26 CFR 1.911-5 – Special rules for married couples
(a) Married couples with two qualified individuals—(1) In general. In the case in which a husband and wife both are qualified individuals under § 1.911-2(a), each individual may make one or more elections under § 1.911-7 and exclude from gross income foreign earned income and exclude or deduct housing cost amounts subject to the rules of paragraphs (a)(2) and (3) of this section.
(2) Computation of excluded foreign earned income. The amount of excludable foreign earned income is determined separately for each spouse under the rule of § 1.911-3 on the basis of the income attributable to the services of that spouse. If the spouses file separate returns each may exclude the amount of his or her foreign earned income attributable to his or her services subject to the limitations of § 1.911-3(d)(2). If the spouses file a joint return, the sum of these foreign earned income amounts so determined for each spouse may be excluded. For example, H and W both qualify under § 1.911-2(a)(2)(i) for the entire 1983 taxable year. During 1983 W earns $100,000 of foreign earned income and H earns $45,000 of foreign earned income. H and W file a joint return for 1983. On their joint return H and W may exclude from gross income a total of $125,000. That amount is determined by adding W’s section 911(a)(1) limitation, $80,000 (the lesser of $80,000 × 365/365 or $100,000), and H’s section 911(a)(1) limitation, $45,000 (the lesser of $80,000 × 365/365 or $45,000).
(3) Computation of housing cost amount—(i) Spouses residing together. If the spouses reside together, and file a joint return, they may compute their housing cost amount either jointly or separately. If the spouses reside together and file separate returns, they must compute their housing cost amounts separately. If the spouses compute their housing cost amounts separately, they may allocate the housing expenses to either of them or between them for the purpose of calculating separate housing cost amounts, but each spouse claiming a housing cost amount exclusion or deduction must use his or her full base housing amount in such computation. If the spouses compute their housing cost amount jointly, then only one of the spouses may claim the housing cost amount exclusion or deduction.
(iii) Housing cost amount attributable to employer provided amounts. Each spouse claiming a housing cost amount exclusion or deduction shall compute the portion of the housing cost amount that is attributable to employer provided amounts separately, based on his or her separate foreign earned income, in accordance with § 1.911-4(d)(3).
(b) Married couples with community income. The amount of excludable foreign earned income of a husband and wife with community income is determined separately for each spouse in accordance with paragraph (a) of this section on the basis of income attributable to that spouse’s services without regard to community property laws. See sections 879 and 6013 (g) and (h) for special rules regarding treatment of community income of a nonresident alien individual married to a U.S. citizen or resident.
- 39,689 × .16) × 137/365 = $2,383). If instead W claims the housing cost amount exclusion her exclusion would be $8,621. W’s housing expenses would be $10,500 ($7,500 + 3,000) and her base housing amount would be $1,879 (($39,689 × .16) × 108/365 = $1,879). If H and W file jointly and both claim a housing cost amount exclusion, then H’s and W’s housing cost amounts would be, respectively, $7,617 ($10,000?2,383) and $1,121 ($3,000?1,879).
(ii) Spouses residing apart. If the spouses reside apart, both spouses may exclude or deduct their housing cost amount if the spouses have different tax homes that are not within reasonable commuting distance (as defined in § 1.119-1(d)(4 [↩]