Cameroon

{"ftc_utility":"medium","fbar_trigger_notes":"US expats in Cameroon typically maintain local CFA franc accounts at banks such as Societe Generale Cameroun, Afriland First Bank, or UBA Cameroon. If aggregate balances across foreign accounts exceed $10,000 at any point during the calendar year, FinCEN Form 114 (FBAR) must be filed. Employers often pay salaries into local accounts, making the FBAR threshold easy to breach.","ftc_utility_reason":"Cameroon taxes residents on worldwide income at rates up to 38.5%, which exceeds the US top marginal rate in some brackets, making Foreign Tax Credits useful for offsetting US tax on the same income. However, the absence of a tax treaty means there is no framework for resolving double taxation disputes, and credit limitations by income basket still apply. FTC is more useful for higher-earning expats whose Cameroonian tax exceeds their US liability.","presence_day_count_notes":"Cameroon does not impose a strict short-stay visa regime on US citizens for short visits, but longer residence requires appropriate permits. The 330-day physical presence count is mechanically achievable. US expats working in Cameroon typically hold professional or employee residence permits. Security conditions in parts of the country (Northwest, Southwest, Far North regions) may affect practical ability to remain continuously in-country.","typical_qualifying_method":"either","housing_exclusion_available":true,"physical_presence_test_applies":true,"estimated_housing_exclusion_usd":9600,"local_tax_rate_on_earned_income":0.275,"bona_fide_residence_test_applies":true}

{"pension_income":{"notes":"Foreign pension income received by a Cameroon tax resident is generally subject to progressive personal income tax. A deduction of 30% is available on pension income under the General Tax Code before applying progressive rates, which reduces the effective rate somewhat. Top marginal rate of 38.5% applies to the taxable portion.","tax_rate":0.385,"locally_taxed":true},"social_security":{"notes":"No US-Cameroon tax treaty exists. US Social Security benefits received by a Cameroon resident are not protected from Cameroonian tax and could be included in taxable income, though practical enforcement on foreign social security income varies.","locally_taxed":true,"treaty_protection":false},"roth_distributions":{"notes":"Roth IRA distributions have no special status under Cameroonian law. Without a tax treaty, Cameroon may treat these distributions as taxable income. The tax-free character recognized under US law is not binding on Cameroonian tax authorities.","locally_taxed":true},"us_401k_ira_distributions":{"notes":"The United States and Cameroon do not have a bilateral income tax treaty. Distributions from US 401(k) or IRA accounts received by a Cameroon tax resident are treated as foreign-source pension or income and are subject to Cameroonian personal income tax at progressive rates up to 38.5%. No treaty relief is available to reduce this exposure.","tax_rate":0.385,"locally_taxed":true,"treaty_protection":false}}

{"rate":0.385,"notes":"Cameroon does not have a separate capital gains tax. Gains realized by individuals are generally folded into taxable income and subject to the progressive personal income tax schedule, with the top marginal rate of 38.5%. Corporate gains are included in taxable profits and taxed at the standard corporate rate of 33%.","details":{"tax_type":"Capital Gains Tax","country_name":"Cameroon","country_iso_code":"CMR","source_references":["Cameroon General Tax Code","KPMG Cameroon Tax Profile","Deloitte International Tax - Cameroon Highlights"],"last_verified_date":"2026-06-03","general_description":"Cameroon does not maintain a standalone capital gains tax regime. For individuals, capital gains are treated as ordinary income and subject to progressive personal income tax rates up to 38.5%. Transfers of real property may attract registration duties separately. Corporate disposals are taxed within normal corporate income tax at 33%.","corporate_capital_gains":{"rate":0.33,"tax_treatment":"Included in taxable corporate profits and taxed at the standard corporate income tax rate of 33%."},"individual_capital_gains":{"rate":0.385,"tax_treatment":"Treated as ordinary income; taxed under the progressive personal income tax schedule at rates up to 38.5%. Real property transfers may also attract registration duties at rates typically between 5% and 15%."}}}

{"notes":"Dividends paid to non-resident individuals and companies are subject to a withholding tax of 16.5% under the General Tax Code. Dividends paid to resident shareholders are also subject to withholding at 16.5%, which may be creditable against personal income tax liability. The CEMAC (Central African Economic and Monetary Community) framework governs cross-border dividend flows among member states.","rates":[{"rate":0.165,"type":"withholding","notes":"Standard withholding rate on dividends paid to both resident and non-resident recipients under the Cameroon General Tax Code."}]}