If you have a bank, brokerage, or retirement account outside the U.S., filing your FBAR or Form 8938 is only half the job. The other half is keeping the records that prove those forms were right.

“I moved back home, so I’m done with the U.S.” It is one of the costliest assumptions a green card holder can make. Leaving the country, letting the card expire, or shelving it in a drawer does not end your U.S. tax residency. Only a formal event does. Until then, the IRS still expects a return on your worldwide income, and sometimes years of back filings.

When you support a cause you care about—whether it’s disaster relief abroad, an overseas animal rescue, or a global education nonprofit—it’s natural to assume your generosity will also help at tax time.

Learn how timing income and deductions across borders can optimize U.S. and foreign tax outcomes for expats, remote workers, and global entrepreneurs.

If you’ve ever received money from abroad — whether it’s from freelance work, consulting, or royalties — the IRS wants to know. U.S. taxpayers may need to report those payments using Form 1099 (for U.S. payees) or Form 1042-S (for foreign payees).