Process | Crossbridge Tax

How an engagement works

Five steps from inquiry to ongoing relationship

The same process whether you're three years behind on filings or three months from arriving in the U.S. The depth changes. The sequence doesn't.

Inquiry

Consultation

Scoping & Engagement Letter

Engagement & Delivery

Ongoing Relationship

Step 1

You submit a brief description of your situation through the contact form, by email, or via a referral. We review it the same business day.

We primarily work with U.S. citizens and residents with international tax exposure and foreign nationals entering the U.S. tax system.

Step 2

A 45-minute call with a senior credentialed professional - not a sales conversation. We work through your situation, identify the issues that matter, and surface anything urgent (deadlines, exposures, or windows that close).

You leave the call with: a clear picture of what you're dealing with, what's optional, what's time-sensitive, and what the engagement would look like - whether or not you proceed with us.

Step 3

If we both want to proceed, we send a written engagement letter within 1 business day that defines scope, timeline, deliverables, fixed-fee, and what is explicitly outside the engagement. Nothing is open-ended and no surprise hourly billing.

Our fees are almost always fixed. The client pays the same amount regardless of how many hours the work takes. The fee is fixed because the scope of services is fixed, not because the time is predictable. No surprises, ever.

Step 4

You receive credentials to a secure document portal. The senior professional you spoke with does the work, not junior staff. We communicate at scheduled checkpoints rather than ad-hoc unless something is urgent.

Every deliverable is reviewed and explained so that the client understands the technical position and its alignment with their overall long term goals.

Step 5

For clients we continue to work with year-over-year, an ongoing relationship covers annual compliance, mid-year planning touchpoints, and a clear contact for tax-relevant decisions (asset moves, residency changes, business transactions). You don't have to re-introduce your situation each season.

We do not bill by the hour for predictable work. Most engagements are fixed-fee or capped, quoted in writing in your engagement letter, so you know what you're committing to before you commit.

Predictable, scoped, and quoted before work begins

DIAGNOSTIC

Initial Consultation

A 45-minute working call with a senior professional. Substantive, not a sales pitch.

$300

Flat · credited toward engagement

Pre-call review of your written summary
Issue-spotting and time-sensitivity scan
Discussion of FEIE/FTC, FBAR/FATCA, treaty, residency, and exposure questions
Written follow-up summary within two business days

MOST COMMON

Annual Compliance

Federal and applicable state returns, foreign account reporting, and election support.

$1,500+*

Fixed-fee per tax year

Form 1040, 1120, 1120-S, 1065 and supporting schedules
Foreign earned income / foreign tax credit modeling
FBAR (FinCEN 114) and FATCA (Form 8938) reporting
State residency and domicile review
Elections, treaty positions, and disclosures as required
Quarterly planning touchpoints included

PROJECT

Planning & Advisory

For situations where the analysis comes first — pre-immigration, exit tax, entity structuring, streamlined filing.

$2,500+*

Fixed-fee or capped per matter

Pre-immigration tax planning (before residency starts)
Exit tax / expatriation modeling and Form 8854 strategy
Entity structure analysis (LLC vs. C-Corp, ECI, Form 5472)
Streamlined Filing Compliance Procedures package
FIRPTA planning and treaty position memos

Hourly representation is available for IRS examinations, Voluntary Disclosure Practice coordination, penalty abatement, and matters that defy scoping in advance - typically in coordination with Crossbridge Legal where formal legal representation is warranted. Hourly engagements are billed in 30 minute increments against an estimated range stated in the engagement letter, with monthly billing and clear update cadence.

* Fees shown are illustrative. Actual fees are quoted in writing in the engagement letter. The information on this site is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute tax advice, legal advice, or the formation of a professional relationship.