Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Geckoman]

Remember to File Your Federal Income Tax by April 15th, 2008.

This is a reminder to all Americans living abroad that you still have to file your federal income tax by April 15th, 2008, just like you would if you were working in the United States.

You do not have to pay any federal income tax if you made less than approximately $80,000 last year, but you still have to file it.

You can download the form on the internet. I would recommend that you download it, fill it out and sign it, and then express mail (Fedex, DHL, etc.) it to someone you know in the US who can turn it in for you or directly to the IRS.

If you do not think that you can do it in time, you can always request for an extension. I do not know if you have to do that by April 15th or not. I do think the extension gives you up to sometime in August to file your federal income tax. As far as I am aware there is no special criteria required for an extension and it will be granted to you. I did that last year (2007).

Also, I've heard that Americans working overseas get a two month extension automatically. But I do not know if that is true or not, and if so, if we have to file for that particular extension before April 15th or not.

Also, this year the federal government is giving a special $600 rebate to all people who file their federal income tax by April 15th, 2008, to help kick-start the economy. You only get the $600 if you file by April 15th and not with any extension. So that is another reason to file your federal income tax ASAP.

Do you get the rebate even if all of your money for 2007 was made overseas and you didn't pay any federal income tax as you made less than approximately $80,000. I've heard from some that you do get the rebate and from others that you don't. I don't know. So it's better to just get the form in just in case you do, that way you don't miss out on this free cash.

If you have not filed your federal income tax in the past, as seems to be the case of many Americans I have met in Korea, according to the ads I�ve seen in at least one of the English language newspapers here in Korea by the tax-assistance company, H&R Block, you can file it anytime afterwards without penalty as long as it is before the IRS catches you. So once the IRS catches you, your in trouble. But if you do file it late, before the IRS has caught you, then your still okay. So later is better than never.

So it�s best to file any past due federal income taxes that you have not filed as soon as possible. And if you are unable to figure out how much it was that you made in the past, then just give an estimation, as that�s all you can do.

There is an H&R Block in Itaewon, so if you need help you can always contact them. As far as I am aware, it is still there, though I haven�t seen them advertised in any of the English language newspapers in a while.

Have people actually been persecuted for not filing their federal income tax? While rare, yes they have.

I do know of a case in Guam where a guy named Jeff Evans spent a month in federal prison for not filing his federal income taxes for three years. While in prison he met two other guys who were also serving time for not filing their federal income tax.

Jeff Evans was a popular Republican TV personality in Guam and he believes he was targeted because it was an election year and so the Democratic opposition wanted him off the air so that they could push their agenda without worrying about him influencing the public to vote Republican.

Read about his story at:
�Does IRS have political hit list?�
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?pageId=3160

If you want to contact Jeff Evans here is his e-mail address: [email protected]

What happened was that Jeff Evans didn�t bother to file his federal income tax and at a party he told people that, and someone at the party didn�t like him, likely because he was an influential Republican TV personality with a large following, and thus he was controversial figure, and ratted him to the IRS.

So if you have not filed your federal income tax to the IRS in the past, do not tell anyone, as who knows, someone might rat you out like someone did to Jeff Evans � you never know � and do it as soon as possible.

If your wondering why Jeff Evans would have to pay federal income tax when he was working in Guam, as Guam is a US territory and we all know that US territories do not pay federal taxes, which is the biggest argument used against opting for statehood, well, in Guam, the local Guam government never bothered to create their own tax system that could be applied to all its residents, such as an income tax or a sales tax, and so the federal government does it for them, collecting money via its federal income tax system, and then giving it to the local Guam government. And so in Guam the residents there still have to pay an income tax to the IRS, as well as also file that income tax with the IRS, even though that money stays on island and does not go to the federal government, it really being a local Guam income tax that is carried out by the feds. That�s how Jeff Evans got busted even though he lived on Guam.

So be sure to file your federal income tax by April 15th, 2008.

Please pass this information on to other Americans living abroad.

[Gamecock]

Ok, Who knows of an American in Korea who has done jail time for not filing a tax form for no tax owed? That's what I thought. So this guy in Guam, Jeff Evans, was a political tv personality, and my guess is that he probably had other spurrious financial activity happening. South Korea is not a territory of the United States like Guam is, and we are paying taxes to the government here. The responsible thing is to file your form saying you don't owe anything since you're paying taxes here...but I don't see the IRS coming after Mr. Nobody English teaching making under $30,000 a year...

The OP sounds like someone from the Bush Administration. "BE AFRAID, BE VERY AFRAID!!!" Geez.

Now later in life if you start making big bucks somewhere they may suddenly become curious about your lack of filing.

[NicRenee]

Americans who are residents of another country get a two-month extension automatically. Do your homework.

http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/international/article/0,,id=96768,00.html

[Hank the Iconoclast]

I worked for a month in the US last year. I filed my W-2s even though I only made about $1000 USD. Nonetheless, I know it's not a big deal even if I didn't file my taxes for that one month.

[DaeSung]

Its always a good idea to file your taxes, even if you don't have to pay. For those of you American guys that might want to get married to a Korean and some day move to the U.S.A. you are going to want to have filed taxes.

We are going through the process with my wife and it has been very useful to show that she filed taxes when she was a student in the states, and she has continued to file joint taxes with me even thought we both currently live and work in Korea.

Doesn't take more than an hour to do, saves you headache in the future.

[Colorado]

If you don't file, you're not eligible for the rebate that the feds are giving out this year in an effort to kick start the economy. Something like 600 bucks for an individual, twice that for married couples.

[gluestick]

I filed four years of taxes last April when I was in the US. There wasn't any problem with it.

[Geckoman]

[jackson7]

Unless you've been in the Korea the ENTIRE year, in which case you have no taxable income (foreign income exclusion) and thus won't get a penny of that rebate. But you should file anyway, it's easy and I recently sent mine in directly to the ol' IRS.

[Geckoman]

Here is a thread about the $600 rebate for Americans working abroad.

See:

"Rebate checks for U.S. citizens working abroad?"
http://forums.eslcafe.com/korea/viewtopic.php?t=113500&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0&sid=956352cc0be9f949ebe427f27adbf3d2

[Geckoman]

[hogwonguy1979]

sorry folks, we aint gonna get the money. I filed online and then did the rebate calculator on the irs website, according to that we dont qualify because we worked overseas

[hagwonnewbie]

I was told you have to have worked in the states at least 3 months and made at least 3000 dollars on W-2 forms filed by a U.S. based employer. If you did, and you file by the 15th, you should get the rebate. Working overseas, you get a two month extension, but you still have to file for the extension by the 15th. There is a reference to it on the instructions for the 2555 form.

My dad said I don't have to file by the 15th, unless I owe. That sounds incorrect, but he's older and wiser than me. Anyone ever heard of that? I guess you only pay a penalty for late payment.

[little mixed girl]

americans abroad have an automatic 2 month extention to file taxes.

and if you need to til you meet the 1-year requirement, you can file for an extention until you meet the requirement.

also, everyone is NOT going to get $600.
you can get UP TO $600 if you meet various requirements, but the range is $300-$600.

[Miles Rationis]

Screw the IRS....