Salary After Tax · Updated June 2026

FEIE Tax Savings Calculator – US Expats

For a US expat earning $120,000 abroad with no foreign income tax, the FEIE saves roughly $17,570 of US federal tax in 2026 – effectively the entire income-tax bill, leaving only SE tax (if self-employed) and any state tail.

Savings scale with the gap between US rates and foreign rates actually paid: in zero-tax jurisdictions the FEIE is pure savings; in high-tax Europe the FTC usually achieves the same zero with better leftovers (carryforwards, IRA eligibility).

Salary after tax calculator · 2026

Where

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401(k) deferral % (US)

Pre-tax health (USD/mo, US)

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Take-home pay

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Per hour worked: –
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Effective rate: –
Marginal rate: –

Where every dollar goes

2026 rules: federal brackets, $16,100/$32,200 standard deductions, $184,500 SS wage base. Hourly figures assume 40 h/week × 52. Non-US figures are planning estimates incl. employee social charges.

Key insights

$120k, zero-tax country: ≈ $17,570/yr saved.
High-tax countries: FTC ≈ same result, better leftovers.
Excess above the FEIE is taxed at stacked (not bottom) brackets.
SE tax is never saved by the FEIE.
Sticky states (CA) require clean domicile breaks.

Quantifying your scenario

Three archetypes: Nomad on $90,000 paying no foreign tax → FEIE saves ≈ $10,970. Berlin employee on $120,000 paying ~38% German tax → FEIE saves nothing extra (FTC already zeroes US tax) but simplifies filing. Dubai engineer on $200,000 → FEIE shields $132,900, the excess taxed at stacked rates ≈ $30,802 saved.

State tails matter: CA and a few states ignore the FEIE and chase former residents who keep ties. Sever domicile cleanly (lease, licence, voter rolls) in the exit year.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How much does the FEIE actually save?

Up to the full US federal tax on $132,900 of earnings – ≈ $20,630 for someone earning exactly the exclusion amount with no other income (2026).

I pay high foreign taxes – is FEIE worthless?

Not worthless, but usually dominated: the FTC zeroes US tax anyway and leaves credit carryforwards. FEIE wins mainly in low/zero-tax countries and nomad-regime setups.

Does FEIE save state tax?

Most states follow federal AGI, so largely yes – but sticky-domicile states (notably CA) can keep taxing until you sever residency properly.

What about income above the exclusion?

Taxed at the rate it would face without the exclusion ("stacking rule") – the excess starts mid-bracket. The housing exclusion can shield more in expensive cities.

Can I claim FEIE retroactively?

Yes – amended returns and the Streamlined Procedures routinely apply FEIE to past years, often zeroing the back-tax bill for non-willful non-filers.

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