US Nomad Tax Estimator
Estimate your US tax exposure, FEIE eligibility, and foreign tax residency triggers based on where you plan to travel.
Annual Income (USD)
Your total gross income for the year, in US dollars.
Standard US income tax without FEIE: $9,214 (11.5% effective rate)
Planned Travel This Year
Add each country and approximate number of days. Partial years are fine — fill in what you know.
Add your planned countries above to see results
We'll calculate FEIE eligibility, tax residency warnings, and Schengen limits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do US citizens abroad still have to pay US taxes?
Yes. The US taxes its citizens and green card holders on worldwide income, regardless of where they live. However, the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion (FEIE) lets qualifying Americans exclude up to $126,500 (2025) of foreign-earned income from US taxation. You may also apply the Foreign Tax Credit to offset taxes paid to another country.
What is the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion (FEIE)?
The FEIE (IRS Form 2555) lets qualifying US citizens and resident aliens exclude up to $126,500 of foreign-earned income from US federal income tax for 2025. To qualify, you must pass either the Physical Presence Test (330+ days outside the US in a 12-month period) or the Bona Fide Residence Test (established residence in a foreign country for an entire tax year).
What is the Physical Presence Test for FEIE?
The Physical Presence Test requires you to be physically outside the United States for at least 330 full days during any 12-month period beginning or ending in the tax year. Partial days of travel don't count — you must be out for full calendar days. Once you meet this threshold, you can claim the FEIE on your US tax return.
What does FBAR mean and do digital nomads need to file it?
FBAR (FinCEN Form 114) is a separate filing required if the aggregate balance of all foreign financial accounts exceeds $10,000 at any point during the calendar year. If you hold a foreign bank account (Wise, Revolut, N26, or a local bank account abroad) that crosses this threshold, you must file an FBAR by April 15. Failure to file carries severe penalties.
Can digital nomads avoid state taxes?
Potentially, yes. If you formally change your domicile to a state with no income tax (Florida, Texas, South Dakota, Wyoming, Nevada, Washington, Alaska) before leaving the US, you stop owing state income tax. This requires cutting ties with your previous state — surrendering your driver's license, changing voter registration, and establishing a new domicile. South Dakota is especially popular with nomads because of its virtual mailbox infrastructure and zero income tax.
Related Guides & Tools
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion (FEIE)?
The Foreign Earned Income Exclusion (FEIE) is a US tax provision that allows American citizens and resident aliens living abroad to exclude a significant portion of their foreign-earned income from US federal income tax. For 2026, the exclusion is $126,500 (adjusted annually for inflation). To qualify, you must meet either the Physical Presence Test (330 qualifying days outside the US in any 12-month period) or the Bona Fide Residence Test (established residence in a foreign country for a full tax year).
What is the difference between the Physical Presence Test and the Bona Fide Residence Test?
The Physical Presence Test (PPT) requires you to be outside the US for at least 330 full days in any consecutive 12-month period. It's objective and count-based — nomads most commonly use this. The Bona Fide Residence Test (BFR) requires you to be a genuine resident of a foreign country for an entire tax year, with established ties like a lease, local bank account, or community connections. BFR is harder to qualify for but has no strict day-count requirement once established.
Do I still owe self-employment tax if I claim the FEIE?
Yes — the FEIE excludes foreign earned income from federal income tax, but it does not exempt self-employed nomads from self-employment (SE) tax. SE tax (15.3%) applies to net self-employment income regardless of where you earned it. The foreign tax credit can sometimes offset SE tax if you paid into a foreign social security system, but most nomads without a fixed base owe full US SE tax on their income above the FEIE threshold.
Does this tool provide legal or tax advice?
No — this tool is an educational estimator only, not legal or tax advice. US expat tax law is complex and fact-specific: your state of last domicile, the type of income, bilateral tax treaties, and FBAR/FATCA reporting obligations all affect your actual liability. This tool gives you a ballpark figure to understand your situation before talking to a qualified expat tax professional. Do not file based on this estimate alone.