Post: #26

(09-05-2017 05:32 PM)CleanSlate Wrote:  When I first left the U.S. my plan was to travel from country to country every 3 months, but I ended up gravitating towards the other side of the spectrum. Traveling can be fun but it is tiring if done too much. I prefer to have a base, with an apartment or a house to live in, and an office where I work, and go on trips out of town once every couple of months.

In my view, the main case for this, as an American, is to take full advantage of the FEIE and not settle down anywhere where you become liable for income tax. For those who can make it work, I would think this goes a long way to absorb the impact of the inconveniences of a nomadic lifestyle. However, it's also a pretty aggressive decision to limit your returns to the United States for the Physical Presence Test for a full year.

Post: #27

(09-05-2017 05:51 PM)Jetset Wrote:  

(09-05-2017 05:32 PM)CleanSlate Wrote:  When I first left the U.S. my plan was to travel from country to country every 3 months, but I ended up gravitating towards the other side of the spectrum. Traveling can be fun but it is tiring if done too much. I prefer to have a base, with an apartment or a house to live in, and an office where I work, and go on trips out of town once every couple of months.

In my view, the main case for this, as an American, is to take full advantage of the FEIE and not settle down anywhere where you become liable for income tax. For those who can make it work, I would think this goes a long way to absorb the impact of the inconveniences of a nomadic lifestyle. However, it's also a pretty aggressive decision to limit your returns to the United States for the Physical Presence Test for a full year.

man last year I missed the FEIE physical presence test by 1 week.. and this year one country incorrectly stamped my passport to make me eligible for the FEIE, but I was in the United States and just recently returned from Italy on the incorrect stamped date.. got scared and didn't file for it. Scared that I'll get audited and they'll find out lol

Post: #28

I like to travel in blocks structured around friends/family/tax trips back to the USA, typically doing a Sept-Feb stint in the States to watch some football and file two years worth of taxes before fucking off again for 18 months or so. A lot of the 'where-and-how long' depends on the country's tourist visa policy. Colombia is an easy six-month block. Thailand and the Schengen area are both pretty simple for three months. Vietnam and Cambodia are good for anything up to a year. I've been doing it long enough that by now I almost have a travel body clock; after six months anywhere I am chomping at the bit to take off for somewhere new.