Foreign Tax Audit 2026: The "De Minimis" Rule & The Credit vs. Deduction Trap скачать в хорошем качестве

Foreign Tax Audit 2026: The "De Minimis" Rule & The Credit vs. Deduction Trap

You open your brokerage statement and see a small charge for "Foreign Tax Paid" on your international ETF. You panic, thinking you have to file the dreaded Form 1116 (Foreign Tax Credit). You assume the paperwork isn't worth the hassle, so you just take the deduction or ignore it. You are wrong. You just walked into the "Behavioral Trap." The IRS has a "Get Out of Jail Free" card called the De Minimis Exception that lets you skip the form entirely, but only if you check 4 specific boxes. As The Finance Observer, I’ve performed a forensic review of the "Credit vs. Deduction" math and the specific "Delta" that proves why taking the credit is mathematically superior. In this video, we dissect the $300/$600 limit, why the "Itemized Deduction" path is a forensic trap that saves you pennies on the dollar, and the "Double Torpedo" that hits retirees if an audit finds unreported foreign income. FORENSIC BREAKDOWN: 0:00 The "Evidence": Finding the "Foreign Tax Paid" line item on your 1099 0:58 The Exemption: The "De Minimis" Rule (Skipping Form 1116 legally) 01:11 The 4-Part Test: Passive Income, $300/$600, Qualified Statement, & 16-Day Hold 01:43 The Limit: $300 (Single) vs. $600 (Married Filing Jointly) 02:04 The Fork in the Road: Tax Credit (Dollar-for-Dollar) vs. Deduction (Reduction of Income) 02:52 The "Delta": Saving $200 cash vs. saving $44 (Why the deduction loses) 03:19 The Authority: IRS Publication 514 (The "Black and White" proof) 03:56 The "AMT Trap": Why the deduction can actually increase your tax bill 04:22 The "Double Torpedo": How a foreign tax audit spikes AGI & Taxable Social Security 05:03 The "IRMAA" Strike: Triggering higher Medicare premiums via the domino effect 05:24 The Verdict: Schedule 3, Line 1 (The exact place to claim your full refund) DISCLAIMER: I am The Finance Observer. This content is for educational purposes only. To claim the Foreign Tax Credit without filing Form 1116, your total foreign taxes paid must be not more than $300 ($600 if married filing jointly), and your foreign income must be solely from passive sources like dividends and interest. Always consult a qualified CPA to ensure you meet the holding period requirements.