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Filing US taxes from the UK, without the guesswork
This hub brings together the core building blocks of US tax compliance for Americans in the UK. See our core US Tax Returns service.
Who this hub is for
- Americans in the UK filing a US return for the first time
- Long-term expats who want to sanity-check their annual filing
- People who have missed one or more years and need a catch-up route
- Dual citizens balancing HMRC and IRS obligations
The building blocks
Work through US tax returns in order
1. File your annual Form 1040
Report worldwide income and apply the FEIE or foreign tax credit to avoid double taxation.
2. Report foreign accounts (FBAR / Form 8938)
Separate information reports triggered by foreign account balances over the thresholds.
3. Catch up on any missed years
Use the Delinquent FBAR procedures or Streamlined Filing depending on whether income was reported.
4. Plan forward
Set up a repeatable annual process so future filings are simple and penalty-free.
At a glance
- Annual return
- Form 1040 (worldwide income)
- Account report
- FBAR - FinCEN Form 114
- Catch-up (income reported)
- Delinquent FBAR procedures
- Catch-up (income unreported)
- Streamlined Filing
Explore the US Tax Returns cluster
Frequently asked questions
Yes. US citizens and green-card holders file a Form 1040 on worldwide income every year, even when foreign tax credits or the FEIE reduce US tax to zero.
A tax return (Form 1040) reports income and calculates tax. An FBAR (FinCEN Form 114) is a separate information report of foreign financial accounts, filed with FinCEN.
It depends whether income was reported. If income was reported but FBARs were missed, the Delinquent FBAR procedures usually apply. If income was unreported, Streamlined Filing is often the right route.
Not sure which route applies to you?
Book a consultation and we'll map your filing position in one call.