That $126,500 number refers to the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion (FEIE), but it’s not a hard threshold below which you’re totally off the hook. U.S. citizens abroad still have to file a tax return if their income exceeds the standard filing requirement (around $14k+ for single filers). And the FEIE only applies to earned income, not investment income or retirement income. It’s not automatic, you have to qualify under the bona fide residence or physical presence test, and file the right forms (like Form 2555) to claim it.

Even if you’re making well under $126k, you still have to file, and you might owe something depending on your situation.

If it makes you feel better, even if you migrate to another country and gain citizenship, you still have to pay income taxes to the US.