For accounting firms, bookkeepers and financial advisors in Canada
A US CPA Partner for Canadian Accountants and Bookkeepers
Some of your clients are US citizens, green card holders or owners of US companies, and their US filings are not something your practice prepares. Refer the US side to us. For clients you refer, we handle only the US side, and their Canadian returns and books stay with you. Gurleen Kaur, CPA licensed in British Columbia and Washington State, prepares and signs the US filings.
Quick answer
How does a Canadian accountant refer the US side of a client to a US CPA?
You introduce the client, the client signs an engagement letter with us, and we prepare and sign the US filings. For clients you refer, we handle only the US side: their Canadian returns and books stay with you. With the client's permission, we tell you when the US filings are done so the two sides line up.
At a glance
- Who it is for
- Canadian accounting firms, bookkeepers and cross-border financial advisors
- What we take on
- US returns, FBAR, Form 8938, Streamlined catch-up, Form 5471, US company filings
- Your client
- For clients you refer, we handle only the US side
- Who signs
- Gurleen Kaur, CPA, BC and Washington (#41150)
- Fees
- Fixed written quote after we review the file
Which of your clients need a US filer
| Client | What the US side usually involves | Source |
|---|---|---|
| US citizens and green card holders living in Canada | A US return on worldwide income every year, wherever they live | IRS |
| Clients with Canadian bank, RRSP, TFSA or investment accounts who are US persons | An FBAR when foreign accounts total more than US$10,000 at any time in the year, and Form 8938 above higher thresholds (for someone living abroad, from US$200,000 at year end if unmarried) | IRS, IRS |
| US persons who never filed | Possibly the Streamlined procedures: 3 years of returns and 6 years of FBARs, for failures that were non-willful | IRS |
| US citizens who own a Canadian corporation | Form 5471 when they control it (more than 50% of the vote or value); the penalty for not filing is US$10,000 per year for each company | IRS |
| Canadian businesses with a US company | The US company's own returns and information returns | Expanding to the US |
Your Canadian work stays with you
When you refer a client, we prepare the US filings only. We do not take over the client's Canadian returns, bookkeeping or advisory work, and we do not offer them to your client. If the US side changes something on the Canadian side, such as a foreign tax credit or a reporting question, we tell you and you decide how to handle it.
How it works
- You introduce the client. Send us a short note or ask the client to request a quote, whichever suits you.
- The client engages us directly. The client signs our engagement letter, so the US engagement is with us and is clearly separate from your work.
- Gurleen Kaur prepares and signs. Gurleen Kaur, CPA licensed in British Columbia and in Washington State (licence #41150), prepares and signs the US filings as paid preparer.
- We keep you informed. With the client's permission, we tell you when the US filings are done, so your side lines up.
What we need from you or the client
- The client's prior US returns and FBARs, if any were filed
- Canadian slips and year-end statements for the accounts that need US reporting
- For a Canadian corporation: the financial statements and the share register
- A contact on your side, if the client wants us to coordinate with you
Common questions
Will you take over my client's Canadian work?
No. For clients you refer, we handle only the US side. Their Canadian returns and books stay with you.
Who signs the US returns?
Gurleen Kaur, CPA licensed in British Columbia and Washington State, signs as paid preparer.
Does my client need an FBAR for an RRSP or TFSA?
If the client is a US person and their foreign accounts, including RRSPs and TFSAs, total more than US$10,000 at any time in the year, the FBAR is generally required.
What if my client never filed US returns?
If the failure was non-willful, the IRS Streamlined procedures allow catching up with 3 years of returns and 6 years of FBARs. We review the facts first.
Sources
Every rule and figure on this page links to the IRS, CRA or other official source it comes from. Amounts change; we re-check them before each engagement.
- IRS: U.S. citizens and resident aliens abroad
- IRS: Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FBAR)
- IRS: Comparison of Form 8938 and FBAR requirements
- IRS: Streamlined filing compliance procedures
- IRS: Instructions for Form 5471
Gurleen Kaur, CPA licensed in British Columbia and Washington State. Last updated November 11, 2026. This page is general information, not tax or legal advice for your situation.
Related guides: US tax for Americans in Canada, Streamlined filing, US citizens with a Canadian corporation.
Request a Quote for a client's US filings
Tell us your situation in a few lines. We confirm whether we can help, what records matter and the next step. Substantive advice begins under a paid diagnostic or signed engagement.
Prepared and signed by a licensed US CPA who can represent you before the IRS. Verify Gurleen Kaur's Washington licence (#41150) on CPAverify