2018 Form W-4 and Form 673 Due

Expatriates who are employees of U.S. entities should already have filed a Form 673, Statement for Claiming Exemption From Withholding on Foreign Earned Income Eligible for the Exclusion(s) Provided by Section 911, with their U.S. employers to claim an exemption from U.S. income tax withholding on wages earned abroad to the extent of the foreign earned income exclusion and foreign housing exclusion. An updated Form 673 must be filed each year to continue the exemption.

In the event expatriates who are employees of U.S. entities elect to take foreign tax credit and not claim the foreign earned income and foreign housing exclusion, the Form W-4, Employee’s Withholding Allowance Certificate, should take into account the additional withholding allowances for foreign tax credit attributable to wages.

If Form W-4 was filed with an employer in the previous year to claim exemption from U.S. income tax withholding, a new Form W-­4 must be filed by February 15 to continue the exemption for another year.