Korean Job Discussion Forums

[SinclairLondon]

Yeah, I know. I'm an idiot. And I could be this guy.

http://www.expatforum.com/expats/general-expat-discussions/70140-havent-filed-taxes-years-advice.html


Currently, I'm speaking with an accountant, but I have a question for you guys.

Came to Korea in the summer of 2005. Taught for two years. Then traveled, and returned in January of 2008 to teach for 6 months. Then traveled some more.

Same 30 months at the same school, everything was legit.

Returned once more to an adult language school in the March of 2010, where I taught for 10 months leaving before my contract expired, upset at the realization that my director hadn't been paying my taxes, pension, insurance, etc....

Anyways,

When filing, should I include this income, though it isn't documented?

[Kuros]

Yes, include it but claim the foreign income exclusion (up to ~$80k/year).

Best advice is the first reply to the link you posted:

[Swampfox10mm]

Yep. Just get it done and you will be totally free and clear if you made less than the amount mentioned. Dont delay.

[TMR]

I filed my taxes a year late. It was easy and I got a tax return. Actually, they redid my taxes at the IRS because I made a mistake and ended up with several hundred dollars more than I was expecting. The story might be different if I had ended up owing them money and I was late on filing.

[SinclairLondon]

A Question:

I had worked for 24 consecutive months (then burned out). After that, I decided I wouldn't stay for entire year at a hagron, which was arranged with my employer.

My next contracts were for

six months (went to the states for 6 weeks after)
eight months (went to the states for 3 months after)
ten months

However, for the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion

* A U.S. citizen who is a bona fide resident of a foreign country or countries for an uninterrupted period that includes an entire tax year
countries for an uninterrupted period that includes an entire tax year, or
* A U.S. citizen or a U.S. resident alien who is physically present in a foreign country or countries for at least 330 full days during any period of 12 consecutive months

but it also says this:

Bona Fide Resident For Part Of A Year

Once you have established bona fide residence in a foreign country for an uninterrupted period that includes an entire tax year, you will qualify as a bona fide resident for the period starting with the date you actually began the residence and ending with the date you abandon the foreign residence. You could qualify as a bona fide resident for an entire tax year plus parts of 1 or 2 other tax years.

Example:

You were a bona fide resident of England from March 1, 2006, through September 14, 2008. On September 15, 2008, you returned to the United States. Since you were a bona fide resident of a foreign country for all of 2007, you also qualify as a bona fide resident from March 1, 2006, through the end of 2006 and from January 1, 2008, through September 14, 2008

My question is since I was a Bona Fide resident for my firs two years, was a Bona Fide resident during the third, fourth and fifth?

On my tax forms, I have to writes dates in which I had returned to the states. If my taxes raise any red flags and I'm audited, I would like everything to be legit.

Thanks for any help.