I am a US citizen married for ten years to a British citizen. Of the past 11 years, 9.5 I have lived and worked some of the time in UK for UK companies paying UK taxes. For the past 18 months I haven't worked and am living in Qatar with British husband who is working for a local Qatari company. We have 2 children (who are British Citizens) I never filed taxes once I moved abroad (was young and clueless). Have only been recently made aware (through Americans I know here in Qatar) that I might need to. My annual income during those 11 years never exceeded $56,000 USD. I am not sure what to do now, do I need to file for the past 11 years? My husband and I have never lived in the US. Many Thanks!

Yes, you DO need to file at least the last four years (2007 through 2010) worth of tax returns.

You MAY need to file all ten years.

Note that, due to the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion, you will owe no taxes to the United States, so there should be NO late filing/late payment penalties.

In short, your filing will basically be a paperwork drill.

A phone call to the International Tax Hotline (215-516-2000; open from 8 A.M. to 10 P.M. EST during normal work days) should give you some idea which years to file.

If you need professional help, email me at [email protected]. I handle a case like yours at least once every year for the past 8 years.

Thanks for all of that information. I now need to go through all my paperwork to find the UK forms which detail my exact income and tax paid for each year... I must say I really prefer the UK system for tax. You are taxed as PAYE (Pay as you earn) and only if you have additional income sources (investments etc... ) or own a company, self-employed do you need to do a self assessment or get the experts to handle your tax matters for you...

One other question, how should I file, single, married etc.. As my husband is not an American Citizen I would have thought as a single...

Sorry People I do not have a panacea for what the children in the houses of parliament are doing with our country in the Uk.. I do know that if you are an 'Old Brit' and have tried to live abroad quietly after paying, as we all did. Thro the nose for just being there... No chance! Absolutely No chance... You ain't got a hope luvvy! Take care fellow nearly setentarians.. Get in touch for the revolution>>> Luv Baz