Focused U.S. foreign tax credit preparation
Form 1116,handled with care.
Dedicated preparation and review for foreign income, investments, tax carryovers, and the calculations that ordinary tax software can make hard to explain.
Start with a short, non-sensitive inquiry. Please do not send tax documents, Social Security numbers, or account numbers through the contact form.
Foreign tax credit
Clear inputs.
Traceable result.
- 1Income separated into the correct category
- 2Foreign taxes and limits reconciled
- 3Carryovers and required schedules checked
- 4A result you can review before filing
Narrow focus
Form 1116 and related return preparation
Source-led work
Built around current IRS instructions
Safe first contact
Sensitive documents only after engagement
A specialist fit
Start with your situation.
Form 1116 is one form, but the work changes with the type of income, country, tax year, and history you bring to it.
Living or working abroad
Foreign wages, pensions, self-employment, and taxes paid where you live or work.
Learn what appliesForeign investments
Foreign tax shown on a 1099, K-1, K-3, brokerage statement, or other payee statement.
Learn what appliesCredit carryovers
Unused credits, Schedule B reconciliation, prior-year records, or amended-return questions.
Learn what appliesAMT or software issues
Unexpected limits, separate categories, alternative minimum tax, or a result that needs review.
Learn what appliesA straightforward handoff
From question
to filed return.
- 01
Describe the issue
Send the tax year, countries, and a short overview—without sensitive data.
- 02
Confirm the scope
Your facts are reviewed so the work and quote can be defined before you engage.
- 03
Prepare and review
The relevant Form 1116 work is completed and walked through before filing.
Before the calculation
Do you actually need Form 1116?
Some individuals can claim a modest foreign tax credit without filing the form—but only when every condition is met.
Work through the full filing checklistThe 2025 limited election
All four conditions must be true.
- 01Only passive-category foreign income
- 02All income and tax on qualified payee statements
- 03$300 or less of creditable tax—or $600 filing jointly
- 04The simplified procedure is elected for the year
The election is not available to estates or trusts and can affect carryovers to or from the year.
The Form 1116 library
Useful answers, organized by the decision you face.
Do I need Form 1116?
Test the passive-income, payee-statement, and $300/$600 conditions.
Read the guide 02Credit or deduction?
Compare a direct tax credit with a Schedule A itemized deduction.
Read the guide 03Carryover and Schedule B
Track unused tax through the 1-year carryback and 10-year carryforward window.
Read the guide 04For U.S. expats
Connect foreign wages, Form 2555, pensions, sourcing, and treaties.
Read the guide 05For investors
Work from 1099, brokerage, K-1, and K-3 reporting into the limitation.
Read the guide 06AMT Form 1116
Understand the parallel alternative minimum tax credit calculation.
Read the guideCommon starting questions
A few answers before you ask.
Is Form 1116 only for expats?
No. U.S.-based investors often encounter it through foreign tax withheld on dividends, interest, partnerships, or funds. The form is also common for wages and other income earned abroad.
Does foreign tax shown on a 1099 equal the allowed credit?
Not always. The tax must be creditable, and the amount allowed may be limited in relation to U.S. tax on the applicable foreign-source income.
Can unused foreign tax credit expire?
Yes. For many categories, excess foreign tax generally carries back one year and forward ten years. Category-specific exceptions apply, and the carryover period does not pause.
Should I send my return through the contact form?
No. The public form is only for a brief, non-sensitive overview. If the work is accepted, documents should move through a separately agreed secure channel.
Can you guarantee a refund or credit amount?
No. The result depends on eligibility, source documents, the full return, and current law. A reliable scope starts with reviewing the facts rather than promising an outcome.
Your next step
Put the issue into words. Leave the sensitive data out.
A short overview is enough to evaluate whether the return fits the practice and what should happen next.