U.S. tax for anyone whose life or business crosses a border
Income in one country, a return due in another, and two sets of rules that were never written to fit together. Our tax desks lead the file and bring in vetted specialists where a country calls for them — so your returns are prepared to agree, not reconciled after the fact.
Built for the in-between cases
Americans living abroad
U.S. citizens and green-card holders working or retired in another country, still required to file in the U.S.
Foreign nationals in the U.S.
Visa holders, new residents, and dual-status filers in their first U.S. years
Owners of foreign companies
U.S. persons with ownership in a company abroad, and the reporting that comes with it
Foreign owners of U.S. companies
A U.S. LLC or corporation owned from another country
Cross-border families
Spouses with different citizenships, foreign pensions, inheritances, and accounts abroad
Investors with foreign assets
Rental property, brokerage accounts, or funds held outside the U.S.
Common pairings we work with include U.S.–Israel, U.S.–Germany, U.S.–United Kingdom, U.S.–France, U.S.–Australia, and U.S.–India. If your country isn’t listed, ask — we’ll tell you honestly whether we can take it on.
The mistakes happen in the space between two tax systems
- 01
Foreign accounts and assets that were never reported — FBAR and Form 8938 thresholds are low, and the penalties are not
- 02
Income taxed twice because the foreign tax credit was never claimed, or claimed in the wrong year
- 03
A foreign company owned by a U.S. person with no Form 5471 — or a U.S. company owned from abroad with no Form 5472
- 04
Treaty benefits available but never taken, because nobody filed the position
- 05
Foreign pensions, trusts, and funds reported as if they were U.S. accounts
- 06
Years of unfiled U.S. returns from someone who didn’t know they had to file — and a catch-up program they’ve never heard of
What we handle, start to finish
U.S. returns for expats and new residents
Forms 1040 and 1040-NR, dual-status years, foreign earned income exclusion (Form 2555), foreign tax credit (Form 1116)
Foreign account and asset reporting
FBAR (FinCEN 114) and Form 8938
Treaty positions
Form 8833 and withholding coordination
Foreign trusts, pensions, and funds
Forms 3520 and 3520-A, PFIC analysis (Form 8621)
Catch-up filings
The Streamlined Filing Compliance Procedures for people who didn’t know they had to file
U.S. taxpayer numbers and real estate
Coordination with the foreign return
Whoever prepares the other country’s return, we make sure credits, dates, and positions match before either is filed
Common country pairings
Every pairing starts the same way — a free fit call, then a written scope and price. Here is what typically comes up.
Americans living anywhere abroad — the U.S. return, the exclusions and credits, foreign account reporting, and catch-up filing.
Americans working or retired in Germany, and German nationals in the U.S. The U.S.–Germany income tax treaty and foreign tax credits are the main tools; German pensions and investment funds need care in U.S. reporting.
U.S. citizens living in Israel, new immigrants holding U.S. ties, and Israelis in the U.S. The U.S.–Israel income tax treaty, foreign tax credits, and reporting of Israeli pension and savings accounts come up on most files.
Ukrainians in the U.S. and Americans with Ukrainian income or property. The U.S.–Ukraine income tax treaty, residency timing, and reporting of foreign accounts and companies are the usual questions.
Americans working in the UAE and UAE-based owners of U.S. companies. There is no U.S.–UAE income tax treaty and no UAE personal income tax, so the U.S. return — the foreign earned income exclusion, housing, and foreign account reporting — carries the weight.
Cyprus-resident Americans and Cypriot company owners with U.S. ties. The U.S.–Cyprus income tax treaty, non-domicile arrangements on the Cyprus side, and U.S. reporting of foreign companies are the common threads.
Americans living or investing in Panama and Panamanian residents with U.S. obligations. Panama taxes territorially and has no income tax treaty with the U.S., so U.S. reporting of foreign accounts, companies, and real estate does most of the work.
Americans relocating to Paraguay and Paraguayan residents with U.S. filings. Paraguay taxes territorially and has no income tax treaty with the U.S.; the U.S. return and foreign account reporting are where the planning happens.
Americans working in Singapore and Singapore-based founders with U.S. companies or investors. There is no U.S.–Singapore income tax treaty, so the foreign earned income exclusion, foreign tax credits, and reporting of Singapore companies and funds are the focus.
Your country isn’t listed? Ask — we’ll tell you honestly whether we can take it on. Book a free fit call →
Three kinds of returns. One team that makes them agree.
We handle U.S. domestic returns, cross-border (U.S.–Canada) returns, and international tax returns. When a case calls for deeper expertise — in any country — we bring in hand-picked specialists who work under our lead. One team, one point of contact, one plan — and returns that agree.
- You know who is working on your file
- One plan and one price, quoted in writing
- Both returns reviewed together before anything is filed
How your file is staffed
- U.S. domestic returnsour U.S. Tax Desk
- Cross-border (U.S.–Canada)our U.S. and Canadian Tax Desks, together
- Internationalhand-picked country specialists, under our lead
- Your single point of contactFairlight
From first call to filed, on both sides
A free fit call
Fifteen minutes. Which countries, which years, what’s been filed. We tell you honestly what’s needed and whether we can coordinate the foreign side.
A written scope and price
The U.S. work and the coordination, quoted in writing before anything starts. No hourly meter.
Both sides prepared together
Each return is prepared with the same facts, and credits, dates, and positions are matched before either is filed.
Filed, and on a schedule
Both returns filed, deadlines tracked, and the next year planned — not just the one behind you.
International tax, up front
Who actually works on my file?
We handle U.S. domestic, cross-border (U.S.–Canada), and international returns. Our U.S. and Canadian Tax Desks lead every file; when a case calls for deeper expertise in any country, hand-picked specialists join under our lead. One team, one point of contact, one plan — and we tell you up front who is working on your file.
Which countries do you work with?
Common pairings include Israel, Germany, the U.K., France, Australia, and India. If yours isn’t listed, ask — we’ll tell you honestly whether we can take it on.
I’ve never filed a U.S. return while living abroad. How bad is it?
Often less bad than people fear. The Streamlined Filing Compliance Procedures exist for exactly this situation — three years of returns and six years of foreign-account reports, with penalties waived when the failure wasn’t willful. We’ll map it on the call.
Will I be taxed twice?
Usually not, when it’s done right. The foreign tax credit, the foreign earned income exclusion, and treaty positions exist to prevent it. The key is preparing both returns with the same facts, which is why we coordinate them.
What does it cost?
It depends on the countries, the years, and the forms involved, so we quote it in writing after a short call — fixed, before any work begins. No hourly meter and no surprise add-ons.
How do we get started?
Book a free 15-minute fit call. Bring your last filed returns if you have them; if you don’t, book anyway.
Ties to another country? Start here.
A free 15-minute call, then a written scope and price. No payment until after.
The content on this page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional tax advice. International tax requirements depend on individual facts and circumstances and are subject to change. See our full legal disclaimer.