Question 1

I'm a foreign national with US income. Do I need to file a US return?

Accepted Answer

Usually, yes — the answer depends on your residency status for tax purposes, which is determined by a test of days present in the US, your visa situation, and any applicable treaty. Nonresident and resident aliens file differently, and choosing the wrong status is a common and expensive mistake. This is one of the most common questions the practice handles, and it is usually resolved in a single conversation.

Question 2

I'm a US citizen living abroad. Do I still have to file?

Accepted Answer

Yes. US citizens file US returns regardless of where they live, and they also report foreign bank accounts when balances cross the reporting thresholds. The good news: exclusions and foreign tax credits often reduce or eliminate the US tax owed — but the filing itself is still required, and penalties for missing foreign-account reporting are steep. Filing regularly is far cheaper than catching up.

Question 3

What is an FBAR, and do I need one?

Accepted Answer

FBAR is the Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts — a separate filing required when the combined balance of your foreign financial accounts exceeded $10,000 at any point in the year. It is filed electronically with the Treasury Department, not with your tax return. If you are unsure whether your accounts cross the threshold, ask; the calculation is straightforward once the account list is in front of us.

Question 4

What should I bring to a first consultation?

Accepted Answer

For individuals: the last two years of tax returns, if you have them, plus anything that changed — a move, a new job, a business, foreign accounts, a visa. For businesses: your entity documents and current bookkeeping, however rough. International clients: visa and travel records, which establish residency status. Imperfect documents are fine — that is what the first meeting is for.

Question 5

Do you work with clients remotely?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Returns, documents, and signatures move securely by email and portal, and consultations happen by phone or video. Clients on several continents work with the practice without ever visiting the office — and local clients are welcome to keep it analog, folder and all.

Question 6

What does an engagement cost?

Accepted Answer

Fees depend on the scope of the work — a straightforward return and a cross-border filing with foreign-account reporting are different undertakings. After the first consultation, you receive a clear fee estimate before any work begins, and the number does not drift. No engagement starts without you knowing the cost.

Question 7

I haven't filed in years. Is that fixable?

Accepted Answer

Almost always. There are established procedures for getting delinquent returns filed — including special programs for Americans abroad — and handling the situation proactively is dramatically better than waiting for a notice to arrive. It is a more common situation than clients expect, and it is handled without judgment.

Question 8

Can you represent me if I get an IRS notice?

Accepted Answer

Yes. As a licensed CPA, Stephen Nelson is authorized to represent clients before the IRS — responding to notices, handling audits and appeals, and dealing with collection matters — so you do not have to speak with the government alone. If a notice arrives, forward it promptly; deadlines in those letters are short.

Questions, answered before they're urgent.

Frequently asked questions

The filing calendar

Fourth-quarter estimated tax payment

W-2s and 1099-NECs issued

S corporation & partnership returns

Individual returns & first-quarter estimate

Expats & second-quarter estimate

Extended business returns & third-quarter estimate

Extended individual returns

A question of your own?