Last reviewed: September 5, 2026
What Form 2555 is for
Form 2555 is attached to Form 1040 or 1040-SR to calculate the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion and, when applicable, the foreign housing exclusion or deduction. It is not a separate tax return.
The form brings several analyses together: whether your tax home is in a foreign country, which qualifying test applies, what period qualifies, which income is foreign earned income, how the annual limit is prorated, and whether qualified housing expenses create an additional amount.
Tax home and foreign address
Work location, foreign residence, employer or business, and facts relevant to the U.S. abode limitation.
Qualifying period
Physical presence days or the uninterrupted period supporting bona fide residence.
Foreign earned income
Income categories, payor details, where services were performed, and any U.S.-workday allocation.
Housing amount
Qualified foreign housing expenses, employer-provided amounts, self-employment amounts, and location limits.
Exclusion calculation
Annual or prorated maximum, actual earned income, housing interaction, and tax-year allocation.
Return attachment
The completed Form 2555 is filed with the applicable Form 1040 or 1040-SR.
A practical Form 2555 document list
The exact request depends on the filing. These records commonly support the starting analysis:
- Passport and reconciled travel log
- Foreign addresses and move dates
- Employment contract or assignment letter
- Foreign wage and payroll statements
- Self-employment books and work locations
- Prior U.S. federal and state returns
- Prior Form 2555, if any
- Lease and qualified housing expenses
- Foreign income tax return or payment records
- Details of workdays spent in the United States
Current exclusion limits
The maximum FEIE is $130,000 for tax year 2025 and $132,900 for tax year 2026 per qualifying person. The available amount cannot exceed foreign earned income and may be prorated when the qualifying period covers only part of the year.
Spouses can each claim an exclusion only if each spouse independently has foreign earned income and meets the eligibility requirements. One spouse’s unused limit does not simply transfer to the other.
Common preparation problems
- Starting with an exclusion amount before establishing the tax home and qualifying test.
- Using employer location instead of the place where services were physically performed.
- Counting partial foreign days as full days for the physical presence test.
- Ignoring U.S. workdays that may require an income allocation.
- Treating passive income as foreign earned income.
- Assuming FEIE removes self-employment tax.
- Claiming housing expenses without applying the base amount, locality limit, and qualifying-day rules.
- Adding FEIE to a late or amended return without reviewing the election timing rules.
Read the form and instructions
General educational information only. Form preparation and eligibility depend on the complete facts and current IRS rules.