How to track the FEIE 330-day test
Bounded TeamUpdated July 15, 2026
The Foreign Earned Income Exclusion lets US taxpayers abroad exclude a six-figure chunk of earned income — if they pass the physical presence test: at least 330 full days outside the US in any 12-month period. The “any 12-month period” part is what makes it brutal to track by hand.
Why 'any window' is hard
The 12 months do not have to align with a calendar or tax year — you may choose whichever window maximizes the exclusion. That means the honest answer to “do I qualify?” requires checking every possible window, not just the trailing one. Bounded’s US FEIE preset uses any-window counting — it evaluates all windows over your history and surfaces where you stand.
The details that bite
- Full days only — a day partially in the US does not count as a day abroad, which is the opposite of most rules’ generosity. Your border-crossing days therefore matter doubly here.
- 330 of 365 — you get at most 35 US days per window; a two-week wedding trip plus a Christmas visit can already break a window.
- Days away, not days anywhere specific — the counter runs in the Days away direction from the United States; where you were instead does not matter.
Was this article helpful?
Related articles
Can’t find what you’re looking for? We answer every message.
Contact support