For FEIE, can 2 physical Presence Periods be used In the Same tax Year, even if they don't over lap?

[kbscobravert]

I have a 12 month physical presence period from April 13, 2016 to April 14, 2017 and another between August 3, 2017 to August 4, 2018.  Can I claim the qualifying days from Jan 1, 2016-April 13, 2016 and the days between August 3, 2017 and December 31, 2017?

Pub 54 says that 2 periods can overlap but doesn't say anything about a gap between 2 periods.

[Carl]

The physical presence test is for the tax year. So if I'm understanding correctly, you are saying that you were physically outside the U.S. from Jan 1 - Apr 14 2017 and again from Aug 3 to Dec 31 2017. So you do not meet the requirement for the tax year for being outside of the U.S.

[kbscobravert]

I qualified for the FEIE through the Physical presence test, April 10, 2016 - April 13, 2017. I met the 330/365 Physical Presence Test also between August 4, 2017 - August 3rd, 2018. In between April 13, 2017 and August 4, 2017, I was still overseas working as well but took two 20 day leave periods in the United States (1 in April, 1 in July). My question is that there are qualifying days in 2017 year in both periods. The way I read the 2555 instructions is that you can use any qualifying days in a tax year that fall within physical presence test dates.

[VeloJoe]

Yes. I've done it before and again this year. It's covered the IRS instructions. If you were out for Jan-Aug and Nov-Dec in a given tax year, both periods can be excluded as long as each period individually meets the 330-day physical presence test. For example Jan-Aug qualifies based on Sep 2018-Aug 2019 and Nov-Dec qualifies based on Nov 2019-Oct 2020. 

[daled1]

Ok, but I don't see how to enter two physical presence time spans in turbotax?   I only see beginning date and an end date.  But I don't see a way to enter another set of dates?