Korean Job Discussion Forums

Smee · Joined: 24 Dec 2004 Location: Jeollanam-do

Hi, I was trying to e-file my taxes and it's been so frustrating that I might just skip filing altogether.

Anyway, I have a question about bona fide residency and physical presence.

I came here in July, 2005, which means I don't qualify for either, since it hasn't been 12 months. However, I was in school before I came to Korea, which means I have no income from pre-Korea 2005.

Has anybody come across this problem before? I'd feel bad about artificially extending my time in Korea before July, 2005, since I had to enter information about my visa (which they could probably check, if they were motivated.) Yet I can't really continue filing until I get this resolved. Is there anyone else who's come to Korea before the 12-month period and still claimed the foreign income exclusion? THanks.

krats1976 · Joined: 14 May 2003

You don't have to lie... you just have to file for an extension.

You get an automatic extra 2 months just because you're out of the country. But, if you get an extension until after July you'll qualify for the bona fide residence/physical presence test thing. You'll be responsible for what you earned in the US before you came, but not for what you've earned since being here.

Smee · Joined: 24 Dec 2004 Location: Jeollanam-do

Makes sense. Thanks!

krats1976 · Joined: 14 May 2003

dogbert · Joined: 29 Jan 2003 Location: Killbox 90210

You cannot e-file your return if you live overseas.

Smee · Joined: 24 Dec 2004 Location: Jeollanam-do

mmm, okay. Well, this April was a learning experience.

Dawn · Joined: 06 Mar 2004

Zyzyfer · Posted: Sun Apr 09, 2006 6:17 pm Post subject:

Where do you do e-filing? Any easy-to-use sites? I've heard of Turbotax, but that's about it.

krats1976 · Joined: 14 May 2003

H&R Block also has an online service. I've always used TurboTax, though, so I don't know how good it is.

red headed stranger · Joined: 12 Apr 2005 Location: Seoul

nene · Joined: 11 Jun 2005 Location: Samcheok, Gangwon-do

I came to Korea in October of last year, anyone know if I can extend out that far?

Assuming I'm not going to run for public office or anything similar, is there any reason I need to tell Uncle Sam that I have income in Korea?

hogwonguy1979 · Joined: 22 Dec 2003 Location: the racoon den

mole · Joined: 06 Feb 2003 Location: Act III

I happened to be home for a couple of months a while back and took the opportunity to file 1998-2004 all at once.
I had been in Korea all that time and never bothered filing for extensions.
I got all the back forms and their associated instruction books and went at it. Tedious, but not difficult.
The IRS has posted (or a link to) standard average annual exchange rates that I used.
I kept notes on places of employment, calculations, estimations and guesses.
Oh, and I arrived in a January, so that was convenient for the residence requirement.
Hopefully, the IRS'll be too frustrated with it all to bother auditing me.

I don't know about e-filing. Call me old-fashioned, but pencil & paper still work.

Smee · Joined: 24 Dec 2004 Location: Jeollanam-do

I snail-mailed the extension request form about a week ago. Over the next month or two I'll buckle down and take the ten minutes it takes to paper file. Thanks for the information, mole. The only reason I'm filing is to cover my ___, but the process is a bit of a joke b/c of the fluctuating exchange rate and the lack of any real paperwork over here (my boss doesn't give paystubs or anything like that).

Lokah_Samasta · Joined: 24 Jul 2007

Sorry to resurrect this old post if there is a more current thread going but I really want to e-file using my address in the States but I am really confused about how to report foreign income without real W-2s. I know about Form 2555 but it seems that I would need some evidence as well about my income. I have some printouts from the admin office at my school but I'm not sure if these will be acceptable. Has anyone done this? How did you handle this issue?