Cross-border
Living with one foot in each country: keeping US cards and brokerages alive, moving money, and the things that break at the border.
Claiming US Social Security while living in Japan: totalization, the WEP repeal, and who actually pays you
How the US-Japan totalization agreement combines Social Security credits from both countries for eligibility, and how the WEP repeal affects your benefits.
Can you use an American credit card in Japan? Yes — and with a weak yen, spending USD directly can beat converting it
Compare costs of spending US dollars in Japan with a weak yen: credit card fees (0-1%), bank transfers (3-5%), cash exchange (3-16%), and DCC traps.
Moving between the US and Japan: the complete money guide
Complete guide to US financial accounts when moving to Japan: keep your phone number and address, manage brokerage accounts, navigate tax traps.
Japan's inheritance tax and your US family: the 10-year rule that decides whether Mom's IRA is taxable
Japan taxes heirs, not estates. Whether inherited US assets are taxable depends on your visa and time in Japan. Overview of the 10-year rule for US families.
Giving up your US green card: I-407, the 8-year line, and the exit tax question most people miss
Guide to I-407 filing timing, the 8-year long-term resident rule, Form 8854 requirements, and covered expatriate exit-tax thresholds for green card holders.
Moving back to the US from Japan: the reverse checklist most guides skip
Repatriation guide from Japan to the US: Japan exit taxes, banking decisions, credit rebuilding, US return-year planning, and currency conversion timing.
Keeping your US credit score alive from abroad (you'll want it back the day you return)
Keep your US credit alive abroad: downgrade old cards instead of closing, autopay charges, maintain anchors, freeze credit, avoid costly consequences on return.
Getting into your IRS online account from abroad: ID.me without a US phone number
Access your IRS account from abroad without a US phone. ID.me verification using authenticator app, international documents, and video call with passport.
Your US will and your Japanese assets: the non-citizen spouse problem nobody explains
Non-citizen spouses lose the unlimited marital deduction. Here's what QDOT trusts, gifting limits, dual taxation, and beneficiary designations mean for cross-border estate planning.
Keeping US credit cards without a US address: what actually works (and what quietly breaks the terms)
Realistic options to keep US credit cards after moving abroad: address solutions, compliance risks, and strategies that don't violate card terms.
Locked out of your US bank from abroad: a recovery playbook
Locked out of your US bank overseas? Three recovery paths: call international support, get in-branch help, or use embassy notarization. How to fix 2FA.