The expensive expat tax decisions are usually made before the return is filed.
A US expat tax advisor helps you work out what to do before the forms are prepared — which tax treatment fits, what foreign assets need reporting, how a move changes the numbers, and whether something in your situation needs fixing now rather than next April.
Start with a 45-minute Expat Tax Position Review for $195. You get the call with your figures open and a written summary afterward. The fee is credited in full against an eligible package booked within 60 days.
Before you make an international move
The date you leave, arrive, change countries or begin a new overseas contract can affect the tax position for that year. A review before the move can identify the dates, elections and state-residency questions that need attention while you can still do something about them.
When the tax treatment is not obvious
Foreign Earned Income Exclusion or foreign tax credit? Does a foreign pension need reporting? Does that overseas account belong on the FBAR, Form 8938, or both? What happens if you become self-employed abroad? These are questions where the answer depends on your actual facts, not a generic expat checklist.
When something changed this year
A new employer, business, country, bank account, investment, property or source of income can change a return that was straightforward last year. That is the point to review the position — before automatically repeating the same filing approach.
Where advice usually matters
What you get
- Forty-five minutes directly with Jorge I. Rivas, EA, with your figures and situation open
- A review of the US tax questions that matter to the decision
- The elections, forms and dates that require attention
- A written summary after the call
- The $195 fee credited in full against an eligible package booked within 60 days
Tax advisor or tax preparer?
A return tells the IRS what already happened. Advisory work is useful when you still have a decision to make.
If you simply need the year's federal return, state return, FBAR or FATCA prepared, start with expat tax returns.
If you need to decide what to do before the return is prepared, start with a position review.
Not sure whether your situation actually requires advisory help? Read Do you need a US expat tax advisor? to see the situations where professional guidance is most useful.
Questions about expat tax advice
When should I speak with an expat tax advisor?
Before a material decision where possible — particularly an international move, a change in employment or business structure, a new foreign asset, or a tax election you are unsure about.
Is the Tax Position Review the same as tax-return preparation?
No. The review is advisory. It looks at your situation, the available routes and the actions or dates that matter. Return preparation is a separate service.
Is the $195 fee credited if I later book a tax package?
Yes. The review fee is credited in full against an eligible package booked within 60 days.
Can you review FBAR and FATCA questions?
Yes. If foreign accounts or financial assets are part of the issue, the review can identify which reporting questions need attention. There is also a dedicated FBAR / FATCA compliance service.
What if I have several years of unfiled returns?
Start by establishing the correct filing route rather than filing years independently. Streamlined catch-up filing is a separate service for qualifying cases.
Do I need tax advice every year?
Not necessarily. If nothing significant has changed and your filing position is already clear, return preparation may be enough. Advisory becomes more useful when the facts or the decision change.
Related
Make the decision while there is still a decision to make.
Bring your last return if you have it, your host country, relevant dates and the question you need answered. Forty-five minutes with your figures open, $195, credited in full against an eligible package booked within 60 days.