Form detail
IRS Form 2555
Foreign Earned Income
Country
United States
Revision year
2024
Methods
paper, efile
Updated
2026-05-20
Foreign Earned Income
Claims the foreign earned income exclusion and housing exclusion or deduction.
Who must file: U.S. citizens or resident aliens with a tax home in a foreign country who meet the bona-fide residence test or physical presence test.
Practical overview
Form 2555 lets qualifying expats exclude up to $126,500 (2024) of foreign earned income plus a housing exclusion or deduction. Meeting the physical-presence test (330 days in any 12-month period) is the most common qualifying route. The exclusion is elective and binding once made: revoking and re-electing within five years requires IRS consent. Self-employed expats should consider the Section 911 housing-deduction calculation separately from the housing exclusion.
Practical steps
- Confirm tax home is in a foreign country and meet either bona-fide residence or physical presence test.
- Compute foreign earned income and housing-amount exclusion/deduction.
- Make a timely Section 911 election on Form 2555.
- Coordinate with Form 1116 for taxes on non-excluded income.
Due-date notes
Attached to Form 1040 by the regular or automatic extension deadline; expats abroad get an automatic 2-month extension to June 15.
Timing: return-due-date
Extension reference: Form 4868
Penalty snapshot
No standalone penalty; failure to file may result in loss of the exclusion.
Related citations
Computed from the cross-reference graph. Links open the related entity on this site.
Primary sources
- About Form 2555Verified 2026-05-20
- Instructions for Form 2555Verified 2026-05-20
Important disclaimer
This library is for general tax education only. Always verify filing obligations, due dates, and tax consequences against the cited primary source or with a qualified tax professional.