By carefully planning your affairs and being a bit proactive, you will find the whole tax planning process relatively painless and financially rewarding.
To most people, taxes are somewhat like a foreign language – unfamiliar and at times unnerving. As a result, tax rules are often misinterpreted or over-looked. The small savings on fees you might think you are realizing by preparing your own tax return can quickly end up costing you substantially more than you bargained for.
For U.S. Citizens, this can be particularly troublesome due to subtle nuances and substantial penalties for non-compliance, such as surrendering of passports and /or extensive probate delays.