Software, a large expat firm, or one Enrolled Agent.
Software is cheapest and will not ask about your housing. A large firm has capacity and rotates preparers. I am one Enrolled Agent at a published flat fee, which is right for most expat returns and wrong for entity-heavy work. Compare on what your return actually needs.
Scroll the table sideways for every column
| What matters | DIY software | Large expat firm | This practice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who signs the return | You do | A team member, often new each year | Jorge I. Rivas, EA — every year |
| Price for a complete expat return | Low, plus add-ons per form | Quoted after a call | $599, published |
| Foreign housing exclusion | Rarely prompted | Usually claimed | Computed from your lease or employer statement |
| Streamlined catch-up filing | Not supported | Supported, priced per year | $1,395 for the whole package |
| IRS representation if a notice arrives | None | Depends on the preparer's credential | Unrestricted — an Enrolled Agent is federally licensed |
| Best for | Simple wage income, well under the exclusion | Corporate assignees, entity groups, payroll | Teachers, ministry workers, professionals abroad, catch-up filers |
Questions about choosing
Is software really enough for some people?
Yes. One wage job, income well under the exclusion, no foreign accounts and no state complication — software will handle that, and paying me for it would be a waste of your money. I would rather tell you on the free call.
What does a large firm give me that you do not?
A bench. Multiple Forms 5471, payroll across entities, consolidations, and cover if one person is unavailable. If that is your situation, a firm is the right answer and I refer it out.
What do I get from you that neither offers?
The person who prepares the return is the person who signs it and the person who answers the IRS about it, at a fee published before the work starts. For most expatriate returns that combination is what actually decides the number.
Why is there no competitor named in the table?
Because I cannot verify another firm’s internal process, and a comparison built on guesses is worthless. The rows are limited to facts about my own practice and to features each category publishes openly.
Do you match a cheaper quote?
No. The fee is published and it is the same for everyone — which is the point of publishing it. What I will do is tell you honestly if the cheaper option is genuinely sufficient for your facts.