First-Year Tax Orientation

What First-Year Tax Orientation Covers for Americans in France

First-Year Tax Orientation is an operational preparation service for Americans navigating their first year of French tax residency. We map your situation, identify the key dates and obligations on both sides of the Atlantic, build a practical month-by-month calendar, and deliver a document checklist so you know exactly what to collect, how to organize it, and when to act.

This is not tax advice and we do not file returns. It is structured preparation, documentation, and coordination that makes working with a licensed professional faster, cheaper, and less stressful when the time comes.

This service is also included in End-to-End Relocation.

Who This Service Is For

You have arrived in France, or you are planning your move, and you want to handle your first tax year correctly without discovering obligations at the last minute. You may have US income, investment or retirement accounts, real estate, or a household structure that spans both countries. You want to eventually work with a CPA or a bilingual tax advisor, but you want to arrive at that conversation organized, not confused, so you are not paying for avoidable back-and-forth on things you could have prepared in advance.

This service is also a strong fit if you are preparing your move and want to plan the timing of your departure and arrival to optimize your tax situation from day one.

How We Prepare Your US and French Tax Obligations

Situation mapping. We review your arrival timeline, household structure, and income categories to identify the moments that typically change your obligations. When do you become a French tax resident? What does France expect you to declare? What does the US still require from you once you are abroad? We answer these questions in plain language so you understand your situation before the deadlines arrive.

Practical calendar. We build a month-by-month timeline that covers the typical French tax filing rhythm and the most common US expat obligations, including FBAR, Form 8938, and the FEIE, so you can plan ahead instead of reacting under pressure.

Document checklist and folder structure. We create a tailored checklist of every document you need to collect, how to label it, and how to organize it so it is immediately usable when you hand it to a professional. We set up a clean folder structure you can maintain month by month without effort.

Handoff coordination. If your situation requires a CPA, a French accountant, or a bilingual tax advisor, we coordinate the introduction, prepare a summary of your situation, and deliver a document package that makes the engagement efficient from the first meeting.

What you receive

A month-by-month calendar tailored to your arrival date, household, and income profile. A document checklist and folder structure you can maintain independently. A written handover summarizing your situation, the key planning assumptions, and clear recommended next steps.

For ongoing day-to-day support throughout the year, Concierge Membership gives you a reliable point of contact for anything that comes up. If you are also managing housing and healthcare setup at the same time, End-to-End Relocation covers all of it in one engagement.

What This Service Does Not Include

We do not provide tax advice, prepare or file tax returns, or represent clients before tax authorities in either country. When your situation requires a licensed professional, we coordinate the right introduction and make sure your file is ready so you get value from the first conversation.