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Level 4
May 26, 2021
Question

Treaty Article 17(2) Savings Clause Lump Sum Foreign Pension Distributions

  • May 26, 2021
  • 2 replies
  • 18 views

U.S. Citizen/UK resident cashed in UK pensions and paid tax in UK. The combined amount of regular income and distributions kick him over the Form 2555 limit. The IRS interpretation of the saving clause and Article 17(2) of the treaty is that US can tax such lump sum distributions. (Letter Ruling 08-0024). Two questions:

1. Am I reading the ruling correctly?

2. Where do we report the distributions/ how to claim an offset for tax paid in UK on those distributions. 

Thank you!

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2 replies

sjrcpa
Level 15
May 26, 2021

Is UK pension income earned income for the foreign earned income exclusion?

Use Form 1116 to claim a foreign tax credit on income that was taxed by both the UK and US.

The UK pension gets reported as pension income. There are fields to indicate it is from a foreign payor.

EDIT: There are fields in Lacerte to indicate it is from a foreign payor. Not sure about ProSeries.

The more I know the more I don’t know.
Level 4
May 27, 2021

Thanks so much for that. What is the entry point for pension income? I have 1099-R, and other income under Sched 1 and just entering it in 2555. I didn't see anything for pension with a foreign payor option. Thank you again!

sjrcpa
Level 15
May 27, 2021

See Lisa's answer. She uses ProSeries and I don't.

The more I know the more I don’t know.
Just-Lisa-Now-
Intuit Community Champion
May 26, 2021

Ive never had anyone with foreign income like this, but heres where you enter it in ProSeries.

♪♫•*¨*•.¸¸♥Lisa♥¸¸.•*¨*•♫♪
Level 4
May 28, 2021

Thank you!