Looking for International Tax Accountant for US/Canada Dual Citizen - Recommendations?

12 Do you know approximately how much they charged for their services? I've heard these cross-border specialists can be really expensive. Also, did they help with state taxes too? I'm moving to California which I've heard has its own complications.

7 Fitzgerald charged me about $1,200 for the first year which included all the extra forms for the move itself. Subsequent years have been around $800 annually. It's definitely more than a simple return would cost, but considering the complexity and potential penalties for mistakes, I've found it worthwhile. Yes, they handled my state taxes too. Each state has different rules, and California does have some unique tax situations. Make sure you ask specifically about state-level issues when interviewing potential accountants. Many people focus on the federal/country level and forget that states can have their own complex rules.

18 I'm in a similar situation but moving from Boston to Toronto. How do they handle the complexity of Canadian provincial taxes alongside US state taxes? And did they give you guidance on timing your move to minimize tax impact? I've heard the date you officially become a resident can make a huge difference.

4 I've seen a few of these AI tax services popping up lately. Do they have actual CPAs who understand the US-Canada tax treaty? My situation involves property in both countries plus retirement accounts, and I'm worried an automated system might miss something important.

15 They handle provincial and state taxes really well actually. They have specialists who know the specific rules for each province and major US states. For my Quebec-to-Illinois move, they outlined exactly how the different provincial and state credits worked together. And yes, they gave me specific advice on timing my move - suggested moving in January rather than November as it would simplify my tax year. They're not just an automated system - they have actual accountants with cross-border expertise who review everything. The AI part helps organize and identify issues, but real CPAs who specialize in US-Canada situations do the analysis and provide recommendations. For my property and investment accounts, they had specific strategies I hadn't considered.

3 How exactly does this work? Do they just sit on hold for you? I've been trying to reach the IRS about my FBAR forms for weeks with no luck. Seems too good to be true that someone could actually get through when the lines are always "experiencing higher than normal call volume.

21 I'm skeptical. The IRS international taxpayer line is notoriously understaffed. I spent 3+ hours on hold last month and still got disconnected. If this actually works, it would be worth almost any price, but I have a hard time believing anyone has some magic solution to the IRS phone system.

9 Yes, they essentially wait on hold so you don't have to. They have a system that monitors the hold and navigates the phone menus, then calls you when a real person answers. You don't need to keep your phone line open or sit there listening to hold music. I understand the skepticism - I felt the same way! The IRS international line is absolutely terrible. What I think happens is they're calling continuously throughout the day and have figured out the patterns of when calls are more likely to get through. When they get someone, they connect you. It's not magic, just clever use of technology and persistence. They can't guarantee a specific wait time, but in my experience and from what I've heard from others, it's consistently much faster than trying yourself.

14 What's this about an exit tax? I'm planning to move to Vancouver next year and nobody mentioned anything about this. I thought I just needed to file a final US return and then start filing Canadian returns. Is there something else I need to be aware of?

5 The exit tax primarily affects US citizens who are renouncing citizenship, or green card holders who are giving up permanent residence. If you're maintaining your US citizenship, you'll still need to file US tax returns even after moving to Canada - the US taxes based on citizenship, not residency. What I was referring to are the tax implications of changing residency. When you become a Canadian resident, Canada considers you to have "acquired" your existing assets at fair market value, which establishes your cost basis for future Canadian tax purposes. The US has different rules that can apply when you move investments or retirement accounts across the border.

23 Do you think it's even possible to DIY this stuff with tax software? I've been using TurboTax for my US returns and SimpleTax for Canadian, but I'm moving to the US next month and wondering if I should just bite the bullet and pay for a professional.

I wouldn't recommend DIY for cross-border situations, especially in your first year of moving. The tax software you mentioned (TurboTax and SimpleTax) aren't designed to handle the complexities of dual filing requirements, foreign tax credits, and treaty provisions between the US and Canada. I tried to do it myself initially and made several costly mistakes - missed foreign tax credit opportunities, incorrectly reported my Canadian retirement accounts, and didn't properly handle the timing of my residency change. The penalties for errors on international forms can be severe, and the IRS is particularly strict about foreign account reporting. For your first year, I'd strongly recommend getting professional help to establish the proper framework. Once you understand how everything works together, you might be able to handle simpler years yourself, but that initial transition year is just too complex to risk doing wrong.

This is excellent advice about starting early! I'm actually in the planning phase right now (move isn't until spring) so this timing tip is really valuable. Can you elaborate on what you mean by "departure tax calculations"? I keep seeing references to various tax implications when leaving Canada but I'm not clear on what specific calculations or forms are involved. Also, did your accountant help you with any pre-move planning around timing of income or asset sales? I'm definitely going to start interviewing specialists now rather than waiting. The flat fee vs hourly billing insight is particularly helpful - I hadn't thought about how that might affect their approach to the complexity of the situation.

Great question about departure tax! When you cease to be a Canadian resident, Canada treats it as if you've sold all your assets at fair market value on your departure date - this creates a "deemed disposition" for capital gains purposes. You don't actually sell anything, but you may owe tax on any unrealized gains. There are some exemptions (like your principal residence and certain retirement accounts), but things like non-registered investment accounts, rental properties, etc. can trigger significant tax bills. The good news is you get a "step-up" in cost basis for Canadian tax purposes if you ever return. My accountant definitely helped with pre-move planning. We timed my departure for early January to keep my high-income year fully in the US (better tax rates), and I sold some losing positions before leaving Canada to offset gains from the deemed disposition. We also looked at whether to contribute to my RRSP before leaving (spoiler: we didn't, as it would complicate US reporting). The planning aspect is where a good cross-border specialist really earns their fee - the actual tax return preparation is just documenting decisions you should have made months earlier!