Table of contents:
Q: I am completing multiple years. Do I have to complete a questionnaire for each year? Which year should I do first?
A: We need a Tax Questionnaire for every year you would like us to prepare a tax return. Start with the earliest year. You can easily import responses from a prior year's TQ.
Q: How to complete a questionnaire if I apply to the Streamlined Procedure?
A: The IRS Streamlined Program (SP) requires filing the last three years of tax returns and six years of FBARs.
3 tax returns - full version of the questionnaire (TQ) reflecting all income;
6 FBARs - FBAR-only TQ - a short version of our standard TQ gathering information about your non-U.S. bank accounts, regardless of their balances (no income information).
When you create a new TQ, you can conveniently import responses from a prior year's TQ and make minor adjustments, such as adding new bank accounts or removing closed bank accounts, as well as updating balances on existing accounts.
Refer to the Streamlined program - Which years to file? article for more information.
Q: How to complete a questionnaire if I am filing an amended return?
A: Complete a Questionnaire the same way you would complete one for an original return. When done, upload a copy of the original return you would like us to amend and notify your tax preparer that you are requesting an amended return.
Q: How to complete a questionnaire if expatriating?
A: In the year of expatriation, you should complete two TQs: one for residents and one for non-residents. Complete a U.S. citizen (USA) Tax Questionnaire for the year of expatriation and a ''dummy'' NRA Tax Questionnaire for 2005, as our system allows only one TQ per year. For further guidance please refer to I’m relinquishing my U.S. citizenship this year. How should I file? or I abandoned my U.S. Green Сard this year. How should I file?
Q: My questionnaire year is not available. What should I do?
A: We do not enable a future year tax questionnaire until late in the year to avoid confusion about which year to complete. For example, TQ for 2023 will be available in December 2023. The 2023 tax return will be due in April 2024. If you need a Tax projection, please fill out a ''dummy'' Tax Questionnaire for 2005 with your projected income information.
To do it:
In your TFX portal, navigate to the Tax Questionnaires page and click Create New Questionnaire.
Click the One year button and select the 2005 tax year.
Click Next Step.
Indicate whether you will be a U.S. citizen, Green Card holder, or none of the above and whether you will live in the U.S. or abroad during the future year. Later you can change this information at any point if needed.
Click Move to Tax Questionnaire.
To expedite the process of filling out the TQ, you can import data from previous tax questionnaires and make necessary adjustments.
Follow the instructions provided in the article Tax Questionnaire: Create, manage, and submit and submit it for review by a tax preparer.
A tax preparer will prepare the Engagement Letter and handle the tax projection for you.
Q: Should two spouses complete one or two different questionnaires?
A: It depends.
If you file a US citizen TQ and you want to file a joint return or you are not sure how you should file, both spouses should complete one TQ:
When filling out your TQ, answer Yes to the question I am married (officially married as of Dec 31 of the filing year);
Answer Yes to the question Are you filing jointly with your spouse? under the Family section.
If you and your spouse will be filing tax returns separately, both spouses will need to sign up for individual accounts on our system and complete separate TQs. Please email us at success@tfx.tax and we will assign both spouses to the same tax preparer.