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November 16, 2022
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Foreign tax credit

  • November 16, 2022
  • 1 reply
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Starting this year, I am getting retirement payments from a foreign country. These payments are taxed in this country. How does it affect my US taxes?

    Best answer by Opus 17

    @Plidskog wrote:

    Thanks for your response. It is likely that the foreign tax paid will be higher than the US tax liability. Can I get a credit larger than the US tax liability?


    No, you can't get a refund from the US if the other country charges more.  If the foreign tax is $20,000 and the US tax on the same income would be $15,000, the maximum credit on your US tax return would be $15,000.

    1 reply

    Employee
    November 16, 2022

    If you are a US citizen or green card holder, you must file a US tax return that reports and pays income tax on all your world-wide income, no matter where you are actually living and no matter what country the income comes from.  If that income is also taxed in a foreign country, you can claim a deduction or credit on your US tax return for the foreign taxes you paid on the same income.

     

    For example, if the foreign tax on your pension would be $10,000 and the US tax would be $15,000, you can claim a $10,000 credit on your US tax return that reduces your US tax to $5000.

    PlidskogAuthor
    November 16, 2022

    Thanks for your response. It is likely that the foreign tax paid will be higher than the US tax liability. Can I get a credit larger than the US tax liability?

    Opus 17Answer
    Employee
    November 16, 2022

    @Plidskog wrote:

    Thanks for your response. It is likely that the foreign tax paid will be higher than the US tax liability. Can I get a credit larger than the US tax liability?


    No, you can't get a refund from the US if the other country charges more.  If the foreign tax is $20,000 and the US tax on the same income would be $15,000, the maximum credit on your US tax return would be $15,000.