State tax termination consultation
Moving Abroad Does Not Automatically End State Tax Obligations. Map Your Domicile Exit Before Filing Your Final Return.
California in particular applies detailed residency and domicile rules that can leave former residents with continuing filing questions after departure. The rules vary sharply by state: domicile, physical presence, a permanent place of abode, remaining ties, and state-source income can all matter. In a paid consultation, I review your state ties, sourcing, and evidence to map whether you have successfully terminated state tax residency and what documentation or filings are required.
Send a free inquiry first. I review it personally and explain whether a paid assessment is appropriate before you book or pay.
30 minutes · $100 · directly with Chip
The consultation
What we'll review
The consultation focuses on the facts that determine what needs further attention.
State of origin and departure date
Which state is asserting or may assert tax obligations, and when you last maintained a physical presence there.
Remaining ties
Property ownership, driver licenses, voter registration, bank accounts, family presence, and other facts that states use to argue continued domicile.
State-source income
W-2 income connected to the state, rental property, business or pass-through income, property gains, or other income that may remain state-source after domicile termination.
New domicile evidence
Foreign residence permits, local tax filings, home purchase or lease abroad, and the steps taken to sever the former state connection.
Notices and prior filings
Any state notices, audit letters, or continued filing requirements received since departure, and whether prior final returns were filed correctly.
After the call
What you leave with
By the end of the consultation, you'll have a clear map of the issues that need attention and the next practical step.
- The filing years or issues that need further review.
- The records or information needed before preparation can begin.
- Whether the work appears to fit FileAbroad's preparation scope.
- If FileAbroad can accept the work, a written preparation scope and exact quote before preparation begins.
You are not required to hire FileAbroad for preparation after the consultation.
Scope
What the consultation does not include
The consultation is a review and scoping session. It does not include preparation or filing of a tax return, FBAR, information return, amended return, or Streamlined submission.
It also does not create an open-ended support engagement. Additional research, document review, preparation, or follow-up work is included only when it is specifically agreed or purchased.
FileAbroad does not provide legal advice or tax litigation services.
Current pricing
Optional $100 scope assessment
30-Minute Expat Tax Scope Assessment
$100
Focused review of your filing situation with a written list of the years and forms that need attention, a document checklist, key scope flags, and an exact preparation quote when FileAbroad can accept the work.
Preparation is priced separately. A paid assessment is offered when substantive review is needed; it is not required for every preparation engagement. Straightforward tax-year-2025 federal expat returns start at $575, and standalone current-year FBAR preparation starts at $100. Prior-year, delinquent, amended, entity, trust, partnership, PFIC, Streamlined, and other complex international work is quoted after review.
The process
How the paid assessment works
- 1
Start the intake.
Tell me the broad facts of your situation without uploading sensitive tax documents through the public form.
- 2
I review the inquiry.
I personally review the intake to determine whether a FileAbroad consultation appears appropriate.
- 3
Book the consultation.
If the situation fits, you'll receive the scheduling and payment link for the $100 30-minute consultation.
- 4
We review the situation together.
We use the call to identify the relevant filing questions, missing information, and next practical step.
- 5
Preparation is separate.
If FileAbroad can accept preparation work, you receive the written scope and price before preparation begins.
Before you book
Questions we'll use to evaluate your state domicile exit
Do I need a paid assessment before hiring FileAbroad?
Not for every engagement. Start with a brief intake to discuss needs, timing, process, and pricing. Straightforward preparation can proceed directly to an accepted written scope. A paid assessment is offered when substantive review is needed, with the fee explained before you decide.
What should I send before the consultation?
Start with the public intake and describe the broad facts of your situation. Do not send Social Security numbers, tax returns, bank statements, or other sensitive tax documents through the public intake form. If documents are needed later, I will provide secure upload instructions.
Will you tell me exactly what I need to file?
The consultation is designed to identify the filing issues that need attention and the information required to determine the next step. Some questions can be resolved during the call; others may require records, additional research, or preparation work outside the consultation.
Do I have to hire FileAbroad afterward?
No. The consultation stands on its own. If FileAbroad can accept preparation work, you can decide whether to proceed after the scope and price are confirmed.
Can you review documents during the consultation?
Limited document review may be possible when agreed in advance, but the consultation is not a substitute for a full document review or tax-preparation engagement.
Start here
Tell me what's going on.
You don't need to know which form, filing procedure, or service you need. Start with the broad facts, and I'll review whether intake or a paid assessment is the appropriate next step.
Start My State Tax IntakePrefer email? info@fileabroad.com
Do not send sensitive tax documents through the public intake form or ordinary email.