Do I need to file taxes in the US and Germany (where I currently live)? I don’t have w2 and only earned $15,000 this year as a student (Jan-Oct) & employee (oct-dec)

[DianeC958]

Yes, you need to file a US and Germany tax return, if your income was earned in Germany.  If you have lived outside of the US at least 330 days, you can exclude from Federal Tax up to $105,900.

If you cannot exclude your earnings from US tax you can take a credit for any tax you paid to Germany on your US tax return.

To exclude your income from US tax you report your income in TurboTax

• Wages & Income
• Less Common Income
• Foreign Earned Income and Exclusion

If you do not qualify for the exclusion then to take the credit for Foreign Tax Paid go to:

• Deductions & Credits
• Estimates and Other Taxes Paid
• Foreign Taxes

[cienna-davis]

I have lived in Germany the last 5 years as a student. This is my first year working a full-time job and earning over $10,000/year.

To exclude my income from US tax, should I only report my income in TurboTax as "Foreign Earned Income and Exclusion"? Should I have also filed the last five years when I was earning less than $10,000/year?

[DaveF1006]

 Yes, you would enter this is as Foreign Earned Income and Exclusion. According to this Turbo Tax link, you should have filed prior returns since the foreign earned income exclusion is voluntary. You must file a tax return to claim the foreign earned income exclusion. It does not matter if your foreign earnings are below the foreign earned income exclusion threshold.