American Citizens Abroad, a group that promotes the interests of U.S.-born expatriates, has updated and relaunched its online
The group advocates for adoption of residency-based taxation in response to laws like the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act, part of the HIRE Act of 2010, which has placed tax burdens on U.S. expats.
“There are an estimated 5.3 million American taxpayers overseas,” said ACA legal counsel Charles Bruce in a statement. “Not only does ACA hear from members and supporters looking for tax preparation services but also investment and legal services. Expats want to know who’s out there, who does what, and how to get in touch with them. They want to be able to learn, shop around and make wise decisions.”
ACA began publishing its online directory in 2014 and it was originally limited to tax return preparers. ACA said it receives a large volume of inquiries every year about tax preparers and other service providers, especially during tax season. Individuals need help with many issues outside of pure tax filing, such as creating U.S. wills and trust structures, accounting needs for U.S.-based business interests, management of U.S.-based investments, so it has decided to expand the directory beyond tax preparation.
“We hear from many U.S. citizens overseas who are in need of a wide range of professional services because they are managing the financial affairs of their parents, managing educational expenses for their children in the U.S. or dealing with the receipt of a U.S.-based inheritance, for example,” said ACA executive director Marylouise Serrato in a statement. “The list is long and it’s not just about filing taxes.”
With tax season officially set to begin Jan. 27, the ACA Expat Tax Services Directory now includes a wider range of providers, along with more subcategories to enable users to focus on specific subjects. The directory works on both smartphones and tablets.
