4 ms·
Do people need to care about this if they're filing online with a firm like H&R Block?
by guerrilla 5y ago
Do people need to care about this if they're filing online with a firm like H&R Block?
- niij 5y agoNo. But do note that H&R Block (along with Intuit and others) pay lobbyists to make filing your taxes a difficult costly process. I'd recommend using https://freetaxusa.com https://freetaxusa.com (legit, great site for only $15) or paying a local, independent CPA, to file your taxes instead. https://www.propublica.org/article/filing-taxes-could-be-free-simple-hr-block-intuit-lobbying-against-it https://www.propublica.org/article/filing-taxes-could-be-fre...
- guerrilla 5y agoI'm aware of the cartel and their lobbying. Unfortunately I doubt FreeTaxUSA will work for me as ex-patriot in a slightly complicated situation and there are no CPAs here. I'll check it out though, thanks.
- aww_dang 5y agoExpatriates still have a few cheapish options. Taxes for Expats or Expatfile. The first has more options for having a CPA. The second is self-serve.
- guerrilla 5y agoThe first is more expensive than what I use from H&R last time I looked; I'll check out the second, thanks.
- niij 5y agoOh, no! I'm sorry you have to deal with that situation. I've heard filing as an expat is terrible with FATCA reporting etc. I'm planning to move out of the country in retirement but it's still years away for me. If you don't mind me asking: how does managing your financial accounts work where you are? Do you still maintain USA bank/investment/retirements accounts (via mail forwarding?) or do you have them open in your country? What types of hurdles do you run into?
- guerrilla 5y agoI only opened a US bank account recently because of those COVID-19 relief checks that were sent out and nobody around here would cash them for me*. Other than that I've had no financial connection to the US. * Checks are considered an arcane and insecure technology from the stone age here.