International Tax Services for Individuals

There’s nothing like working overseas. It takes some careful thought and planning, though, to keep it rewarding rather than arduous.

At EFP Rotenberg, we help both companies and individuals deal with the intricacies of working internationally—from managing the compensation and tax issues to helping with the daily details of living.

Whether you work for an employer with a solid strategy for international employees or you’re strking out on your own, here’s a Top 10 Checklist for Working Abroad.

Top 10 Checklist for Working Abroad
(we help you check them off)

1. Figure out your tax picture. It is about to change completely. Not so E-Z anymore. You could be subject to double taxation, foreign filings, special fees. Be prepared. Don’t pay more than your fair share.
2. Keep an eye on the calendar. Some of the special rules for foreign tax credits and foreign income exclusion require that you establish residency in your new home for a certain period of time. To avoid being double taxed you may have to extend the deadline for your tax return.
3. Understand what will be included in your compensation. Who will pay for housing, education, security, domestic help? Will you be reimbursed for any additional taxes? Will that compensation for expenses also be taxable? And in which country?
4. How will your visa or immigration status affect your taxes? You may think you’re not a resident because you’re on a work visa, but the tax agency of your new home country may think otherwise. If you’re a student or a professor or self-employed or a contractor, there might be different rules.
5. How does your spouse file taxes? It’s best to run the numbers both ways—filing jointly, filing separately—while taking into account the foreign tax picture, before you choose a filing strategy.
6. How do you save for retirement? Who collects social security withholding? How should you invest for retirement, through your employer’s domestic plan or on your own? What are the tax implications, now and when you’re ready to withdraw the funds?
7. What should you do with your house or other property in your country of origin? Sell? Rent? Bring it with you? Throw a giant garage sale?
8. How will your performance be judged? How will you know you’re being successful in your new posting, especially if you’re the only employee in your country? Who decides when you get a raise? Make sure you understand the terms of your employment.
9. Take care of the “living” details. Where will you live? Where will you shop? How will you get around—buy a car or get a driver or use mass transit? Do you need to learn a language? Where will your children go to school? Will your spouse be able to carry on with a career? What are the cultural differences you’ll need to understand? Get the help you need, from your employer, or on your own.
10. Come home correctly. When your time overseas is over, you can’t always just book a flight home and carry on. You generally need to close out your status in an organized and official fashion, surrendering visas and immigration cards to be sure that your tax liability doesn’t continue after you’ve sailed home.

Download this list as a handy PDF; when we meet, we can use it to design your customized global mobility plan. 

Read more about our Global Mobility Guidance for all those non-tax issues.

Meet the leaders of our international tax team.