By the time these issues surface in tax season, it's too late to fix them for that tax year. The better approach is to address them before the year closes.
Advanced expat tax planning : Stop overpaying. Your taxes, optimized.
Most high-earning Americans abroad are leaving serious money on the table. Not because they're doing anything wrong, but because expat tax strategy is genuinely complex, and a generalist CPA rarely has the depth to optimize it. We do.
- 1,000s clients advised
- $147K+ average tax savings per client
- 15+ years experience
Who we help : For high-income Americans who've outgrown their tax setup
We work with high-earning US citizens and green card holders living abroad, who recognize that their current tax strategy may not be fully optimized. That's typically one of two profiles:
-
The expat employee
Your compensation package includes salary, equity, housing, bonuses, and potentially a pension. Each element is taxed distinctly. Most tax preparers file the given structure instead of optimizing potential tax savings.
-
The independent consultant or entrepreneur
As an expatriate with self-generated income, you must navigate important decisions: entity structure, retirement, healthcare, and benefits, independently. Build your own strategy, or face overpaying.
Where expats overpay without tax optimization.
These are issues we see come up in nearly every engagement we take on with clients who've been filing on their own or with a generalist preparer.
FEIE vs. Foreign Tax Credit
Foreign Earned Income Exclusion chosen by default ignores your jurisdiction's tax rate, your business structure, and several other variables. Foreign Tax Credit, or a combination of both, can have significant advantages for many high-earners.
State tax obligations residency exposure
Moving abroad doesn't automatically end state tax residency, as some states (e.g., CA, NY, VA) aggressively assert it. Failing to properly sever domicile can result in state tax demands years later.
Compensation & entity structure
Standard expat compensation, with housing, education, cost-of-living, and equity, has varied tax implications. Independent consultants can design their own comp structure but rarely optimize their self-designed pay.
Our expertise : Integrated tax strategy for your full financial picture.
We don't optimize one line of your return in isolation. We offer holistic tax optimization across income, entity structure, investments, retirement, and domicile. We also file all necessary tax forms.
Areas we typically address:
- FEIE & Foreign tax credit optimization
- Cross-border compensation planning
- Retirement strategy: SDIRAs and beyond
- Real estate investment (including SDIRA-held property)
- US Brokerage account strategy
- Crypto tax planning
- State tax domicile & severance
What we don't do
We don't offer tax avoidance schemes or standardized setups. We create tax strategies that are optimized for your personal situation and hold up to IRS scrutiny. We can provide a written analysis that supports your decisions.
Our approach : Strategy first. Compliance follows.
-
Deep-dive discovery
We map your complete financial picture: income, compensation, entities, investments, retirement, crypto, residency, and state domicile. Nothing is siloed.
-
Tax modeling and scenario analysis
We analyze the data (FEIE vs. FTC, business structure, SDIRA, investments) to provide a full analysis and strategic recommendation.
-
Integrated strategy
We build and implement a comprehensive plan, covering compensation, investments, retirement, and more, to resolve interactions before they become expensive surprises.
-
Compliance and ongoing advisory
Our experienced tax team prepares all US compliance filings. And as your income, structure, or residency changes, we adapt.
Need a written position, not just advice?
Some situations are complex, particularly around cross-border company structuring, FEIE/FTC optimization, GILTI/Subpart F analysis, or compensation recharacterization. We produce formal tax memos and written research analyses that you can share with your legal team, existing accountant, or financial advisor, and serve as a defensible record of the position you've taken.
This is often the right starting point before a larger engagement.
FAQ : What high-earning expats ask us
Collapsed content for I earn well over the FEIE exclusion limit. Is there still a meaningful tax optimization strategy?
Yes. The exclusion only covers earned income up to the annual cap. Above that, Foreign Tax Credits, housing exclusions and deductions, and business structure can all reduce your effective rate further. High earners typically have the most to gain from a comprehensive review since they are often dealing with compensation structuring, equity, foreign corporations, self-employment tax exposure, housing exclusions, and multi-country tax coordination that goes far beyond the standard FEIE discussion.Collapsed content for Should I choose the FEIE or the Foreign Tax Credit, and can I change my decision later?
Many expats don't realize the FEIE vs FTC decision can impact future tax planning, retirement contributions, foreign tax credit carryforwards, and even the ability to switch methods again for several years. We model this analysis as a core part of every engagement.Collapsed content for Can you help with past years if I haven't fully optimized my current tax situation until now?
In some cases, yes, through amended returns, method changes, or election adjustments. We frequently work with expats and founders who already have foreign companies, US LLCs, payroll setups, crypto activity, or international reporting issues that were established without coordinated planning and now need to be cleaned up properly. We'll assess what's correctable and what the risk/benefit profile looks like before recommending any retroactive approach.Collapsed content for How do I hold real estate in an SDIRA as an expat?
SDIRAs can hold domestic and certain international real estate, but the prohibited transaction rules are strict, and violations are costly. We advise on structure, permissible parties, financing constraints, and the reporting obligations that apply to SDIRA-held property.Work with us : Know what you owe. Know what you don't.
In a 30-minute consultation, we'll review your situation, including income, structure, investments, residency, and tell you exactly where you're exposed and where the optimization opportunity is.
Strict confidentiality guaranteed