The normal tax deadline for individual taxpayers is April 15th. However, for taxpayers living and working abroad there is an automatic extension to June 15th. This year, since June 15th is a Saturday, the actual deadline will be June 17th.
A few key points to remember:
- Taxpayers eligible for this deadline are still able to file an extension to extend the deadline to October 15th
- If you are a U.S. person for taxes (citizen, green card, substantial presence), your taxes are still required to be filed even if you are working and living abroad
- Even if you qualify for a tax benefit, such as the foreign earned income exclusion, that eliminates your tax, you are still required to file a return
- Taxpayers living and working abroad are likely to have foreign bank accounts and assets and should review the reporting requirements as these forms can carry heavy penalties for non-filing
- Taxes are still due to be paid by April 15th, but only interest will apply without penalties from April 15th until June 17th
If you meet the requirements for the extended due date it is not too late for 2018 taxes. Filing an extension can be quick and easy, and then there will be four additional months to gather all the required information to get the return filed correctly.
