The acronyms, decoded.
Cross-border tax runs on abbreviations that mean nothing until one of them applies to you. Each entry explains what the term actually is, why it exists, and where it catches people.
FBAR
The Foreign Bank Account Report — FinCEN Form 114 — and its $10,000 aggregate trigger.
PFIC
Passive Foreign Investment Company — what the IRS calls nearly every UK fund, and why it hurts.
FEIE
The Foreign Earned Income Exclusion — Form 2555 and the choice against foreign tax credits.
Streamlined Procedures
The catch-up route: 3 years of returns, 6 of FBARs, one certification — penalty-free from abroad.
Substantial Presence Test
The day-count formula that makes visitors into US tax residents.
Saving Clause
The treaty provision that lets the US tax its citizens as if the treaty didn't exist.
Met one of these terms in a letter?
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