Question 1

What is the typical turnaround time?

Accepted Answer

The typical turnaround time for a completed expat tax return at Zenith Financial ranges from 1 to 4 weeks, depending on the complexity of your tax situation and the completeness of documentation provided. We strive to deliver high-quality work as efficiently as possible while ensuring thorough review of every return.

For standard expat returns involving a single country of residence, employment income, FEIE or FTC, and FBAR filing, you can expect your draft return within 7-10 business days of p...

Question 2

What happens after I submit my documents?

Accepted Answer

After you submit your documents through the secure client portal, our team follows a structured process to prepare your return efficiently and accurately.

Within 1-2 business days of receiving your documents, your assigned tax professional performs an initial review to confirm that all necessary materials have been received. If anything is missing or unclear, we will reach out through the portal messaging system with specific questions. We try to consolidate all follow-up requests into a single...

Question 3

How will I know the status of my return?

Accepted Answer

Zenith Financial provides full transparency throughout the tax preparation process so you always know exactly where your return stands. We offer multiple ways to track progress and communicate with your tax team.

Our client portal includes a real-time status tracker that shows the current stage of your return: documents received, in preparation, in quality review, ready for your review, approved and filed, or accepted by IRS. Each status update includes a timestamp so you can see when each stag...

Question 4

Can I review my return before it's filed?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely — we never file a return without your explicit review and approval. Providing you the opportunity to review your completed return before filing is a standard and non-negotiable part of our process.

When your return is ready, we deliver it through your secure client portal along with a summary memo that explains: the overall tax strategy used (FEIE, FTC, or combination), all forms and schedules included, your total tax liability or refund amount, any notable positions or elections mad...

Question 5

What if I need to amend a filed return?

Accepted Answer

If you need to amend a previously filed return — whether it was filed by Zenith or another preparer — we can prepare and file an amended return (Form 1040-X) on your behalf. Common reasons for amendments include: receiving a corrected income document after filing, discovering a missed deduction or credit, changing your FEIE/FTC strategy, adding missing international information returns, and correcting errors from a previous preparer.

The amendment process involves filing Form 1040-X, which show...

Question 6

How do I upload documents securely?

Accepted Answer

Zenith Financial provides a secure client portal specifically designed for safely uploading and sharing sensitive tax documents. We strongly recommend using the portal for all document transfers rather than email, which is inherently less secure.

To upload documents, log into your client portal using your credentials and two-factor authentication. Navigate to the document upload section, select the appropriate document category (W-2, foreign income, bank statements, etc.), and drag and drop you...

Question 7

What happens if the IRS contacts me about my return?

Accepted Answer

If the IRS contacts you regarding a return we prepared, notify us immediately and we will handle the correspondence on your behalf. IRS communication is a normal part of tax filing and does not necessarily indicate a problem — it could be a routine verification, a request for additional information, or an adjustment notice.

Common types of IRS correspondence include: CP notices (automated computer-generated notices about balance due, refund changes, or processing issues), information requests a...

Question 8

Do you provide audit support?

Accepted Answer

Yes, Zenith Financial provides comprehensive audit support and representation for our clients. Our Enrolled Agents are federally licensed to represent taxpayers before all levels of the IRS, including examination, appeals, and collection proceedings.

Our audit support includes several levels of service. For IRS correspondence audits (the most common type), we prepare written responses to IRS inquiries, compile supporting documentation, and submit everything on your behalf. These are typically r...

Question 9

Can I get help with multiple tax years at once?

Accepted Answer

Yes, Zenith Financial regularly handles multiple tax year filings, and this is actually one of our most common service requests. Many US expats come to us needing to catch up on several years of unfiled returns, and we have an efficient process for handling these situations.

We offer multi-year packages specifically designed for catch-up filers. These packages include preparation of multiple years of federal tax returns, FBARs, and any required international information returns (Forms 8938, 255...

Question 10

What is the review and approval process?

Accepted Answer

Zenith Financial employs a rigorous multi-level review process to ensure every return we file is accurate, compliant, and optimized for your specific situation. Here is how our quality assurance works.

Level 1 — Preparation: Your assigned tax professional prepares your return using our specialized cross-border tax preparation platform. They analyze your income sources, determine the optimal strategy, prepare all required forms, and calculate your tax liability or refund. The preparer documents ...

Process & Timeline