If you are a U.S. citizen living abroad, planning to move overseas, or thinking about retirement outside the United States, taxes still need to be part of your relocation plan.

In this episode of The Bougie Expat Podcast, Sable sits down with her friend Laura, an expat tax CPA with more than 20 years of experience in international taxes, for a clear conversation about what U.S. citizens need to understand before moving abroad.

Laura explains why the IRS still expects U.S. citizens to file taxes while living overseas, how tax residency works, what double taxation means, and why filing does not always mean you will owe. She also breaks down the foreign earned income exclusion, foreign tax credits, the 330-day physical presence test, and why retirement income, passive income, business income, and digital nomad income can all be treated differently.

This conversation is especially helpful for Black women over 40 who are planning to relocate abroad, retire overseas, work remotely, or build income streams while living outside the U.S.

This episode is not tax advice. It is an educational conversation to help you understand what questions to ask and why speaking with a qualified tax professional before moving abroad can save you stress, money, and major surprises later.

In This Episode

• Why U.S. citizens still need to file taxes while living abroad
• What tax residency means for expats
• Why filing taxes does not always mean owing taxes
• How the foreign earned income exclusion works
• The 330-day physical presence test
• What double taxation means
• How foreign tax credits may reduce U.S. tax liability
• Why retirement income and earned income are treated differently
• Tax concerns for digital nomads and remote workers
• Why LLCs, S corps, and business income need planning before relocation
• How unpaid taxes can affect passport renewal or travel
• Why every relocation plan should include a tax plan

Mentioned in This Episode

• IRS filing obligations for U.S. citizens abroad
• Tax residency
• Foreign earned income exclusion
• Foreign tax credit
• Double taxation
• Digital nomad income
• Passive income
• Retirement income
• U.S. passport tax issues
• LLCs and S corporations
• Portugal
• Panama
• Laura, expat tax CPA

Thank you for listening to The Bougie Expat Podcast.

If this episode spoke to you, subscribe to the podcast and share it with another Black woman over 40 who has been thinking about relocating abroad, retiring overseas, or designing a new chapter with more freedom, peace, and intention.

Join Sable, your bougie girlfriend:

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https://www.facebook.com/share/1BEgyNv5NM/

Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/thebougieexpats?igsh=MXc2d2FqdHA3MW42bw==

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https://www.linkedin.com/in/sableryan/

YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/@sableryan5957

At 62, Sable found out she no longer had a job after the shutdown of a U.S. government agency. Instead of trying to rebuild her career in a difficult job market, she asked herself a different question: why not move to Panama now?

In this first episode of The Bougie Expat Podcast, Sable shares the real story behind her move from the U.S. to Panama City. What started as a five-year retirement idea quickly became a five-month relocation plan, complete with a one-way ticket, a packed-up home, and a decision to begin again abroad.

Sable talks about moving to Panama sight unseen, finding furnished apartments, adjusting to Spanish-speaking daily life, using U.S. dollars, connecting with Black expats, and learning what it really takes to settle into a new country. She also explains why cash flow, community, clarity, and confidence matter when thinking about relocating abroad.

This episode is for Black women over 40 who are thinking about moving abroad, retiring overseas, rebuilding after job loss, or creating a more intentional next chapter.

In This Episode

• Why Sable moved to Panama at 62
• How job loss pushed her relocation timeline forward
• What it was like moving to Panama sight unseen
• First impressions of Panama City
• Finding furnished apartments abroad
• Adjusting to daily life in a Spanish-speaking country
• Why Black expat community matters
• How cash flow supports relocation
• Why clarity and confidence are needed before moving abroad

Mentioned in This Episode

• Panama City, Panama
• Black expat community in Panama
• Furnished apartments
• Uber in Panama
• Duolingo
• Passive income
• Investment income
• Retirement abroad

Thank you for listening to The Bougie Expat Podcast.

If this episode spoke to you, subscribe to the podcast and share it with another Black woman over 40 who has been thinking about relocating abroad, retiring overseas, or designing a new chapter with more freedom, peace, and intention.

Join Sable, your bougie girlfriend:

Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/share/1BEgyNv5NM/

Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/thebougieexpats?igsh=MXc2d2FqdHA3MW42bw==

LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sableryan/

YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/@sableryan5957

This is the official music of the podcast The Bougie Expats.

Thank you for listening to The Bougie Expat Podcast.

If this episode spoke to you, subscribe to the podcast and share it with another Black woman over 40 who has been thinking about relocating abroad, retiring overseas, or designing a new chapter with more freedom, peace, and intention.

Join Sable, your bougie girlfriend:

Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/share/1BEgyNv5NM/

Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/thebougieexpats?igsh=MXc2d2FqdHA3MW42bw==

LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sableryan/

YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/@sableryan5957