10/18/2026
Mythbuster: "I don't live in the US and don't pay US taxes, so I don't need to file."
You might still need to file, even at zero tax owed.
• The US taxes based on citizenship, not residency. As of now, it's one of only two countries in the world that works this way.
• If you're a US person earning over a certain threshold, you generally have to file a US tax return, even if a tax treaty means you owe little or nothing.
• The treaty affects what you owe. It doesn't affect whether you have to file.
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