SimpleTax - US taxes for expats in Israel

this post contains affiliate links. If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you.

Americans in Israel, this is for you!

If you're an American ex-pat like me, you probably get an annual headache when thinking about filing your US tax return. What an absolute pain, am I right?

But look at that! It's June, and it's time to deal with your US taxes if you're among those people who can't get out of it 😜. For Israelis who file US taxes, 2025 US tax paperwork is due September 15, I believe. 

Currently, this is something most of us MUST do, even if we don't like it. There's just no getting around it for now - no matter how much we complain (maybe one day it will change!). And because of the complexity of navigating tax documents issued to comply with Israeli tax law (as opposed to US tax law), it is usually NOT recommended to use automated software for filing your overseas tax return.

But now there's SimpleTax - create an account, upload your documents, fill in some information, and their staff will take over from there!

SimpleTax will usually save you money on fees compared to other services. This is a game changer. 

If your taxes are complicated, you'll still pay a higher rate than the lowest one listed on their site, but it will most likely still be MUCH lower than the quotes I've gotten from accountants recently.

I invite you to find more details at SimpleTax. If you use my referral link (the links to SimpleTax on this site are referral links), you'll get 10% off your first tax return! If for some reason you can't open the link, simply copy-paste this link to go to their site: https://simpletax.co.il/register?referral=KOFRU. Or go to their site on your own and be sure to enter my referral code (KOFRU).

So spread the word that this year, we'll all be doing our taxes smarter and cheaper! Use my referral code to get a great 10% discount: 

MY-CODE: KOFRU

OR CLICK HERE

SimpleTax is also on Facebook and has plans to help US citizens in Israel navigate financial issues better. You can be sure I'll be following them and waiting for more helpful developments. 

מידע חשוב עבור אזרחים אמריקאים שגרים בארץ: הגיע פתרון שיחסוך לנו הרבה כסך!

גם השנה, אפשר למלא דו"ח מס אמריקני עם חברת סימפלטקס - ותראו חסכון אמיתי!

אפשר לחסוך עוד יותר עם הקוד שלי בעת ההרשמה. ההרשמה ללא עלות - רק תצטרכו לשלם עם משתמשים במערכת לדווח. השתמשו בקוד KOFRU ותקבלו 10% הנחה.

או הקליקו כאן: https://simpletax.co.il/register?referral=KOFRU

10 NIS movies - Israeli Movie Day!

Israeli Movie Day is tomorrow, June 17!

Here's the list of participating theaters:

The Israeli movies being screened are:

And local friends, YES, Matnas Katzrin is on the list of participating theaters, but I don't see a movie on the schedule for tomorrow! I have no idea what's up with that.

I recommend you check your local theater for listings and times, and find a good movie to go to!

UPDATED TODAY!!! Import taxes for online purchases: Everything you need to know

Impact-Site-Verification: c6a92aaa-9c12-40bb-80fe-62822d0c5c95

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package from purchase abroad - tax free!

Do you live in Israel? 

Are you wondering what to expect regarding taxes and fees if you shop online?

This guide will help you understand the basics that apply to residents  of Israel when shopping online from overseas (yes, even if you're not a citizen, you need to know how your orders will be handled!). 

Most of us shop this way to save money, so who wants a tax bill surprise when the order gets here? This post will help you avoid a tax bill (legally, of course!).

Note: the same regulations apply to packages sent from abroad, even if they are gifts!

Some of my favorite websites to shop from are:

Amazon ~ iHerb ~ AliExpress ~ eBay ~

SHOP the USA and SHIP Worldwide with MyUS! 

Here's the rundown (full regulations can be found on the Israel tax authority's site

The current tax exempt limit is $75 USD

When you get a package, the value of your purchase or package will be converted into US Dollars by the tax authority (using the official exchange rate that you can find here: https://www.gov.il/he/service/exchange-rate) to determine if it's subject to tax.

Purchases up to $75/Packages with a declared value up to $75 - no taxes

Purchases or packages with a declared value $75 and up, up to $500 - VAT will apply in most cases (18% currently), and Purchase Tax (variable rates) may apply (purchase tax applies to very few items at this point!), but no customs taxes

Purchases or packages with a declared value over $500 - subject to all taxes (VAT of 18%, Purchase Tax (if applicable), and Customs Tax which varies by category)

Please note that purchases and packages (even gifts) of up to $75 in value will almost automatically be subject to customs clearance fees if they arrive using an EMS service*, and some other types of deliveries may also be charged this fee (it's about 40 shekels right now). If the value of the purchase is higher than $75, the customs clearance fee can be higher as well.

Other fees are often added on by shipping companies, and there is not much oversight on the matter. I once saw a bill that included the following fees: Handling Fee, Import Approval Fee, VAT, Computer Fee, Unloading Fee, Storage Fee. Watch out for these fees from shipping companies/courier services - I recommend you always arrange to get your packages via a service that guarantees your fees have all been prepaid.

Please be aware that the purchase price only (not purchase + shipping) will determine whether an item will be taxed. If it is deemed taxable, all applicable taxes will be calculated on the purchase price + the shipping price. This means that if you order something for $75.01 plus $15 shipping, you will be taxed on the total value of $90.01!

One more important point: If you order multiple orders addressed to the same person, with the same address & phone number listed, from the same seller and they arrive within 72 hours of each other, customs may combine the orders and treat them as one purchase for tax purposes, or they may not. But it is a possibility you should be aware of before you place multiple orders. 

I recommend ordering at least 3 days apart, or ordering with different names and contact info (including the tax ID number you provide for clearing customs).

Note about Amazon orders, when the option to order comes back: you do not have to wait 3 days to place another order. You can order all you want, just keep each individual order below the taxable threshold.

Tracking your item is possible! Often you'll see updates on the website you ordered from. I recommend you create an account on Israel Post - you can see updates there if your order is being processed by them! If your order is stalled for a long time, reach out to the seller and see if they can help you. I've found this to be very effective!

If your order is stuck in customs, or if you feel like you were charged tax by mistake, you will need to file an appeal. The appeal form is on the Meches site: https://www.gov.il/he/service/return-on-personal-import-taxes

Some of these regulations are different from what some people seem to believe, so please refer back to this guide if you are about to place an order and you're not sure what to expect taxwise.

Join my WhatsApp group and my Facebook Group where I'll be posting my favorite deals!

*Examples of EMS services - Express Mail, Fedex, UPS and other express delivery services. Sometimes DHL is EMS and sometimes it is not.

New discount code for iHerb! הנחה חדשה באייהרב

This post contains affiliate or rewards program links. This means I may receive a small commission if you click on a link and place an order, never at any additional cost to you

עברית למטה

iHerb's got a great deal available right now - Get 15% off your order of 200 ILS and up for the Summer Wellness Sale! Click here to start shopping, and the code will automatically load into your cart (or use my rewards code QEJ101 and promo code ILJUNE26 at checkout)

Happy savings!

Other sales you might want to check:

Brands of the week - use this link to get discounts when you purchase any products from the 16 brands of the week!

Click here to find all the current Specials - up to 65% off!

Sales change all the time! I'll try to find more codes and update when I can!

TIP: Get free shipping if you order $65 USD or more, but keep your order total under $75 to avoid taxes and import fees.

קבלו 15% הנחה על כל אתר של אייהרב בקנייה של 200 ש"ח ומעלה!

(או הכניסו את הקודים QEJ101 ו ILJUNE26 לפני התשלום!)

רק וודאו שהסל הסופי יוצא ללא מיסים - צריך להיזהר מאוד שאחרי הקודים הסל יורד למתחת ל$75 - סף המע"מ

(ולרוב גם תקבלו משלוח חינם עם גלובל אייר לוקר עם מוסיפים מוצרים כדי שסכום הרכישה

יגיע ל$65)!

במקרה ואתם מעדיפים לקנות מאתר ישראלי, אני ממליצה לבדוק את מבחר הויטמינים של קי.אס.פי!

תהינו!

iHerb is one of my favorite ways to find products that I can't get in Israel. Or products that may be available in Israel, but at inflated prices.

Need some ideas for your iHerb order?

Here are just a few things I recommend - several of these are eligible for the extra discount! I'd love to hear what your favorites are:

Teas

Witch Hazel Toner 

Vitamin E Moisturizing Cream 

Plant-based (coconut milk based) Caramel 

Hand Sanitizer (great size for your bag!)

Lip balm 

Concentrated Laundry Detergent 

Unscented Compostable Dryer Sheets

Witch Hazel Cleansing Pads 

Stridex acne control pads 

Cocoa Butter Lotion 

Dental Floss 

Pain Relief Cream (herbal) (the athletes in my house like this one a lot) 

Aspercreme pain relief products (conventional)

Makeup Remover

Aquaphor 

Scar gel

Maple Syrup Granules 

Made Good Granola Bars (allergy friendly!)

Cheddar Cheese Powder

Your order of $60 and up will usually qualify for FREE Global Air Locker shipping!

Don't forget these important, basic principles of shopping online from Israel:

• Keep your order under $75 to avoid paying VAT!!
• Spread out your orders. If you want to buy more than $75 worth of items from one website, and you have the option of splitting your order - DO IT. BUT don't order more than $75 worth on any given day to the same shipping name/address/ID. If you do, customs may combine your orders and charge you. Give it about 3 days between orders. Best to ship to a different name using a different ID for customs, so you can order it all on the same day.
• Always look for the free shipping option - usually, it's to a pickup spot.

I love to see how close to $75 I can get without going over, and get free delivery to maximize savings while avoiding import taxes!

Enjoy and happy savings!

If you prefer to buy from Israeli sites - check out KSP's selection of Vitamin products!

Unboxing: Stainless steel frying pans

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Sharing a recent shopping experience

I took a leap of faith and I ordered a set of 3 stainless steel frying pans that I found on sale for an AMAZING price from Amazon recently (When I bought them, the set was under $40, but Amazon prices change all the time - when I checked today, that sale had ended. But you never know, it might come back!). One of my kids had asked for one for his home away from home, so in an attempt to find a great deal, I ended up with a 3-pack. I put the other 2 away for Pesach because I am 100% sure that someone will need one for Pesach but just doesn't know it yet! 

Update June 1: I found a different set for a great price, you're going to want to check it out right now while it's FREE SHIPPING eligible!

Anyhow this deal was too good to pass up. I thought I was getting 3 stainless steel frying pans, because that's all that it said in the description. Here's what I found when the package arrived:

 A BIG box.

I opened it up to find ANOTHER box inside:

Kind of a lot of packaging. But I guess that's the way it's done everywhere.

So I opened the inner box:

Even more packaging inside

So I pulled it all out, and SURPRISE!

It's not just 3 frying pans! There are also oven mitts and silicone trivets!

But everything is wrapped in plastic...

Frying pans unwrapped... Need to tovel them. The other things are staying wrapped and getting stashed away for Pesach I think!

Anyhow, this turned out to be a great deal and I'm so glad I grabbed them when they were discounted!

I'll be watching them and I'll try to post an update when the price drops again!

Update June 1: I found a different set for a great price, you're going to want to check it out right now while it's FREE SHIPPING eligible!

In the meantime, if you need stainless steel pans, check out these Amazon deals:

8-inch tri-ply pan

Set of 2

Or this KSP sale (only available in Israel)! 

Recall Alert!

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT!!

There's been a recall on these Universal Travel Adapters:

The product is called "Universal Travel Adapter" Model 177W, Made in CHINA, Sold in 2025, Barcode 6949989408060

They pose a RISK OF ELECTROCUTION and are also a FIRE HAZARD!! DO NOT USE THEM.

If you bought one of these, you can return them at ANY Rikochet store throughout the country, or contact the importer at 08-9708040 or WhatsApp 0523701076

PASS THIS ON to someone who might not know!

Stay safe, everyone!

Free Gift Cards and more - one way to get them

I'm going to assume that if you're reading this, you really appreciate FREE stuff! Sometimes, the only free things you can get are pretty useless junk, but sometimes there's actually something really worthwhile out there!

If you're a Clalit Mushlam member, there's a way to get points towards a VERY WIDE variety of free things that you may be currently missing.

So if you are, indeed, a member of Clalit Mushlam, you're paying a monthly premium for the plan. This plan gives you discounts on things at Clalit pharmacies, and some health-related perks, like the ability to see a private doctor for a copay that is much less than the cost of going fully private. So here's a perk you might not have heard of:

Clalit Active. This is Clalit's healthy lifestye app, where you accumulate points for completing health-related goals. You can redeem those points for rewards. We've gotten health-related items, like a Mi swartwatch, exercise equipment, and a massage gun. We've also gotten gift cards for stores like MegaSport, and even Lenovo earbuds. You can also redeem them for things like discount admission to pools, and health clubs, wipark admission, electric toothbrushes, smoothies, shakes, high coverage swimsuits, discounts on Clalit Mushlam complementary health services, and more (the list changes from time to time).

Now, everyone knows I'm not exactly a big exercise buff, but even I go walking and eat things and drink water, so it's pretty easy to get points! And redeeming them is fun and rewarding!

Want in on it? Just click here:

https://clalitactive.onelink.me/jrj9/ from your phone to get it! And if you use referral code DS2I5SGF, you'll get a 600-point sign-up bonus - there's a section called מישוש חבר מביא חבר where you enter the code - find it when you tap on the menu a the bottom far left of the app screen. Be aware that you may have to put the code in on the same day you activate the app to get the bonus. When you use my code, I'll also get a bonus, so thank you in advance for using it!

So, do you want to start getting more things for free? Join and start today. And please share this post with anyone you know who might want to join!

Clothing Deals!

This post contains affiliate links. If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission, but it will never be at an additional cost to you!

(for illustrative purposes only)

MORE FINDS WERE ADDED TODAY (May 26, 2026)!!

SKIRTS and DRESSES! And other great finds for modest dressers...    

Skirt wearers, you know how it goes - we all need a bunch of comfy, basic skirts that are versatile, classic, and easy to deal with.

I've found that sometimes the Amazon 3-pack deals are the PERFECT solution! Just choose the right size and you're good to go with 3 skirts in different colors!

Here are some of the options I found with free shipping (although sometimes free shipping is limited to a certain size, so be sure to check carefully before you order):

3-Pack Women's 20" Golf Skirts Knee Length Skorts with Pockets - for most people, these are probably a little above the knee. But if you're under 5-ft tall (I know some who are!) these may even be true knee length!

3-Pack Women's Maxi Long Skirts with Pockets, A-Line Ankle Length - Also POCKETS!!

Want a dress with pockets? I found some of those for you, too. 

Short Sleeve Dress with Pockets 

Elbow Sleeve flowy dress with pockets

3/4 Sleeve Bohemian style dress with pockets 

And if you don't care about the pockets, you might want to see this long 3/4 sleeve belted dress!

Cotton tops:

3-pack cotton shirts with pretty sleeves 

3-pack cotton ribbed shirts 

3-pack elbow length sleeve ribbed shirts with ruffled edging

Skorts:

24" flower print skorts with pockets!

More finds coming soon!

Hope this helps someone out there!

Want more deals? Join my groups!

• Great Deals Israel WhatsApp group
• Kosher Frugal Facebook Group
• Israel Deals Made Easy (in English) Facebook Group
• Live in Israel. Shop Online Facebook Group