The Problem Every American in Europe Faces

The United States taxes its citizens on worldwide income, wherever they live. So an American working in London, running a company in Amsterdam, or retiring in Portugal files US returns every year — on top of local ones.

Left unmanaged, the two systems collide. Common results include double taxation on the same income, punitive US treatment of perfectly ordinary European investments under the PFIC rules, unexpected exposure on foreign pensions, and penalties for bank accounts that were never reported on an FBAR.

None of this is inevitable. The US has tax treaties with over 60 countries — including most of Europe — and generous mechanisms like the foreign tax credit and the foreign earned income exclusion. But treaties and credits don’t apply themselves. They have to be claimed, correctly, by someone who understands how both systems fit together. That is the core of what we do.

US Tax Consulting Services for Expats Across Europe

Annual US compliance. Federal returns, state returns where required, FBAR and FATCA reporting — handled accurately and on time, wherever in Europe you live.

Catching up with the IRS. Behind on your filings? You’re far from alone. The IRS Streamlined procedure lets most expats come back into compliance with three years of returns and six years of FBARs — usually with no penalties. We’ve guided many clients through it quickly and painlessly.

Investment and pension planning. European investment funds, assurance-vie, ISAs, and workplace pensions can all trigger unpleasant US tax consequences if held the wrong way. We review what you own and advise on what to keep, restructure, or avoid.

Business structuring across borders. For entrepreneurs and business owners, we advise on entity classification elections, controlled foreign corporation rules, and how to expand between the US and Europe without creating tax problems that surface years later.

Renunciation and exit planning. For those considering giving up US citizenship or a green card, we model the exit tax consequences before any irreversible step is taken.

Professional US Tax Advisory Services, Led by a Specialist

US Tax Consulting Europe is led by Ed Rieu, a US-qualified lawyer who spent decades on the US tax desks of large global accounting firms before advising private clients and businesses directly across Europe.

Expat tax work sits at the difficult end of US tax practice — treaties, elections, foreign entities, cross-border restructurings. It rewards experience, and it punishes guesswork. Our clients work directly with the specialist handling their affairs, and get answers grounded in decades of professional US tax advisory work, not software output.

We advise individuals and businesses across France, the United Kingdom, and the rest of Europe, in English and French.