What tax documents do I need from Vietnam for U.S. state tax filing as an expat?

U.S. State Tax Filing Expat Taxes Tax Residency Vietnam Thailand Tax Documents Federal Income Tax California Tax Laws Expat Tax Groups

Sep 13, 2024

2 months ago

Tom *******

ORIGINAL POSTER

Need Help with Tax Documents from Vietnam and Thailand for U.S. State Tax Filing

Hey everyone, I’m in a bit of a tricky situation and could really use some advice. I was working in Vietnam and Thailand for a number of years but, as a U.S. citizen, I’ve recently been informed that I still need to file state taxes back home. However, I’m having a hard time figuring out exactly what documents I need to obtain from the overseas countries I've worked in and how to submit them properly to the U.S. state tax office.

The state where I'm registered as a resident isn’t providing much help—they keep sending me links to sections of a PDF without actually answering my questions. Has anyone been through this before and could offer some guidance on the steps I need to follow? Specifically, what documents should I get from Vietnam and Thailand, and how do I ensure they are acceptable for U.S. tax filings?

Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance.

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TLDR : Answer Summary

The user seeks assistance regarding documents needed from Vietnam and Thailand for U.S. state tax filing as a citizen. They report difficulties with their state tax office, which provides minimal guidance. Community members suggest consulting a CPA specializing in expat taxes, verify tax residency criteria, and share personal experiences with state tax matters.

Marty *********

Which state?

You are not obligated to pay tax in any state in which you are not a tax resident. Somewhere your state tax board lists the criteria they consider when determining whether you are tax resident. If you have a home and/or business in the state then you are very likely a tax resident.

I stopped paying California taxes in 2019. This year the CA Franchise Tax Board sent me a letter saying that they noticed that I had not filed CA taxes in 2019 and that they estimated that I owed them $6,000. I sent them a copy of my Thai drivers license, My Thai pink ID card, and a copy of my passport showing that I had not been in the US more than a few weeks in the past 4 years. They sent me another letter saying they no longer considered me a tax resident.

I'm not sure if you consider yourself to have left that state but that is my recent experience.

2 months ago

Tom *******

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Marty ********

Thanks for the info, I really appreciate it!

I’m currently dealing with Hawaii, and they still consider me a resident even though I’ve been living and working in Vietnam for over 20 years. The PDF files of the state tax office I’ve been directed to state that since I never officially gave up my Hawaii residency, I’m still required to file state taxes on my worldwide income. It’s been a bit of a struggle to get clear answers from them.

I haven’t read anything in the PDF files I was directed to about showing proof of residency outside of the state like what you did for California. I’m still emailing different sections of the tax office to get the contact information of someone who can give me specific information about my situation.

Thanks again for sharing your experience! It gives me hope that I might be able to resolve this.

2 months ago

Jo **********

@Tom ******

just ignore them they have not right to collect taxes from you

2 months ago

Tom *******

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Jo *********

Thanks for the input! I’ve considered ignoring them, especially since I’ve spoken to people at the office and received conflicting information about my payment history. At this point, I might just wait until they reach out if they notice I haven’t filed. Hopefully, by then, they’ll provide the follow-up details I need to clear things up. For now, there’s not much else I can do besides sending more emails, which I’m sure is just frustrating them.

2 months ago

Jo **********

@Tom ******

I had a somewhat similar situation and just gave up and so did they

2 months ago

Reply to

Jo **********

Marty *********

You should talk to a tax lawyer. If you have been paying taxes when you shouldn't have been you may be able to recover taxes from some past years.

"An individual domiciled outside Hawaii is considered a Hawaii resident if they spend more than 200 days in Hawaii during the tax year."

this is some of the kind of information you are looking for though I doubt that this is the whole story and why you should consult an attorney

**********************************************************

2 months ago

Tom *******

ORIGINAL POSTER

@Marty ********

Thanks for the suggestion. I think you're right that I'll probably need to consult a tax lawyer soon to get things sorted out properly. For now, though, I’m just trying to get some very basic information from the state tax office - like a record of the years I’ve paid state taxes and which years they still show as unpaid. I’m hoping to gather as much as I can before taking the next step.

Thanks again for your advice. It’s been really helpful!

2 months ago

Reply to

Tom *******

Faye ********

If you're still looking for answers, there's this popular Facebook group with 10,000+ members you might find helpful. It's run by a CPA named

@Michael *********

who specializes in expat taxes. He does free live Q&A sessions where you can ask him directly about your situation. The group is called US Expat Tax Lounge™ with Mike Mertz, CPA.

2 months ago

Tom *******

ORIGINAL POSTER

Thank you. I've signed up.

2 months ago

Reply to

Tom *******

Galen ******

I'm lucky to be a resident of a state that does not collect income tax. Only sales tax. If you are living in Asia, I wonder if you could somehow register and address or PO Box in a state that does not collect income tax. But would still need to file Federal tax on world wide income if you qualify.

2 months ago

Reply to

Galen ******

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