US taxes for Americans in Greece

Front-loaded answerGreece offers three elective tax regimes that can dramatically cut your Greek tax: a flat 7% on foreign income for retirees (15 years), a 50% income exemption for new-resident workers (7 years), and a €100,000 lump-sum non-dom option for the wealthy (15 years). All reduce Greek — not US — tax. You still file with the IRS every year, and a US–Greece treaty plus the Foreign Tax Credit prevent double taxation.

The 7% pensioner regime & the 50% break

Foreign retirees who transfer tax residency to Greece can elect a flat 7% Greek tax on all foreign-source income — pensions, dividends, rents — for 15 years, if they weren't Greek tax residents for 5 of the prior 6 years and come from a treaty country. Separately, new residents taking up Greek employment or self-employment can exempt 50% of that Greek-source income from tax for 7 years (same non-residence test, plus a 2-year commitment).

The US side: treaty, FEIE & FBAR/FATCA

A US–Greece income tax treaty exists, and the Foreign Tax Credit lets you offset Greek tax against your US bill. The FEIE excludes earned income up to $130,000 (2025) / $132,900 (2026). None of the Greek regimes removes your US filing obligation, and Greek bank accounts trigger the usual FBAR and FATCA reports.

Frequently asked

Do Greece's tax breaks mean I stop paying US tax?

No. The 7% pensioner regime, the 50% nomad exemption, and the €100k non-dom option all reduce Greek tax only. As a US citizen you still file a US return every year on worldwide income; the US–Greece treaty and the Foreign Tax Credit are what prevent double taxation.