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Charitable giving tax strategies for 2025, plus what changes in 2026: bunching, DAFs, appreciated stock, QCDs, and cross-border tips—clear rules, fewer surprises. Article description for Zephyr: A practical 2025 guide to charitable giving tax strategies—bunching, donating appreciated assets, DAFs, QCDs, documentation—and how to coordinate them if you live abroad. Includes a concise “What’s new in 2026” overview (0.5% AGI floor for itemizers, small above-the-line cash deduction for non-itemizers) so you can plan gifts with confidence.
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US citizens residing in Europe must consider the potential for estate and inheritance tax exposure by both the European country as well as the United States. This means making a targeted evaluation between the US and the tax jurisdiction in which you reside, ideally hand-in-hand with a qualified professional who can help you design a custom plan for you and your future.
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Questions around the foreign gift tax typically arise when an American receives money from a non-US person. Chief among these are: “Do I have to pay tax on a foreign gift?” and “Do gifts count as income?” The short answer to both of those questions is no, at least as far as the IRS is concerned. But, there are some key details to be aware of.
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Roth conversions: with TCJA/OBBB-era rates still in place, see when a year-end conversion makes sense (rules, pitfalls, and expat notes).
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Does Germany have Social Security? Learn how the German pension works, the pension age, and how much you might get—plus U.S.–Germany coordination.
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Returning to the U.S. after living abroad? Here’s your complete repatriation guide, from tax planning (FEIE vs. FTC) and credit rebuilding to healthcare, housing, and cross-border investments.
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Expecting a baby in Germany? This guide for U.S. expats explains prenatal care, delivery options, costs, insurance requirements, and postnatal benefits in Germany. Learn how the German healthcare system compares to the U.S. and what to prepare for a safe, affordable, and supportive childbirth experience abroad.
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Which IRS Tax Provision is Best for Expats? For US expats, avoiding double taxation on worldwide income begins with understanding two pivotal IRS tax provisions: the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion (FEIE) and the Foreign Tax Credit (FTC). This piece dives into the differences between the FEIE and FTC. Understanding these two concepts is a critical task for U.S. citizens living in a foreign country because how the provisions are applied directly impacts the efficacy of an expat tax return.
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