William Byrnes' Tax, Wealth, and Risk Intelligence

The gross income of United States citizens and resident aliens is taxable on a worldwide basis.  In most cases, compensation for personal services such as employer payments for housing expenses is fully taxable as an employee fringe benefit unless specifically excluded from taxation.  But there are exceptions to the taxation of housing allowances such as the special rules for members of the clergy or Peace Corps volunteers.

Qualified individuals may either exclude or deduct foreign housing expenses if they have incurred housing expenses while living and working aboard. Foreign housing allowances paid to United States Government employees are treated as reimbursements for actual housing expenses and, therefore, not subject to taxation.

Link to Edward Nieto’s full analysis in his article Foreign Housing Allowance for United States Government Employees – Taxable or Non-taxable? on AdvisorFYI

Edward Nieto is a U.S. Government civilian working in Germany as a business advisor.  He has over 25 years of combined military, government, and defense industry experience.  He has also worked as a VITA tax advisor in support of military and government personnel overseas.  He may be contacted at edn2000@outlook.com