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November 10, 2024
Question

Do I Qualify for FEIE if I am paying myself a salary?

  • November 10, 2024
  • 1 reply
  • 0 views

I have 5 rental properties in Illinois which I manage. I created a series LLC. 5 series with each property and the Master LLC will be my management LLC. 

I am moving to Morocco and UAE. I will be managing the properties from there and it's very time consuming. 

I understand that rental income is passive and doesn't qualify for FEIE. But do I qualify for foreign earned income exclusion if I pay myself a salary to manage the properties?

For example, let's say my net income is $100,000 from all 6 properties, can't I pay myself $100,000 to manage them? Would I qualify for FEIE, it will be a huge tax break for me. 

1 reply

rjs
November 10, 2024

You cannot pay yourself a salary. You need to consult a local tax professional to figure out what, if anything, you can do to reduce your U.S. tax.