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February 11, 2025
Question

Foreign tax credit

  • February 11, 2025
  • 1 reply
  • 0 views

I just filed my 2023 income tax as an expat in Italy.  The taxes that I just paid do I amend my 2023 Federal Income tax to reflect the taxes paid to Italy in 2025 for 2023 or do I just reflect the taxes paid to Italy in my 2024 US tax return form 1116

    1 reply

    February 11, 2025

    @VicG2  

    (a) For US purposes, each  tax year stands on its own.

    (b) When did you enter Italy ?  This is to establish  your tax home start date  ( assuming that you went directly from the US to Italy) ?  Need details of this.

    (c) Are you working for ( and /or was working in 2023 ) for  a local entity or self-employed ?  Trying to distinguish between US sources paid income vs./ foreign sourced income.

    (d) What did your 2023 federal income include ?  Trying to understand whether you had claimed foreign tax credit / Foreign Earned Income Exclusion or what ?

     

    Please answer my questions  and I will circle back once I hear from you --yes ?

    VicG2Author
    February 11, 2025

    Moved to Italy in 2023 from the US.  Not working in Italy, living off my US pension, social security, and investments.

    I didn't know I had to pay taxes in Italy.  

    SusanY1
    February 14, 2025

    You would take the tax credit for the taxes attributable to 2023 income (or "accrued") on an amended 2023 tax return.  This is one instance where you don't take them in the year actually paid, because you need to match them with the income.

    Since you would be amending to take a credit, you do not need to submit the return if there is no benefit derived from doing so.  However, an additional refund for that year is not the only benefit you may see. You would also potentially have unused credits to carry forward as well, and it is likely worth amending to do so.  

    If you prepared your 2023 tax return in TurboTax there is no fee to amend that return.  See How to Correct Federal Returns for more information on amending your tax return. 

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