2,121 plain-English guides on cross-border moves, US and Canadian returns, and small-business money. Each one ends in what to do next, and says when a written Diagnostic is the smarter first step.
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The IRS streamlined procedures let non-willful filers catch up with 3 years of returns and 6 years of FBARs: no penalty if you live abroad, 5% if you live in the US.
Canadian TaxT1142 reports what you got from a non-resident trust; T1141 reports what you put in. Who files each, the estate exception, the April 30 due date and the penalties.
Cross-BorderMost TN workers are already US tax residents, so a green card changes little on the next return. It changes how residency ends, the treaty position and the exit-tax clock.
Cross-BorderYes. A US citizen in Canada owes US estate tax on a worldwide estate above the 2026 $15 million exclusion, Canada taxes the deemed gains, and treaty credits limit the overlap.
Cross-BorderIndividuals sign the W-8BEN, Canadian corporations sign the W-8BEN-E, and only US persons sign a W-9. What each form claims and what a wrong form costs.
Canadian TaxCRA lists no fee to file a departure return. One firm's emigrant return base rate is $325; a late Form T1161 alone can cost $2,500. What firms charge, what moves it, and ours.
Canadian TaxA Canadian non-resident return has no CRA filing fee, and some non-residents need no return at all. Firm prices we found start at $350; our section 216 return is $700.
Cross-BorderA 1040-NR has no IRS filing fee. Firm prices start at $525 for a simple return, ours is $600 on its own, and skipping it can leave US rent taxed at 30% of the gross.
Cross-BorderForm 1120-F has no IRS fee, and one firm we found publishes a price: $1,100 at Taxes for Expats. Filing over 18 months late can cost a Canadian company its US deductions.
Cross-BorderForm 3520 has no IRS fee. Firms list $359 (MyExpatTaxes) to $500 (Greenback, Bright!Tax) to prepare one. A late gift report can cost up to 25% of the gift in penalties.
Cross-BorderForm 5471 has no IRS fee, but published firm prices run from $625 (Taxes for Expats) to $750 to $2,500 (WCG CPAs). Skipping it can cost $10,000 per corporation per year.
Cross-BorderForm 8621 has no IRS fee. Firms list $69 to $300 per fund, and Taxes for Expats bills the default section 1291 regime by the hour. Ours is $400 per fund per year.
Canadian TaxA section 216 return costs nothing to file yourself. Firms list $350 and $750 to $950 CAD; ours is $700 USD. With real expenses, it can turn a 25% tax on gross rent into a refund.
Canadian TaxFiling a T1135 yourself costs nothing. Preparer prices we found start at $100 and $500 a form, and a late T1135 costs $25 a day up to $2,500 per year, before the bigger penalties.
Cross-BorderFiling your US return from Canada costs $115 and up in software, $259 to $1,200 at expat firms, or from $1,745 for both countries' returns with us. Late filing costs more.
US TaxA CPA charges $280 on average for a basic Form 1040 (NATP 2025 study). Each schedule adds to it, and business returns average a $634 minimum. Fees by form, hourly rates, add-ons.
US TaxLLC tax prep costs $192 to $913 on national averages, depending on how the LLC is taxed: Schedule C, partnership, or S corp.
US TaxCPAs charge $280 for a basic 1040 and $733 to $913 for a business return. Monthly small business CPA services run $350 to $3,000.
Cross-BorderA dual-status return typically costs $1,500 to $2,500, several times a normal 1040. Two returns in one that can't be e-filed.
US TaxForensic accountants charge $450 to $500 an hour with a $3,000 median retainer per the 2024 SEAK survey. How hours add up by case type.
CFO & AdvisoryA fractional CFO costs $1,750 to $6,500 a month at 2026 prices, compared to a $269,750 midpoint salary for a full-time CFO.
US TaxA financial statement audit for a small private business typically costs $10,000 to $30,000. A review runs $5,000 to $15,000 and a compilation $2,000 to $5,000. What moves the fee.
Small Business & BookkeepingA small business typically spends $3,000 to $15,000 a year on an accountant. What bookkeepers, tax accountants, and CPAs each charge.
Small Business & BookkeepingOutsourced bookkeeping costs $99 to $1,000 a month at September 2026 list prices. An in-house bookkeeper costs $50,670 a year at the median wage.