Table of contents:
Schedule a free intro phone consultation
New clients of TFX are eligible for an initial phone consultation with one of our tax advisors. This is free but requires a $50 retainer fee that is applied toward your future tax preparation expenses. The consultation lasts up to 30 minutes and during this time, we will discuss your tax situation, our services, the process involved, and the information we require to proceed. Common topics covered include the most suitable method of filing (how many years to file, whether to file using the Streamlined Procedure, etc.), necessary documents, and how to report a non-resident spouse and their income.
To schedule an introductory phone consultation:
Log in to your TFX account and navigate to Phone consult > Free intro consultation.
Select your time zone, date and click Confirm next to one of the 30-minute slots available.
Check the boxes next to the topics you would like to discuss.
Type your additional comments, agree to the terms and conditions, and click Go to summary.
Agree to the TFX terms of service and click Continue.
Enter your card details and click Pay. A retainer fee will be credited towards your tax preparation expenses in the future.
On the summary page, you will see the date, time, your tax advisor's name, dial-in instructions, and a copy of your inquiry. Once you have added the event to your calendar, click the "Got it. Back to home page" button.
❗ Important notes:
You can schedule a free intro phone consultation at least 26 hours in advance. This allows us to ensure proper preparation and review to provide you with the best possible service.
You can book a free intro phone consultation only once, so make sure you put all the details in your request.
If you need to reschedule, notify your assigned tax preparer (contact information can be found in the confirmation email) at least 48 hours before your appointment. You will receive a rescheduling link via email.
Once you have signed your first Engagement Letter with TFX, you are no longer eligible for a free intro consultation. However, you can reach out to your tax preparer to schedule a CPA consultation if needed.
Schedule a tax planning consultation
If you are planning a move or expatriation, evaluating investment options, want to ensure you are making smart tax decisions, or have complex or forward-looking tax questions but don’t require immediate assistance with your current tax return, our dedicated Tax planning consultation is the right service for you. This 30-minute in-depth conversation with a tax expert focuses on long-term strategy, helping you understand your future U.S. tax implications, explore your future options and potential tax scenarios, and develop personalized strategies for future years. Additionally, this service can address common tax challenges such as expatriation tax exposure, exploring treaty benefits, and financial planning strategies tailored to your unique situation.
This service is ideal for U.S. expats who want to:
Understand how their worldwide income affects U.S. taxes
Discuss potential life changes and their tax consequences
Mitigate future compliance risks
Build a forward-thinking tax strategy
The standard fee for a tax planning consultation is $250, though you should check the Tax planning consultation page for any updates or special offers. These consultations are not included in our standard tax preparation package, as they focus on long-term strategy and forward-looking guidance rather than preparing your current return. This fee reflects the value of a dedicated session with a senior tax advisor offering tailored expertise.
What to expect from the tax planning consultation with a U.S. tax expert:
A review of how your worldwide income affects your U.S. taxes.
Tailored advice on minimizing tax liability and planning ahead.
Additionally, we can do a follow-up quantitative analysis (e.g., calculations or modeling) at our standard rate of $200 per hour.
Notes:
We do not provide advice on local (non-U.S.) tax laws.
If your inquiry requires expertise beyond our scope, we will inform you in advance so you can decide how to proceed.
To schedule a tax planning consultation:
Log in to your TFX account and navigate to Phone consult > Tax planning.
Select your time zone and choose a date.
Click Confirm next to one of the available 30-minute slots.
Type your questions and concerns, agree to the terms and conditions, and click Proceed to pay.
Agree to the TFX terms of service and click Continue.
Enter your card details and click Pay.
On the summary page, you will see:
Date & time of your consultation
Your tax advisor’s name
Dial-in instructions
A copy of your submitted questions
Add the event to your calendar and click the “Got it. Back to home page” button.
❗ Important notes:
You can schedule a tax planning consultation at least 26 hours in advance. This allows us to ensure proper preparation and review to provide you with the best possible service.
If you need to reschedule, notify your assigned tax preparer (contact information can be found in the confirmation email) at least 48 hours before your appointment. You will receive a rescheduling link via email.
Schedule a CPA phone consultation
Once you have signed your first Engagement Letter with TFX, you are no longer eligible for a free intro consultation with our tax advisors. However, you have an option to discuss your tax return preparation with your assigned tax preparer over the phone instead of email (which is always free) by scheduling a 30-minute paid consultation.
The standard fee for a CPA phone consultation is $150, though you should check the CPA phone consultation page for any updates or special offers. Since TFX operates on a fixed-fee basis, we are unable to offer this service for free. However, we have priced it affordably to ensure you can get expert guidance when needed.
To schedule a CPA phone consultation:
Contact your assigned tax preparer to request a phone consultation.
Your tax preparer will enable booking slots for you.
Log in to your TFX account and navigate to Phone consult > CPA phone consultation.
Select your time zone and click Confirm next to an available 30-minute slot.
Type your questions and anything else you want to discuss with your CPA, agree to the terms and conditions, and click Proceed to pay.
Enter your card details and complete the payment.
On the summary page, you will see:
Date & time of your consultation
Your tax preparer’s name
Dial-in instructions
A copy of your submitted questions
Add the event to your calendar and click the “Got it. Back to home page” button.
❗ Important note: CPA consultations are scheduled at least 1 hour in advance.
How to join your phone consultation with a tax advisor
When you book a free intro, tax planning, or CPA phone consultation, TFX sends an email confirmation with:
The date and time of your appointment
The tax advisor’s name
The conference phone number
Your personal PIN code
To join your consultation, call the number and enter the PIN when prompted. You may connect using:
Regular phone call
Google Voice app:
Requires an active U.S. phone number (a U.S. SIM card) to complete the initial Google Voice setup while physically in the U.S.*
After setup, you can use Google Voice from anywhere in the world.
TextNow app (the easiest option if you are overseas and have no U.S. SIM card):
Free version includes ads that briefly interrupt calls.
*TextNow numbers are among the few virtual numbers that can be linked to Google Voice accounts.
Both Google Voice and TextNow allow you to call U.S. numbers over Wi-Fi without incurring international calling charges, which is helpful if you are outside the U.S.
❗ Important note: If you need to change the date or time of your consultation, notify your assigned tax preparer (contact information can be found in the confirmation email). You will receive a rescheduling link via email. Once your appointment is rescheduled, you will receive a new confirmation email with a new conference phone number and PIN. The old number and PIN will no longer work.