Photo by Kelly Sikkema
“There are only two things in life that are guaranteed: death and taxes” - Some Cynic
BOO, Danni, usually your posts are about puppies or vegan pizza….what is this ice cold blast of adulting in the face?
Ew.
I know that taxes is not a sexy topic, but you know what’s even less sexy? Not being able to enter the United States because you owe them money… so, there’s that.
This is not a post about how to file US taxes per say, nor will I give any advice on filing taxes in Spain because I am not an expert. Like, I still count using my fingers, so don’t come to me with anything about numbers.
What I am very capable of doing is finding the right people to help me get things done. Here’s my recommendation.
Rapid Fire Questions About Filing US Taxes in Spain:
I don’t live in the United States, do I need to file?
YES.
I haven’t visited the United States in X years, do I need to file?
YES.
I don’t earn a lot of money here, do I need to file?
YES.
I’m an auxiliar de conversación on a scholarship, do I need to file?
YES.
I’m married to a Non-American person, do I have to file?
YES, for you. NO, for them.
I don’t plan on ever living in the United Staes again, do I have to file?
YES.
“Just because you’re required to file taxes, doesn’t mean that you’ll owe money. ”
Where to File US Taxes in Spain
You always have the option of filing your taxes yourself; however, if I learned anything from 2020 it’s to protect my peace.
I opted to hire someone to file my *cough* back taxes *cough* for me.
What is ClarionBridge Consulting?
ClarionBridge Consulting is a black-owned and operated consulting business which focuses specifically on US expats, business owners and investors in Spain.
The services are in English for your convenience, and the main accountant, Chaz Attamah, is a registered CPA from Canada who currently resides in Murcia, Spain.
Chaz has experience and a proven track record working with individuals i.e. US expats and greencard holders, but also, Big 4, Fortune 500 and mid-size accounting firms in the United States and Canada.
He’s a US certified public accountant in the state of Delaware, and also possesses a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the John Molson School of Business at Concordia University in Montreal.
Photo by Adeolu Eletu
My Personal Experience with ClarionBridge:
I paid ClarionBridge Consulting to file my back taxes, and I’ll be paying them again to file my 2020 taxes too. My overall experience was very positive!
3 words that come to mind are:
Efficient
Patient
Communicative
Chaz has the option to schedule a free 30-minute call to discuss whether or not he’s the right person for your situation. Love that!
He is really smart and knowledgable, and while he may go off on a tangent or two about foreign tax exclusion income deduction scenarios (that’s not a thing…) he will always take his time explaining the details so that it’s crystal clear.
The turnaround time was less than 2 weeks, and he uses a safe, very secure online vault of sorts because obviously, you’re sharing personal information.
So, how does it work exactly?
First I booked a call with him.
2. Next, I received an email with a link to the Vault as well as a client agreement form.
3. Then I procrastinated for 6 months, but he still took me on as a client because that’s the kind of person he is.
4. I filled out all the information, signed the form, and uploaded the documents to the secure platform.
5. After that, he did whatever magic-number-sorcery thing that he does, and then we went over everything together a second time on the phone.
6. He sent my tax documents to me via certified mail to sign. He also included a pre-addressed envelope to send to the IRS (how nice of him!)
7. He sent me a bill after the work was done.
That’s it!
Now, it’s my turn to send the signed and completed documents to the IRS.
How to send completed tax documents to the IRS
Man. This part sucks. What is paper mail? Why is it a thing between continents? Spain, why are you like this?
As I type this post, I’ve received my 16th email from UPS that my package delivery date has been rescheduled.
Where to start:
If you live near a DHL or Seur physical location and it’s safe, go there! If not, you can do what I did and go through Packlink.
Packlink is basically a site in Spain where you can get side-by-side comparisons of shipping companies and their respective costs. I wanted to use Zeleris because I’ve had good experiences. They only ship internationally via Packlink, so that’s how I found them.
In the end, I went with my gut and chose UPS.
I paid 65€ for “next day delivery” and 1€ for “insurance”.
I then had to physically print out the label. Ask for papel adhesivo at the paper store when you print it.
Then there’s the customs form.
My documents were held at customs in Madrid for 2 weeks because I had filled out the customs form partially in pen. Yes, that’s what happened.
Since I was only getting generic error messages from Nuria, my “Packlink rep” I didn’t understand what the problem was.
Finally it clicked: forms must be filled out on a computer, saved and printed.
It left Spain (yay!) went to Germany, then Kentucky, then Austin… and then snow-mageddon 2021 happened, and it’s been sitting in a warehouse ever since.
My only complaint, and it’s something he’s working on at the moment— is that I couldn’t e-file and save the tress and the stress that comes with shipping documents internationally.
He hopes to have this option available to his clients very soon!
Final tips:
- Plan ahead: if you’re shipping to the US, count on a few weeks’ delay
- You don’t need W-2s to file your taxes just use your nómina and do your best. Chaz will help!
- Don’t procrastinate like I did. If it’s about money, Chaz offers payment plans if necessary. Also you don’t pay anything until he has finished! If it’s about fear: Chaz is super patient and will always be 100% transparent.
good luck!
