Who this is for
- US citizens living in the UK
- Green Card holders based abroad
- US persons with UK employment, self-employment, or rental income
Federal Tax Returns
Form 1040 — US resident return for expats
The main federal return for US citizens and Green Card holders, wherever you live in the world. We prepare 1040s for Americans in the UK with foreign earned income, UK employment, self-employment, and rental income.
Overview
Why this filing matters
The main federal return for US citizens and Green Card holders, wherever you live in the world. We prepare 1040s for Americans in the UK with foreign earned income, UK employment, self-employment, and rental income.
Note — Main return for US persons abroad.
What you get
- Federal return preparation & e-filing
- Foreign income reported correctly on Schedule B, D, E as applicable
- Integration with FEIE, foreign tax credits, and treaty positions
- Plain-English explanation of your final position
Why this matters
The 1040 is the spine of every US expat's tax life.
Most expats overpay because their UK accountant treats US filings as an afterthought, or their US preparer doesn't understand UK pensions, ISAs, and salary structures. The 1040 ties everything together — and getting the elections right in year one saves five-figure sums over a decade.
- FEIE vs. FTC chosen on the numbers, not by default
- ISAs, SIPPs, and PFICs flagged before they become a problem
- Treaty positions disclosed on Form 8833 where they actually help
- £550+Standard 1040 starting fee
- 2–3 wksTurnaround once docs are in
- 100%E-filed with IRS confirmation
- 0Hidden fees or hourly billing
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 form 1040
Four steps from first call to filed return. Fixed fee confirmed before any work begins.
- 01
Scoping call
30 minutes to map your income sources, residency status, prior filings, and any open IRS items. We confirm which schedules apply.
- 02
Document list & fee
You get a tailored document checklist and a fixed fee in writing. Nothing starts until you've signed off — no surprise invoices.
- 03
Draft & commentary
We prepare the 1040 plus all schedules, then send a plain-English summary of the key positions: FEIE vs FTC, treaty claims, foreign income lines.
- 04
E-file & follow-up
E-filed with the IRS, FBAR submitted to FinCEN where required, IRS confirmations forwarded. We handle any follow-up notices for free.
First year I haven't dreaded April. They explained why my UK pension contributions were costing me thousands and rewrote my filing strategy in one call.
Documents
What we'll need from you
Send these once and we drive the rest. Most clients have everything in a single shared folder by week one.
- Prior year's US return (federal + any state)
- UK P60, P11D, and self-assessment if applicable
- Foreign bank account list with peak balances
- Brokerage / ISA / SIPP year-end statements
- Rental income & expense summary (if applicable)
- Any IRS or HMRC notices received in the year
Pricing
Fixed fees — no surprises
Standard 1040 returns for US expats start from £550 + VAT. Final fee depends on the schedules required (rental, self-employment, investment income) and number of foreign accounts. You'll know the full price before any work starts.
FAQs
Common questions about Form 1040
Do I still need to file a US return if I already pay UK tax?
Yes. The US taxes citizens and Green Card holders on worldwide income regardless of where they live. In most cases the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion or Foreign Tax Credits eliminate any double taxation, but the filing obligation remains — and penalties for missed filings are significant.
When is the deadline for US expats?
There's an automatic two-month extension to 15 June for Americans living abroad. You can extend further to 15 October by filing Form 4868. Note: extensions apply to filing, not payment — any tax owed is still due 15 April to avoid interest.
Do I need to report my UK bank accounts?
Likely yes. FBAR (FinCEN 114) is required if your foreign accounts exceeded $10,000 in aggregate at any point during the year. Form 8938 (FATCA) kicks in at higher thresholds. We handle both alongside your 1040.
I haven't filed in years — can you help me catch up?
Yes, through the Streamlined Filing Compliance Procedures: three years of returns and six years of FBARs, with a non-wilfulness certification. Most of our catch-up clients pay no penalties under this programme.
Will you handle my UK self-assessment too?
We focus on US tax but coordinate closely with UK accountants to make sure FTC claims, treaty positions, and timing align across both systems. If you need a UK referral, we have trusted partners.
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.