1-608-662-1040 Willoughby CPA's 300 Individual Clients are in 80+ Countries Early in Bret Willoughby's career he worked in Mauritania North Africa for an NGO that had a contract with USAID.  Since then he has been preparing tax returns for overseas Americans.  His clients are scattered from Timbuktu, Mali to Toronto, Canada and are international and American school teachers, releif workers, business owners.  They are concentrated in the Middle East, Central Asia, the Far East with a smattering in Europe and South America.  All States: Because overseas Americans tend to be a very mobile group of individuals we prepare individual tax returns for all American states that have income tax.  We also continue to serve clients in the states long after they have returned from living overseas as we prepare their tax return year after year. Common Errors:  We see many tax returns either self-prepared or prepared by other preparers unfamiliar with the complexities of the tax laws and code for American expats.  The two most common mistakes include not taking full advantage of the foreign earned income exclusion in the year the taxpayer first goes overseas or she returns to the states.  The second most common mistake is not taking the per child tax credit eventhough the taxpayer is eligible for the credit.  If the American working overseas earns less than US$110,000 and receives a W-2 and has three children 16 or under they should usually receive a tax credit of US$1,200-3,000.  We are happy to review your last three years tax returns for amendment opportunities and likely refunds. Non-Resident Alients:  We also have American clients who went overseas single and married non-Americans.  There are special tax rules that take place when both the husband and wife are not Americans.  The Process:  We are accustomed to preparing tax returns for overseas Americans.  Our tax questionnaire is available on the web, we mail a prepaid envelope for clients to return their "Important Tax Documents" via snail mail.  Of course "Important Tax Documents" can be faxed, or scanned and uploaded via the secure web-portal.  We ask our clients to sign form 2848 that allows us to sign the return on their behalf.  We will electronically file the tax return and provide a pdf confirmation from the IRS that the tax return was received. And of course we provide a complete copy of the tax return to our overseas clients in. Pricing: For a price quote, please mail, fax, or scan a tax return to our office.  A typical tax return price for someone working overseas all year is US$350 but every return is different.  Please let us give you a quote.  For more information contact bret@tax911.com.  To view a sample tax questionnaire go to Willoughby CPA Client Login and select individual tax questionnaire.      Myth: Americans Abroad are not required to file with the IRS If you are a US citizen and earned over US$10,000 from all sources in any currency you must file a tax return with the IRS even if you are paying taxes in your host country.  This includes your world-wide earnings, from all sources. In order to exclude US$84,000 from your income you MUST file a US tax return to claim the tax benefit.  You must file a tax return with the IRS BEFORE they find you in order to get the tax free treatment because you live and work outside the US.  All US citizens and resident aliens must file a US tax return.