Most nomads with income in more than one country need one of five kinds of adviser: a US expat CPA or enrolled agent, a UK chartered tax adviser, an international tax lawyer, a Big 4 private client team, or an online expat-tax firm. Check their credential on the official register, put scope and fee in an engagement letter, and avoid anyone who guarantees an outcome. Published prices are rare; the clearest public example is H&R Block’s expat service, from $259 for one federal return.
This is a wiki: members can edit this first post to add options, prices and experiences. Please keep it factual and say when you last used a service.
Last checked: October 2026
In short:
- Check credentials free on official registers: the IRS directory, NASBA’s CPAverify, the CIOT and ATT directories, and the SRA register.
- UK tax advice is not formally regulated, and the IRS directory omits some preparers, so a missing listing is a question to ask, not proof of fraud.
- Red flags: guaranteed results, “HMRC approved” claims, refund-based fees, and plans built on a residency you won’t actually live.
Adviser types compared
| Adviser type | Best for | How to verify | Price from (date checked) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US expat CPA or enrolled agent (EA) | US citizens and green-card holders filing from abroad: FEIE vs FTC, FBAR, Form 5471/8938 | CPAverify or state board (CPA); IRS Office of Enrollment (EA); IRS preparer directory | Members to add | EAs are licensed by the IRS itself. CPAs are licensed by states. |
| UK chartered tax adviser (CTA) or ATT member | Leaving the UK, the Statutory Residence Test, FIG regime, UK company owners | CIOT and ATT “find a member” directories | Members to add | UK tax advice is not formally regulated. |
| International tax lawyer | Structuring, disputes, exit tax, trusts | SRA register (England and Wales), US state bars, local law societies | Members to add | Usually hourly. |
| Big 4 private client (Deloitte, PwC, EY, KPMG) | High-net-worth moves across several countries, complex holdings | Check the individual adviser on the relevant register | Quote-based | Usually the costliest option; useful for multi-country coordination. |
| Online expat-tax firm | Routine US expat returns at a fixed price | Ask who signs your return, then check them in the IRS directory | H&R Block Expat: $259 (employees), $459 (investor and self-employed), $1,959 (non-US business owners), one federal return (Oct 2026) | Plus $125 per state return, $99 per FBAR, extra forms charged separately. |
How to verify a credential
- US preparers. Every paid preparer needs a current PTIN. The IRS Directory of Federal Tax Return Preparers lists PTIN holders who are CPAs, enrolled agents, attorneys, enrolled actuaries, enrolled retirement plan agents or Annual Filing Season Program participants. Non-credentialed preparers are not listed, and some credentialed ones opt out. To confirm an enrolled agent, use the IRS Office of Enrollment contact form, which aims to answer within 72 hours.
- US CPAs. NASBA’s CPAverify uses data from 53 state and territory boards and shows licence status and disciplinary actions.
- UK advisers. The CIOT says tax advice is “not formally regulated.” Check the CIOT and ATT directories. HMRC now requires paid advisers who deal with it for clients to register. Those who already have Self Assessment or Corporation Tax agent codes must register from 18 August 2026, and registering businesses need anti-money laundering supervision.
- Lawyers. The SRA Solicitors Register shows whether someone is a solicitor, whether a firm is regulated, and who has been barred. For US attorneys, check the state bar.
Red flags
- Guaranteed outcomes. HMRC warns about schemes that “promise to lower your tax bill for little or no real cost.”
- “HMRC approved”. The CIOT says HMRC does not approve advisers or methods, so such claims are “spurious.”
- “Offshore secrets”. HMRC flags money going “around in a circle” and pay disguised as loans you aren’t expected to repay.
- Paper residency. A residence certificate where you rarely live, while your home and work stay elsewhere. See Tax residency explained: why the 183-day rule is a myth for most countries.
- Refund-based fees. The IRS says to avoid preparers who charge a percentage of your refund.
Scoping call and engagement letter
Send a one-page summary first: your citizenships, where you spent your days over the last three years, your income sources, entities and accounts. Then ask which countries the adviser covers, whether they will file or only advise, whether the fee is fixed or hourly, and whether they carry professional indemnity insurance, as the CIOT recommends.
Get an engagement letter before work starts. It should cover the scope (which years and countries), the fee basis, your deadlines and who files. The IRS reminds taxpayers that they remain legally responsible for their return. Never sign a blank one.
How to choose
Match the adviser to your hardest problem. A routine US return suits an online firm or an EA. A first year out of the UK suits a CTA. Trusts, company migration or exit tax need a lawyer, often working with advisers in both countries.
Member experiences
Reply below with which one you use and why. Include the adviser type, your residence, what you paid and the year. Please don’t name small practitioners; report misconduct to the relevant body instead.
Related guides: Tax residency explained: why the 183-day rule is a myth for most countries · FEIE vs Foreign Tax Credit (2026): which one US expats should use · US expat taxes (2026): filing, FEIE, FBAR and catching up · Leaving the UK (2026): Statutory Residence Test, split year and FIG regime · Low-tax residency for high earners (2026): 14 regimes compared
Quick answers
Q: How do I check if a US tax preparer is legitimate?
Ask for their PTIN, which every paid preparer must have. Then search the IRS Directory of Federal Tax Return Preparers, which lists credentialed preparers and Annual Filing Season Program participants. Check CPAs on NASBA’s CPAverify or the state board. Confirm enrolled agents through the IRS Office of Enrollment.
Q: Is tax advice regulated in the UK?
Not formally. The CIOT says anyone can call themselves a tax adviser. Look for CIOT (CTA) or ATT membership and professional indemnity insurance. From 2026, paid advisers who deal with HMRC for clients must also register with HMRC, which requires anti-money laundering supervision and no relevant sanctions.
Q: How much does a cross-border tax adviser cost?
Few firms publish prices. H&R Block’s expat service starts at $259 for one federal return for employees, and $1,959 for non-US business owners, plus $99 per FBAR and $125 per state return. Lawyers and Big 4 teams are quote-based. Members, please add what you paid.
Sources
- IRS: Choosing a tax professional
- IRS: FAQs, Directory of federal tax return preparers with credentials and select qualifications
- IRS: Verify the status of an enrolled agent
- IRS: Make a wise choice when selecting a tax preparer
- NASBA: All about CPAverify
- CIOT: Find a member
- CIOT: Choosing a tax adviser
- HMRC: Check if and when you need to register as a tax adviser with HMRC
- HMRC: Check if you meet HMRC’s conditions to register as a tax adviser
- HMRC: Tempted by tax avoidance
- SRA: Solicitors Register
- H&R Block: Expat assisted tax filing
This is general information from the Nomad Forums team, not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules change; check the official source or a qualified adviser before acting.
Over to you: What type of adviser do you use for your cross-border situation, and roughly what did a full year cost? Has anyone used a scoping call that saved them from a bad structure?