What are the methods used by the United States to reduce the double taxation of income earned by foreign operations of US companies?
Thankfully, the U.S. income tax system offers two options to mitigate being taxed twice on the same income —a deduction for the foreign income taxes paid or accrued, based on the U.S. company's method of accounting, or a foreign tax credit which may be subject to certain limitations.
In general, there are two ways to avoid double taxation: (1) exempting foreign income from domestic taxation; and (2) granting a credit for foreign taxes. 1.
- Retaining corporate earnings. You can avoid double taxation by keeping profits in the business rather than distributing it to shareholders as dividends. ...
- Pay salaries instead of dividends. You can distribute profit as salaries or bonuses instead of as dividends. ...
- Split income.
The rate of tax at the federal level is graduated; that is, the tax rates on higher amounts of income are higher than on lower amounts. Federal individual tax rates vary from 10% to 37%. Some states and localities impose an income tax at a graduated rate, and some at a flat rate on all taxable income.
Foreign Earned Income Exclusion (FEIE): The FEIE allows US taxpayers to exclude a certain amount of their foreign earned income from their US taxable income each year. For 2024, the maximum exclusion amount is $126,500.
Two business structures are often preferred for small businesses since they avoid this double taxation burden. These are an LLC and an S Corporation. With these business structures, the company is taxed more like a Sole Proprietorship or a Partnership than as a separate entity, like the C Corporation.
There are a few methods recommended by experts that you can use to reduce your taxable income. These include contributing to an employee contribution plan such as a 401(k), contributing to a health savings account (HSA) or a flexible spending account (FSA), and contributing to a traditional IRA.
Examples of Double Taxation
The United States' tax code places a double-tax on corporate income with one tax at the corporate level through the corporate income tax and a second tax at the individual level through the individual income tax on dividends and capital gains.
DTTs are international agreements that aim to alleviate double taxation arising from cross-border business activities.
On the special type of corporation of interest to small businesses is the Subchapter S corporation. This type of corporation avoids double taxation by having its income taxed to the shareholders as if the corporation were a partnership.
What country has the highest tax rate?
Ivory Coast. The country with beach resorts, rainforests, and a French-colonial legacy levies a massive 60% personal income tax – the highest in the world.
Tax systems in the U.S. fall into three main categories: Regressive, proportional, and progressive. Regressive and progressive taxes impact high- and low-income earners differently, whereas proportional taxes do not.
- Bulgaria. ...
- Turkmenistan. ...
- Guatemala. Personal Income Tax Rate: 7% ...
- Brunei. Personal Income Tax Rate: 0% ...
- Saudi Arabia. Personal Income Tax Rate: 0% ...
- Oman. Personal Income Tax Rate: 0% ...
- Kuwait. Personal Income Tax Rate: 0% ...
- Qatar. Personal Income Tax Rate: 0%
One of the main catalysts for the IRS to learn about foreign income which was not reported is through FATCA, which is the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act.
U.S. taxes are based on citizenship, not country of residence. That means it doesn't matter where you call home, if you're considered a U.S. citizen, you have a tax obligation this tax year. Your expat tax filing requirement doesn't change even if you're paid by a foreign employer overseas.
For tax year 2024, the maximum exclusion is $126,500 per person. If two individuals are married, and both work abroad and meet either the bona fide residence test or the physical presence test, each one can choose the foreign earned income exclusion. Together, they can exclude as much as $253,000 for the 2024 tax year.
Save for Retirement
One of the most straightforward ways to reduce taxable income is to maximize retirement savings. Although there are many types of retirement savings accounts to choose from, below are two of the most common that can help reduce taxable income in the tax year in which a contribution is made.
- Plan throughout the year for taxes.
- Contribute to your retirement accounts.
- Contribute to your HSA.
- If you're older than 70.5 years, consider a QCD.
- If you're itemizing, maximize deductions.
- Look for opportunities to leverage available tax credits.
- Consider tax-loss harvesting.
- Lower your tax bill with deductions and credits. ...
- Consider life changes and your tax liability. ...
- Pay estimated taxes (if you need to) ...
- Check retirement contributions. ...
- Review tax changes. ...
- 2023 federal income tax brackets. ...
- Check your tax withholdings.
Under the US tax regulations, American citizens and residents are required to fulfill specific tax responsibilities, regardless of their physical location – whether living or traveling outside the United States. This legal requirement extends to the filing of tax returns if your income surpasses certain thresholds.
Which business form is subject to double taxation in the United States?
There is double taxation with a C corporation, first through taxes on profits and second on taxes on stockholder dividends (as capital gains).
However, the double-taxation of Social Security benefits can occur at the state level. A grand total of 38 states don't tax Social Security benefits. But if you live in one of the 12 states that do tax Social Security benefits, and earn above the preset income thresholds in those states, double taxation can occur.
Filing Taxes with the IRS While Living in Another Country
United States citizens who work in other countries do not get double taxed if they qualify for the Foreign-Earned Income Exemption. Expats should note that United States taxes are based on citizenship, not the physical location of the taxpayer.
Double taxation is often an unintended consequence of tax legislation. It is generally seen as a negative element of a tax system, and tax authorities attempt to avoid it whenever possible.
Once the IRS has received your report, they will investigate. If they confirm the duplicate payment, you will receive a refund for the extra payment. Remember, while these steps might help you resolve your issue with a duplicate payment, every situation is unique.