Belize · Tax on foreign income
Does Belize tax foreign income? A guide for Americans
Short answer
Belize taxes only income from Belize, so US pensions, Social Security and interest aren't taxed. Pay for work done in Belize is taxed, even when a US employer pays it.
What you'd pay, by situation
| Retiree on US income $0 | US Social Security, a US pension and US interest aren't Belize income, so they aren't taxed here. QRP members are exempt on all foreign income anyway. |
|---|---|
| Remote worker paid from the US About $3,700 for 90 days or $7,500 for 182 days, on $60,000; a full year isn't settled | Pay for work done in Belize counts as Belize income, even when paid abroad; no remote-work exemption was found. Not yet verified |
| Working for a local employer 25%, with a tax-free amount for residents | Employees pay a flat 25% of taxable income; non-residents get no basic deduction. |
Not yet verified The source rule and the 25% rate, read in the 2020 text of the tax law.
Still being checked A 2024 amendment changed the employee rules; its effect is still being checked.
How it works
- Tax residence: more than 182 days in the calendar year, or your permanent home in Belize.
- What's taxed: only income earned in Belize, whether or not it's paid there. Foreign pensions and foreign social security are exempt.
- Retiree program: QRP members pay no tax on any income from outside Belize.
- No US tax treaty: you still file a US return every year, and any credit follows US rules alone; see a tax adviser.
- No Social Security agreement: US employees keep paying US Social Security tax.
Sources (4)
Links
- Income and Business Tax Act, Chapter 55, Substantive Laws Revised Edition 2020
- Act No. 40 of 2024, Income and Business Tax (Amendment) Act 2024 (assent 11 Dec 2024; effective 14 Dec 2024 per BTS listing)
- The Reporter (Belize): Income tax threshold raised (22 Sep 2024)
- Retired Persons (Incentives) Act, Chapter 62, Substantive Laws Revised Edition 2020 (consolidates Act 3 of 2019)
Taxes in Belize, with worked examples → The full Belize guide →
Questions people ask
Does Belize tax US Social Security and pensions?
US Social Security, a US pension and US interest aren't Belize income, so they aren't taxed here. QRP members are exempt on all foreign income anyway.
Remote worker paid from the US in Belize: what would I pay?
Pay for work done in Belize counts as Belize income, even when paid abroad; no remote-work exemption was found. (Not yet verified) Ballpark: About $3,700 for 90 days or $7,500 for 182 days, on $60,000; a full year isn't settled.
Working for a local employer in Belize: what would I pay?
Employees pay a flat 25% of taxable income; non-residents get no basic deduction. Ballpark: 25%, with a tax-free amount for residents.