SERVICES
Why can't my CPA do this analysis?
Most U.S. tax preparers are not trained to test whether a PFIC Annual Information Statement (AIS) meets the specific U.S. accounting requirements that support a valid QEF election, to reconstruct a cap table for Controlled Foreign Corporation testing, or to evaluate whether fund unit custody arrangements create foreign trust exposure. These are specialized forensic questions that sit outside the scope of standard tax preparation.
This is not a limitation of your CPA. It is a recognition that this analysis requires a different skill set. The Forensic Exposure Diagnostic tests the foundation that your CPA's work is built on. And if your CPA isn't available for cross-border tax filing work, I would be happy to refer you to a specialist.
What does the Triage Assessment tell me that I don't already know?
The Triage Assessment is a risk scorecard that identifies whether signs indicate potential tax harm across multiple U.S. tax regimes: PFIC, CFC, Foreign Trust, ERISA, IRA, FATCA, and FBAR, along with U.S. securities law red flags. It tells you whether deeper analysis is warranted and estimates the scope of what you may be facing.
The Triage Assessment is designed for investors who want to understand whether they're affected before committing to a deeper engagement. If you proceed to the Forensic Exposure Diagnostic within 30 days, the cost of the Triage Assessment is applied to the Forensic Diagnostic.
What's the difference between the Triage Assessment and the Forensic Exposure Diagnostic?
The Triage Assessment identifies the questions. The Forensic Exposure Diagnostic answers them.
The Triage Assessment is a risk screening based on public data and documents you already have. It estimates exposure and recommends whether deeper work is warranted. It does not include CFC testing, cap table reconstruction, or deliverables suitable for willfulness defense or Private Letter Ruling (PLR) support for retroactive QEF repair. In some cases, I may be able to tell whether a PFIC AIS is valid in the Triage Assessment alone, and whether you are at risk of foreign trust exposure.
The Forensic Exposure Diagnostic includes the review of books and records requested from the fund, reconstructs the cap table, tests for CFC and PFIC status at the fund and portfolio levels, audits the PFIC Annual Information Statement (AIS) methodology, assesses foreign trust exposure, and produces a comprehensive personalized report designed for CPA reliance, legal reliance, and as part of a defense against findings of willfulness for U.S. reporting failures
How long does the Triage Assessment take?
The analysis itself typically takes two weeks from receipt of your investment documents in our secure portal.
How long does the Forensic Exposure Diagnostic take?
The analysis itself typically takes three weeks from receipt of adequate fund data. The limiting factor is almost always the fund's responsiveness to data requests. In my experience, funds are rarely forthcoming and it can take weeks or months of ongoing requests to acquire useful information. I keep you informed throughout the process and pursue data requests persistently on your behalf, or I provide you with the checklist to acquire the data yourself.
How long does the Fund-Level Forensic Audit take?
The Fund-Level Forensic Audit typically takes three months from receipt of adequate fund data. The Fund-Level Audit is a rolling, multi-workstream project that investigates the fund itself: every transaction, contract, and lease, tested against the fund's management regulations and fiduciary obligations. It answers the question, 'What is this fund actually doing?' It requires a completed Forensic Exposure Diagnostic as a prerequisite and produces the deliverable that counsel relies on. The audit can be cost-shared among investors in the same fund through the Investor Registry.
Do you prepare or review tax returns?
No. PFIC Help does not prepare tax returns, review tax returns, or give tax advice. PFIC Help provides forensic analysis: the investigative foundation that your CPA or attorney needs to determine the correct reporting position. Everything downstream (amended returns, refund claims, legal filings) is executed by your tax professional or counsel, grounded in my work.
If you seek a CPA with experience in this area, I can connect you.
Can my CPA use the Forensic Exposure Diagnostic to prepare amended returns?
Yes. The Forensic Exposure Diagnostic is designed to serve as the factual and analytical foundation for determining the correct reporting position, supporting the need for financial statement computation under U.S. accounting standards, preparing amended returns, and computing refund claims where applicable.
The CPA, Counsel, & Advisor Briefing add-on ($3,000) is available for tax professionals or counsel who would benefit from a detailed walkthrough of the findings, the deficiency patterns, and the remediation pathways.
Can I share my Triage Assessment or Forensic Exposure Diagnostic with other investors in my fund?
No. The Triage Assessments and Forensic Exposure Diagnostics are personalized to your specific investment, holding period, and circumstances. However, the Fund-Level Forensic Audit serves all investors in the same fund and can be cost-shared. The investor registry is designed to make that coordination possible.
U.S. investors deserve clarity, competence, care, and compliance.
You didn’t create this problem. Misleading marketing practices, fund structure, gaps in reporting, and the professional infrastructure around it created this problem. But under U.S. tax law, the consequences land on you unless you act. The window to mitigate them is limited.