Irs Assistance At Us Embassy 02/12/14

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MESSAGE FOR U.S. CITIZENS

U.S. Embassy, Manila, The Philippines

February 4, 2014

 

THE EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES IS TRANSMITTING THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION THROUGH THE EMBASSY WARDEN SYSTEM AS A PUBLIC SERVICE TO AMERICAN CITIZENS IN THE PHILIPPINES. PLEASE DISSEMINATE THIS MESSAGE TO ALL U.S. CITIZENS IN YOUR ORGANIZATION OR NEIGHBORHOOD. 

 

IRS Tax Workshop and Individual Consultations with IRS Representatives

 

IRS Tax Attaché from Embassy Beijing will visit the Philippines next week.  As part of her visit, she will conduct a workshop for U.S. taxpayers living overseas.  She will provide information and answer questions on the following tax topics: 

 

·     Who must file tax returns - how about a foreign spouse?

·         Foreign Earned Income Exclusion - who is eligible and how much can you exclude?

·         Foreign Tax Credit - can you take this in conjunction with the exclusion?

·         Foreign Bank Account Report (FBAR) - what is it and does it apply to me?

·         New foreign asset reporting requirement - What is Form 8938 and who must file this?

·         Other 2013 Tax Updates

This workshop will be open on a first-come, first-served basis (no registration needed) to all U.S. citizens and foreign nationals who pay taxes to the U.S. government.  The workshop will be held at the U.S. Embassy on Wednesday, February 12, 2014, between 4 p.m. - 6 p.m.  The Embassy can accommodate up to 250 persons for the workshop. 

For those who plan to attend the tax workshop please bring a valid U.S. passport or ID.  In anticipation of a large number of attendees please arrive early at the U.S. Embassy to allot time for a security check.

For those who cannot attend the workshop, a live streaming broadcast will be available for viewing. Links will be provided in a future message.

The attaché will also be available for individual consultations regarding tax concerns. These will be scheduled on an appointment basis and will be held at the ACS waiting area on the second floor of the Consular waiting room. Please note that these consultations will be to provide general information only, not for assistance completing individual tax forms. The personal consultations will take place on Wednesday, February 12, 2014 and Thursday, February 13, 2014. You can schedule your appointment by visiting this link: https://evisaforms.state.gov/acs/default.asp?postcode=MNL&appcode=1. Please click “Make Appointment!”  Please select “Add visa pages to undamaged, valid U.S. passport” to make an appointment for an individual IRS consultation. Despite the name, this will make an appointment for the IRS tax consultation.

If you have questions, please contact us by email at acsinfomanila@state.gov or by phone at (02) 301-2000 ext. 2246 or 2567.

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 The Embassy is located at 1201 Roxas Boulevard, Manila, Philippines and is open 0730-1600, Monday through Friday.  The Embassy's main telephone number is (+632) 301-2000.  U.S. citizens can dial this number and ask to be connected to the American Citizen Services (ACS) unit or with the Embassy Duty Officer (for calls outside of normal business hours).  You can also contact the ACS unit through email at ACSInfoManila@state.gov or through the Embassy Facebook page.  Please visit our website for information on all services offered by the ACS unit.

We strongly recommend that U.S. citizens traveling to or residing in the Philippines enroll in the Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) at www.Travel.State.Gov.  STEP enrollment gives you the latest security updates, and makes it easier for the U.S. embassy or nearest U.S. consulate to contact you in an emergency.  If you don’t have Internet access, enroll directly with the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. 

Regularly monitor the State Department's website, where you can find current Travel Warnings, including the Travel Warning for the Philippines, Travel Alerts, and the Worldwide Caution.  Read the Country Specific Information for the Philippines.  For additional information, refer to “A Safe Trip Abroad” on the State Department’s website.

Contact the U.S. embassy or consulate for up-to-date information on travel restrictions.  You can also call 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada or 1-202-501-4444 from other countries.  These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).  Follow us on Twitter and Facebook, and download our free Smart Traveler iPhone App to have travel information at your fingertips.

 

 

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