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US Tax Advisor for Americans in Switzerland
Short answer: If you live in Switzerland and need a US tax advisor, we prepare your US return and the foreign account reporting, and an Enrolled Agent signs. We do the US side only. We do not prepare Swiss returns.
Key takeaways
Citizens and green-card holders file a US return from Switzerland, based on worldwide income.
Bank accounts abroad bring their own US reports: the FBAR and, above higher thresholds, Form 8938.
Switzerland is on the SSA's list of Social Security totalization agreements in force.
We prepare the US side only. Swiss returns need a Swiss preparer.
Zurich, Geneva, Basel or a mountain village, we work with you remotely.
Start with your accounts
Many people in Switzerland hold accounts at more than one bank, and that is where US reporting often gets missed. An FBAR is due if the foreign financial accounts you own or sign for add up to more than $10,000 at any moment in the year, counted together. It is filed electronically with FinCEN, not with your return. Spouses with only joint accounts may file one FBAR if Form 114a authorizes it.
Form 8938 is separate and sits inside your return. Living abroad, a single filer reports more than $200,000 on the last day of the year or more than $300,000 at any time. For joint filers it is more than $400,000 or more than $600,000. One report does not replace the other, so we test both.
Clients here also ask about Swiss pensions and retirement accounts, how Swiss and US returns treat the same income, and how a tax treaty applies. We state no rules on those topics. We review each case by case at the free review, from the US side.
Who this is for
Americans living in Switzerland, whether working for a company, running a business, studying or retired.
Dual citizens with a US and a Swiss passport.
Green-card holders living in Switzerland. They are US resident aliens and are taxed on worldwide income like citizens.
The rest of the US return
Form 1040. The IRS says the rules are generally the same abroad as at home. The filing test uses gross income, and for tax year 2025 a single filer under 65 generally must file at $15,750, counting income you could exclude.
Form 2555 or Form 1116. The foreign earned income exclusion is capped at $130,000 for tax year 2025 and $132,900 for tax year 2026 per person, and the IRS says spouses who both qualify can exclude up to $260,000 together for 2025. If you qualify for only part of a year, the cap is prorated by qualifying days. The foreign tax credit on Form 1116 is the alternative, and unused foreign taxes carry back 1 year and forward 10 years. We compare both ways before choosing.
Switzerland and the Social Security list
The SSA list of totalization agreements in force names Switzerland. Such an agreement is meant to prevent dual social security coverage and taxation by placing a worker in one country's system. Where you work and for whom decides which one applies. We go over the US side with you at the review.
What we do and what we do not do
What we do. We prepare your US return with the exclusion or the credit, your FBAR and your Form 8938. We catch up on missed US years. An Enrolled Agent reviews and signs, and Sabih Shafi can represent you before the IRS.
What we do not do. We do not prepare Swiss returns, give advice on Swiss law or deal with Swiss tax authorities. If a US decision depends on a Swiss figure, your Swiss preparer supplies it and we use it.
Deadlines from abroad
The return is due April 15. Living and having your main place of business outside the US earns an automatic extension to June 15, with a statement attached. Form 4868 extends filing to October 15, but interest still runs from April 15. The FBAR extends automatically to October 15 with no request.
Behind on US filings
Some Americans in Switzerland learned only later that the US wanted a return. The streamlined procedures are for non-willful cases, meaning negligence, inadvertence, mistake or good-faith misunderstanding. People abroad file the last three years of returns and six years of FBARs, and pay the tax and interest. These filers are not subject to failure-to-file and failure-to-pay penalties unless an exam finds fraud or a willful FBAR violation. Anyone under civil exam or criminal investigation is not eligible. Read the streamlined guide, then call us before you file.
Zurich, Geneva, Basel or anywhere
You do not need to be near us, because the work is remote. Documents go back and forth electronically, we talk by phone, and returns with a foreign address can be e-filed. We serve Americans in all 50 states and abroad. Los Angeles is only our base.
Choosing a US tax advisor in Switzerland
License. Prefer a federally licensed Enrolled Agent, and verify at https://irs.treasury.gov/rpo/rpo.jsf.
Scope. A good advisor says what the US side covers and what you need a Swiss professional for.
Fee. Ask for a flat fee in writing before work starts. Avoid anyone promising a refund or result sight unseen.
Call or book
Call or text (323) 900-0305, or book your free 20-minute review. You see a flat fee in writing before work begins.
General information, not tax advice for your situation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you prepare Swiss tax returns?
No. We prepare the US side only. You need a Swiss preparer for Swiss returns.
Does Switzerland have a Social Security agreement with the US?
Yes, it is on the SSA's list of agreements in force. We explain the US side at the review.
I live in Switzerland and pay Swiss tax. Do I still file in the US?
Usually yes, when worldwide gross income is above the filing threshold. The exclusion or credit may lower your US tax.
Can you review my Swiss pension?
We review it case by case at the free review. We do not advise on Swiss law.
Is the extension to June 15 extra time to pay?
No. It is extra time to file. Interest runs from April 15.
Last reviewed: October 2026 by Sabih Shafi, EA
Related Reading
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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