Who this is for
- Clients renouncing US citizenship
- Long-term Green Card holders expatriating
Expatriation & Renouncing
Expatriation return (Form 8854)
The final US tax filing when you renounce US citizenship or give up long-term Green Card status.
Overview
Why this filing matters
The final US tax filing when you renounce US citizenship or give up long-term Green Card status.
Note — Renouncing US citizenship.
What you get
- Form 8854 preparation
- Final-year 1040 / 1040-dual-status return
- Coverage of covered-expatriate rules
Our approach
Built for the cross-border edge cases.
Most US-UK filings fail the same way: a treaty position that wasn’t disclosed, a foreign account that slipped under FBAR thresholds, a PFIC election filed in the wrong year, a carry-forward not tracked from one preparer to the next. The cost of any single one of those is rarely catastrophic on its own — it’s the compounding over multiple filing seasons that quietly turns a clean tax life into a six-figure remediation project.
We start every engagement by looking at the edge cases first — the elections, the disclosures, the carry-forwards, the side-effects on next year’s return — and only then turn to the routine line items. The result is a filing that reads cleanly to anyone who picks it up next: another preparer, the IRS, or a successor in your own business.
- Position memo on every meaningful election, with the reasoning written down for the next return
- Carry-forwards (FTC, capital losses, PFIC basis) tracked year-on-year so nothing expires unused
- Plain-English commentary on every position taken — the kind that makes a future audit a non-event
Our process
How we handle your expatriation return (form 8854)
Four steps from first call to filed return. Fixed fee confirmed before any work begins.
- 01
Intake
30-minute scoping call. We confirm your situation, required filings, and send a tailored document list.
- 02
Review
We analyse your position, flag any cross-border risks, and confirm the scope and fee before any work starts.
- 03
Prepare
Draft returns and schedules are prepared with plain-English commentary on key positions for your review.
- 04
File
E-file with the IRS / FinCEN, send confirmations, and handle any follow-up notices or questions.
Pricing
Fixed fees — no surprises
Expatriation return package: from £2,500 + VAT — covers the final 1040/1040NR and Form 8854. Pre-expatriation planning, exit-tax modelling, and multi-year strategy are quoted separately.
FAQs
Common questions about Expatriation return (Form 8854)
When do I file Form 8854?
With your final-year tax return — typically a dual-status 1040/1040NR covering the period before and after expatriation. Due by the normal filing deadline of the year after expatriation.
Am I a 'covered expatriate'?
Yes if you meet any of: (1) net worth >$2M at the expatriation date; (2) 5-year average tax liability above the annual threshold (~$200k indexed); or (3) failure to certify 5 years of US tax compliance. Any one test makes you covered.
What's the exit tax?
Mark-to-market on your worldwide assets as if sold the day before expatriation. Net gain above the exemption (~$866k for 2024) is taxable at capital gains rates. Pensions are valued under a different regime.
Can I avoid covered-expatriate status?
Sometimes, with years of pre-expatriation planning — asset gifting, income timing, maintaining compliance, managing net worth. Starts 3–5 years before the expatriation date ideally.
Do I lose access to my US accounts after renouncing?
Legally no, but some US banks and brokerages close expatriate accounts automatically. We coordinate with your investment advisor on banking continuity before the renunciation date.
Ready to get this filed?
Tell us your situation and we'll confirm scope, a fixed fee, and the documents we need — usually within one business day.