreign bank, brokerage, and pension accounts crossed certain thresholds during the year, you report them. These are disclosure forms, not tax bills.
Between the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion and Foreign Tax Credit, many US expats in Asia owe little or no US tax, and most owe substantially less than they would otherwise. You still file, but how much you actually pay depends on your situation.
The IRS Streamlined Foreign Offshore procedure is a penalty-free path for taxpayers who qualify as non-willful: usually three years of returns and six years of FBARs, filed together.
2,000+
12+
5+
100%
Wherever you live in Asia, your US filing follows your citizenship.
The federal rules are the same in Hong Kong, Singapore, Korea, Taiwan or anywhere else in the region. What changes is the detail around your situation: the relevant tax treaty, how your local retirement scheme (MPF, CPF, Pillar) is treated, what counts as a reportable foreign fund, and how your local tax credits feed back into your US return.
We handle those cross-border details specific to your situation across APAC. On the first call, we’ll work out which apply to you, so you don’t need to figure that out before reaching out.
Two ways to start, whichever feels right.
You can get a flat-fee quotation in writing, or just talk to a CPA first. No commitment either way.
Get a quotation
A flat-fee quote in writing, sent within 1 business day. No hourly billing, no surprises. Best if you have a sense of what you need.
- Flat-fee pricing, in writing
- Reply within 1 business day
Speak with our team
Free 30-minute call with a CPA. Bring your questions, and we’ll tell you what applies to your situation before you decide anything.
- No commitment, no quote required
- Best if you're still figuring out what you need
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