Internal structure in CFCs If you're a U.S. person who owns (or has a stake in) a company incorporated outside the United States, three terms should be on your radar: Controlled Foreign Corporation (CFC), Subpart F income, and GILTI. These rules exist to prevent U.S. shareholders from parking profits offshore indefinitely — and they can generate a current U.S. tax bill even if you never see a dividend from the foreign company. This week, we're breaking down how these three pi

Putting your spouse, child, or parent on the payroll is one of the most common — and most misunderstood — small business tax moves. Done correctly, family employment can shift income to lower tax brackets, unlock retirement plan contributions for a minor, and even eliminate certain payroll taxes entirely. Done carelessly, it's one of the fastest ways to draw an IRS examination, because the family relationship itself is a built-in audit flag.

Own a condo in Manila, a flat in London, or a rental house in Guadalajara? If you're a US citizen, green card holder, or resident alien, the IRS wants to hear about the rent you collect on it — no matter where that property sits or what currency the rent shows up in. Here are the basics of reporting foreign rental income correctly, so a straightforward income stream doesn't turn into a compliance headache.

A rental is a rental, right? Not when it's overseas. Foreign rental real estate is stuck on a slower depreciation schedule with no bonus depreciation, and recapture at sale brings in currency translation and FTC sourcing that most software won't catch. Here's the full domestic-vs-foreign comparison.

Estimated taxes aren't just an IRS formality — they're one of the simplest tools you have to stay ahead of your tax bill instead of chasing it. Here's why we bring this up every quarter, plus a quick quiz to see where you stand.

Foreign Stock Plans and RSUs If you work for a multinational employer and your compensation package includes Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) or participation in a foreign stock plan, you're sitting on more than an investment — you're sitting on a reporting obligation that most people don't discover until it's too late. Whether you're a U.S. person working abroad, a foreign national working in the U.S., or someone who's relocated mid-vesting-schedule, equity compensation adds a

The green card test — not the card itself — determines U.S. tax residency. This week's Tax Talk Thursday walks through dual-status filing, the LTR 8-of-15-year test, Form 8854 mechanics, and the compliance risks of an expired-but-unterminated green card.

Passive activity loss rules quietly limit how much rental and passive losses you can deduct each year. This week's Tax Tip Tuesday breaks down the income phase-outs, Real Estate Professional Status traps, and documentation gaps that turn a legitimate loss into an audit flag.

The PTE election sounds technical, but the idea is simple: let your business pay a piece of your California tax so you can deduct it federally without a cap. Here's a plain-English breakdown of how it works and who it's for.

The home office deduction is one of the most misunderstood — and most scrutinized — deductions on a tax return. I see it come up constantly in client conversations, and the same question surfaces every time: "Is it really worth claiming? Will it trigger an audit?" The honest answer? Done right, the home office deduction is completely legitimate and worth claiming. Done wrong, it's a red flag that can invite exactly the kind of IRS attention you want to avoid.

Schedule E is one of the most scrutinized sections of your tax return. From rental losses to K-1 mismatches to passive activity rules, the IRS is watching — and documentation is everything.

You already know audits are a numbers game — the IRS targets returns where the revenue potential justifies the cost of examination. What that means in practice: as your income scales, so does your audit exposure. The question isn’t whether to take deductions. It’s whether your positions are structured to survive scrutiny without giving the IRS a foothold to expand the scope. Here’s what audit-proofing actually looks like at the high-income level — beyond the basics. Know What

If you hold a foreign bank account, own international investments, or have financial ties outside the United States, you’ve probably heard the terms FBAR and FATCA — sometimes used as if they mean the same thing. They don’t. Understanding the difference matters, because each has its own form, its own deadline, its own threshold, and its own set of penalties for non-compliance. We know — you've heard about FBAR and FATCA before. But there's a reason we keep coming back to this

Tuesday's blog introduced the three covered expatriate tests and the early warning indicators that signal exit tax exposure under IRC Section 877A. If you haven't read that post yet, start there. This Tax Talk Thursday goes deeper — and it focuses specifically on two groups whose situations are more nuanced, more misunderstood, and frankly more dangerous than the general headlines suggest: long-term green card holders and dual citizens. Both groups carry unique risks that sta

Here's the thing most international tax articles won't tell you: by the time you walk into a U.S. embassy to renounce your citizenship or file Form I-407 to abandon your green card, your exit tax exposure is already fixed. There is no going back, no last-minute restructuring, and no do-over. The exit tax under IRC Section 877A doesn't care when you start planning. It cares about what your financial life looked like on the day before you left. That's why identifying the warnin

Did you know that moving to a new state doesn't automatically end your tax obligations to your old one? Learn the six warning signs that your former state may still consider you a resident — and the steps you need to take to protect yourself from a costly audit.

One of the most dangerous misconceptions about the Green Card is that its tax impact is tied to the plastic card's expiration date. In reality, the IRS tracks your status through a "long-term resident" (LTR) clock that begins the moment you are granted permanent residency.

Moving to or from the U.S. mid-year changes your tax residency status, making you a dual-status individual. This means you are both a U.S. tax resident and a nonresident in the same tax year.

Running a business comes with no shortage of decisions, but few carry as much long-term financial weight as choosing the right entity structure. If your LLC is generating $40,000 or more in net profit annually, it may be time to consider converting to an S Corporation — and the tax savings could be significant. Learn when it makes sense to make the switch and what you need to know before you do.

US citizens and expats with foreign bank accounts face strict IRS and FinCEN reporting requirements. From FBAR to FATCA, learn the most common mistakes — and how to stay compliant.