Rex says
Money math without the spreadsheet headache. Plug in your numbers and I'll show you exactly where the dollars land.
Try a scenario
Click to load — tweak from there.Inputs
Result
Total estimated cost
$15,442
Estimated exit tax
$8,092
State Department renunciation fee
$2,350
Covered expatriate status
Likely covered expatriate
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How to use this
- 1Enter worldwide net worth ($).
- 2Enter total unrealized capital gains ($).
- 3Enter exit tax exemption (2024) ($).
- 4Enter applicable capital gains rate (%).
- 5Enter cross-border tax attorney fee ($).
- 6Read your total estimated cost on the right — it updates as you type.
- 7Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone.
About this calculator
Renouncing US citizenship costs a $2,350 State Department administrative fee, among the highest renunciation fees in the world, plus potential exposure to the IRS exit tax if you're classified as a 'covered expatriate.' You're covered if your average annual net income tax liability for the five years before expatriation exceeds an inflation-adjusted threshold (about $201,000 for 2024), your net worth is $2 million or more, or you fail to certify five years of US tax compliance. Covered expatriates pay tax on unrealized gains in their worldwide assets above an exemption amount (about $866,000 for 2024) as if everything were sold the day before expatriation. This calculator estimates the exit tax on the gain above the exemption at long-term capital gains rates, plus the flat fee and typical cross-border tax attorney costs for expatriation planning.
Worked example
Using the values the calculator loads with:
Inputs
- Worldwide net worth: 2500000 $
- Total unrealized capital gains: 900000 $
- Exit tax exemption (2024): 866000 $
- Applicable capital gains rate: 23.8 %
- Cross-border tax attorney fee: 5000 $
Results
- Total estimated cost: $15,442
- Estimated exit tax: $8,092
- State Department renunciation fee: $2,350
- Covered expatriate status: Likely covered expatriate
What each field means
Inputs
- Worldwide net worth ($)
- The worldwide net worth used in the calculation, measured in $. Starts at 2500000 $ so you have a working example on load.
- Total unrealized capital gains ($)
- The total unrealized capital gains used in the calculation, measured in $. Starts at 900000 $ so you have a working example on load.
- Exit tax exemption (2024) ($)
- The exit tax exemption (2024) used in the calculation, measured in $. Starts at 866000 $ so you have a working example on load.
- Applicable capital gains rate (%)
- The applicable capital gains rate used in the calculation, measured in %. Starts at 23.8 % so you have a working example on load. Accepted range: 0–40 %.
- Cross-border tax attorney fee ($)
- The cross-border tax attorney fee used in the calculation, measured in $. Starts at 5000 $ so you have a working example on load.
Results
- Total estimated cost
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars and shown as the headline result. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Estimated exit tax
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- State Department renunciation fee
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Covered expatriate status
- Returned as a plain value. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
FAQ
Why is the fee so high compared to other countries?
The $2,350 fee was raised from $450 in 2014 to cover the administrative cost of processing renunciations, and unlike most fees it has stayed the same since, making the US one of the most expensive countries in the world to formally renounce citizenship from.
Do I owe exit tax if my net worth is under $2 million?
Generally no, unless you fail the tax compliance certification test by not having filed and paid US taxes correctly for the prior five years, in which case you become a covered expatriate regardless of net worth. Clean tax history under the threshold usually means no exit tax.
Is the $2,350 fee refundable if I change my mind?
No, it's charged at the time of the renunciation oath and is non-refundable even if you later seek to reverse the decision, which itself is only possible in extremely narrow circumstances like proving duress.
Does renouncing end my US tax obligations immediately?
You still owe US taxes for the year of expatriation up through the renunciation date, and covered expatriates must file Form 8854 to formally certify compliance. Skipping this form can trigger back taxes and penalties even after you've renounced.
Accuracy and limitations
- Results are estimates before tax, fees, and inflation unless an input explicitly covers them.
- Rates are treated as fixed for the whole period — variable-rate products will drift from this projection.
- This is educational maths, not financial advice. Check anything contractual with the lender or your accountant.
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Cite this calculator
Writing about this topic? Grab a citation — every link helps keep these tools free.
RevenueLab. (2026). Citizenship Renunciation Cost Calculator. Retrieved from https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/dual-citizenship-renunciation-cost
<p>Source: <a href="https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/dual-citizenship-renunciation-cost" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Citizenship Renunciation Cost Calculator — RevenueLab</a> (2026).</p>
Source: [Citizenship Renunciation Cost Calculator — RevenueLab](https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/dual-citizenship-renunciation-cost) (2026).