jackcharles

I've searched for similar threads and it seems a fair few people ask this kinda question but there aren't too many answers, but here goes...

I've just moved to Boston on an L1 and my head is absolutely spinning with just the most rudimentary of tax forms. My brain is not built for this and I will happily through good money at someone, anyone, anything that can give me peace of mind with all of this.

I understand that as I'm new here (and haven't spent much time here previously) I'm a "Non Resident Alien" until I pass the substantial presence test (sometime around next summer), so I need to start filling in W-8BEN forms left, right and centre so people can withhold tax from me, but even the W-8BEN is one of the most confusing things I've ever seen and even the instructions just introduce more and more jargon and strange statements without any definition that further confuses everything... and I haven't even got started on actual tax returns.

Surely there is some service or business that for $x a month can provide decent advice on all of this stuff?? Google throws up a thousand results for US expats in the UK, but I can't get anything decent the other way around. If you guys know anybody, I'd be greatly appreciative.

Thanks!

Jack

morpeth

I really don't think you need monthly accounting advice, I assume your main question is part 10 of the form- but I guess question is for what income are you having to prepare this form and for whom ?

jackcharles

You're right, it won't need to be monthly advice - certainly someone whose hours I can hire as needed to give assured advice on these subjects (and likely more thoroughly around tax return season).

In this case, I need to submit the form to my bank, and quite possibly to my landlord for my security deposit - at least I think it's this as opposed to the W-9 that he and his bank are insisting on, which doesn't seem to be make sense to me as I'm not a US resident. Apparently that doesn't matter because I'd be the beneficiary, but I can't find that clause / note / exception anywhere in the floods of fine print about all this. All these things chuck around big words like "perjury" if you sign the wrong one and the IRS aren't exactly known for being lenient and understanding.

morpeth

ok next question is will you gain interest form the bank or landlord ? if not this is a complete non issue.

part 10 of the form just asks what paragraph you are referring to on the tax treaty. sure a cpa can look that up for you for 1 to 2 hours charge.