Please refer to IRS publication 54 (2008), tax guide for U.S. citizens and resident aliens living abroad for filing. Also check out Section 911.

www.irs.ustreas.gov

If you are a U.S. citizen or resident alien, your worldwide income generally is subject to U.S. income tax, regardless of where you are living. Also, you are subject to the same income tax filing requirements that apply to U.S. citizens or resident aliens living in the United States.

Foreign earned income exclusion and housing exclusion and deduction. Chapter 4 discusses income tax benefits that apply if you meet certain requirements while living abroad. You may qualify to treat up to $87,600 of your income as not taxable by the United States. You may also be able to either deduct part of your housing expenses from your income or treat a limited amount of income used for housing expenses as not taxable by the United States. These benefits are called the foreign earned income exclusion and the foreign housing deduction and exclusion.

Exclusion amount: For 2008, the maximum exclusion has increased to $87,600.

Figuring tax on income not excluded: If you claim the foreign earned income exclusion, the housing exclusion, or both, you must figure the tax on your nonexcluded income using the tax rates that would have applied had you not claimed the exclusions.

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