Foreign Companies
Owning part of a company outside the U.S. can mean being taxed on its profits even if you never take them out.
What This Is
Many people moving to the U.S. own part of a company back home — an operating business, a family holding company, or a company that simply holds investments or real estate. Once you're a U.S. tax resident, the U.S. may tax you on that company's income as it arises, whether or not the company pays you anything.
Companies that mostly hold investments are treated more harshly than companies that run a real business, and majority owners face more than minority owners. Either way, ownership brings a detailed annual filing with real penalties for getting it wrong.
Why the Date Matters
How a company is structured, what it holds, and whether profits are paid out are all things that can be changed before your residency date. Afterwards, the same changes can themselves create tax. This is one of the areas where a few weeks of planning makes a large difference.
What a Paid Assessment Does
A licensed accountant maps each company you own, how it will be treated, what filings it triggers, and which structuring options are realistic in the time you have. If a question is legal rather than accounting — for example, a corporate reorganisation — we say so and recommend you consult a qualified attorney. We don't recommend any particular firm.
See Whether This Applies to You
The free assessment checks this and five other areas against your residency date.