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US Expat Tax Services by an Enrolled Agent
Short answer: If you are an American living abroad and want a professional to prepare your return, look for a preparer who handles the Form 1040 and the foreign filings that come with it. We do that remotely, with an Enrolled Agent signing, in English or Spanish.
Key takeaways
A US citizen or green-card holder abroad files under the same rules as someone in the US and is taxed on worldwide income.
Most expat returns involve Form 1040 plus Form 2555 or Form 1116, and often an FBAR and Form 8938.
Living abroad gives you extra time to file, but not extra time to pay.
If you are behind, the streamlined procedures may fit, but only if the failure was non-willful.
Choose a preparer who is licensed, signs your return, quotes a flat fee in writing, and can represent you if the IRS writes.
What an expat tax return actually involves
If you searched for an expat tax accountant, advisor or specialist, you are probably trying to answer one question: what do I have to file, and who can do it correctly? Here is what an expat return usually includes.
Form 1040. The IRS says the rules are generally the same whether you live in the US or abroad. Filing depends on worldwide gross income, filing status and age, and income you can exclude still counts toward the test. For tax year 2025, a single filer under 65 generally must file at $15,750 of gross income. If you are self-employed, you must file when net earnings from self-employment are $400 or more.
Form 2555 (foreign earned income exclusion). You need a tax home in a foreign country plus either the bona fide residence test or the physical presence test (330 full days abroad in any 12 consecutive months). The maximum exclusion is $130,000 for tax year 2025 and $132,900 for tax year 2026. It reduces income tax, not self-employment tax.
Form 1116 (foreign tax credit). If you paid foreign income tax, you may claim a credit for it. You cannot take a credit or deduction for foreign tax on income you choose to exclude. Which route is better depends on your numbers, and some people use a mix.
FBAR (FinCEN Form 114). You must file if the combined value of your foreign financial accounts went over $10,000 at any time in the year. It is filed electronically with FinCEN, not with your tax return.
Form 8938 (FATCA). Attached to your return, and separate from the FBAR. If you live abroad, the thresholds are more than $200,000 on the last day of the year or $300,000 at any time (single), and $400,000 or $600,000 (married filing jointly).
Deadlines for Americans living abroad
Your return is normally due April 15. If you live outside the US and your main place of business is outside it, you get an automatic extension to June 15. You attach a statement to the return explaining why you qualify. No form is filed in advance.
Interest still runs from April 15 on any tax not paid by then. Filing Form 4868 by June 15 extends your filing time to October 15 for a calendar-year return (check the "out of the country" box), but it is not an extension of time to pay. You can also ask for a further two months, to December 15, by sending the IRS a letter by October 15.
The FBAR is due April 15 and extends automatically to October 15 with no request needed. For tax year 2025, that October 15 date is October 15, 2026.
If you will not meet the residence or presence test until after your return is due, Form 2350 may apply.
Behind on your US taxes while living abroad?
Many Americans abroad never knew they had to file. The IRS streamlined procedures are for people whose failure to file or report foreign accounts was non-willful. For Foreign Offshore filers, that means three years of returns, six years of FBARs, and payment of the tax and interest owed. The IRS states that these filers are not subject to failure-to-file and failure-to-pay penalties unless an exam finds fraud or a willful FBAR violation. You are not eligible if you are under a civil exam or criminal investigation, so talk to us before you file anything.
Who we help
Employees abroad, including people with a foreign employer and no US payroll.
Self-employed people and freelancers working from another country.
Retirees living abroad on pensions, Social Security and investment income.
Dual citizens who never lived in the US as adults but still hold a US passport.
Green-card holders abroad, who are taxed on worldwide income like citizens.
Foreign owners of US companies, including owners of US LLCs and corporations that must report certain transactions with related parties on Form 5472.
How working with us goes
Free 20-minute review. We look at your situation, your years, and what you need.
Flat fee in writing. You see the fee before any work starts.
Send your documents. You send your documents electronically. No mailing originals.
Preparation and review. Your return is prepared, then an Enrolled Agent reviews it and signs it.
Everything remote. Wherever you are, any time zone, in English or Spanish.
Ready to start? Call or text (323) 900-0305, or book your free 20-minute review. Los Angeles is our base, but we serve Americans in all 50 states and abroad.
How to choose an expat tax preparer
Four questions will narrow the field fast.
Are they licensed? An Enrolled Agent is federally licensed by the IRS. You can verify any preparer in the IRS Return Preparer Office directory at https://irs.treasury.gov/rpo/rpo.jsf.
Who signs your return? Ask whether a credentialed professional reviews and signs it, or whether it is prepared by someone you never speak with.
Is the fee flat and in writing? Avoid a number quoted over the phone before anyone has seen your documents, and avoid a fee that changes after you sign.
Can they represent you if the IRS writes? An Enrolled Agent can represent taxpayers before the IRS in all 50 states. Preparation and representation are not the same service, so ask.
General information, not tax advice for your situation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to file a US return if I live abroad and pay tax locally?
Usually yes, if your worldwide gross income is above the filing threshold. Paying foreign tax does not remove the filing duty, but the foreign tax credit or the exclusion may reduce your US tax.
Do I need both an FBAR and Form 8938?
Possibly. They are separate filings with different thresholds, and filing one does not replace the other. The FBAR goes to FinCEN, and Form 8938 is attached to your tax return.
Can I use the foreign earned income exclusion and the foreign tax credit together?
You cannot claim a credit for foreign tax on income you exclude. Some people use the exclusion on part of their income and the credit on the rest. We run the numbers both ways before choosing.
What if I am behind on my filings?
Book the free review before you file anything so we can check your years and whether the streamlined procedures fit your facts.
Is everything really remote?
Yes. You send documents electronically, we talk by phone, and your return is e-filed where the IRS allows. Returns with a foreign address can be e-filed.
Can you help if the IRS writes to me?
Yes. As an Enrolled Agent, Sabih Shafi can represent you before the IRS. Call or text (323) 900-0305 and bring the notice.
Last reviewed: October 2026 by Sabih Shafi, EA
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Talk to an Enrolled Agent
This article is general information, not individual tax advice. If you want to talk through your own IRS or state balance, book a free 20-minute review or call or text us directly.
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