From Expat to Entrepreneur to EA
I did not know it at the time, but my enrolled agent (EA) journey began in 2002 when my wife, Carrie, and I moved from the United States to Barcelona to pursue our Master of Business Administration (MBA) degrees. When we graduated in 2004, we... David McKeegan, EA
Do No Harm
As someone who has been in the tax game for over 40 years and exclusively in the world of international tax for the last 18 years, my company has flourished and prospered on the mistakes of others. In 2013, when I... Mary Beth Lougen, EA, USTCP
IRS Crackdowns and Expatriate Tax Compliance
In the past year, the IRS has released new compliance initiatives that target expatriates (expats), specifically. As part of these crackdowns, enrolled agents (EAs) are likely to see a rise in noncompliance notices, passport revocations, and other penalties. While these puni... David McKeegan, EA
International Representation: What You Should Know
Return preparation and representation of clients with offshore accounts and assets has become one of the hottest and fastest-growing areas in tax practice. It is a difficult and convoluted world of rules with high stakes that often lack definitive and clear guidance. Before taking on a taxpayer with foreign ties, be sure to read up on what needs to be filed, when it needs to be filed, and what defines “filed.” You will also want to know what ... Mary Beth Lougen, EA, USTCP
Filing Requirements of Americans Abroad
Ownership of passive foreign investment company (PFIC) shares can easily be missed because their ownership is often hidden in security portfolio statements. A company is a PFIC by fulfilling one of two requirements; having at least 75 percent of its income be passive or having at least 50 percent of its assets be investments held for the production of passive income. Passive income includes, but is not limited to, interest, dividends, rents, ... Rainer Fiege-Kollmann, EA