Final answer:
Fred may be able to exclude up to $20,000 from his income for employer-provided housing abroad.
Step-by-step explanation:
If Fred's employer provides him with free housing abroad that costs $25,600, a portion of this amount may be excludable from Fred's income. To determine the excludable amount, we need to consider the tax laws and regulations. Generally, the exclusion for employer-provided housing is limited to the lesser of the actual value of the housing or the amount specified in the tax code. Let's assume that the tax code allows for an exclusion of $20,000 for employer-provided housing. In this case, Fred could exclude up to $20,000 from his income, and the remaining $5,600 would be taxable.