Frequently Asked Questions
- What services do you offer?
- How do I use these services?
- How do you charge for these services?
- Do I really need your services?
- What is the mission of GlobalTaxHelp.Com?
- Who are the
people behind GlobalTaxHelp.Com?
What are the professional qualifications of the GlobalTaxHelp.Com staff?
Please see Services for descriptions.
Use these services much as you would use the professional services of any CPA tax
specialist - only using on-line technology, e-mail, overnight express, fax and phone or
NetMeeting as needed, to bridge the geographical gap between the US and where-ever you
happen to be in the world. For standard tax preparation procedures,
see Procedures. For more detail on use of on-line and related
state-of-the-art tools, see Tools.
Based on your description of the problem or question (see For More
Info), and any ensuing e-mail or direct discussion to clarify the issues, a fee will
be quoted for your consideration.
All professional services are rendered only on the basis of a written and
(electronically) signed agreement between our firm and yourself (see Client
Agreement) A retainer fee, representing an agreed-upon portion of the estimated
fee will be paid at the start of each engagement.
Retainers and all other payments for services are made via credit card over the web via
secure or non- secure methods. Often security payment software proves incompatible
between sender and receiver, hence the unsecured means is provided as an option.
The fees involved in addressing any tax problem or question you may face are based on
either a time basis or - for filing of tax returns - on the complexity of the return
involved. You will receive a quote of estimated cost for services after the problem
or issue has been clarified (see above FAQ). Fees for tax return
preparation are set on a per-form basis per the Fee
schedule page.
You will never be charged a fee that you have not agreed to - via your
"electronic" signature upon engaging our services - in advance.
Quite possibly, no. To help you determine this on your own, we have provided and
extensive list of self-help links (see Links ). These
links provide a wealth of tax information, include IRS tax code, publications, and forms,
tax treaties, and related topics.
It all comes down to your judgment as to how simple or complex the tax issue facing
you is, and how many dollars are at stake. After you search our site, and the
related tax-information links, our firm will help you determine if the DIY
approach
makes sense, or if retaining professional services is the saner, and safer path.
Is our professional service worth it?
Does it provide value, does it take care of an aggravating problem for you -
completely? Read what my clients have told us at: What Clients Say
and decide for yourself.
This web page was started in 1997 as the on-line international tax consulting arm of
the professional accounting services firm of Donald Walter, CPA, based in Seattle,
Washington, USA.
Founded in 1991, the small, specialized firm has focused on providing international
income and estate tax expertise to U.S citizens, estates and small businesses, and to
resident and non-resident aliens with U.S. tax exposure.
GlobalTaxHelp.Com started operations in 1998 to provide this same high quality
expertise to clients worldwide regardless of how far away you may be from face-to-face
assistance.
Tax issues become MUCH more complex when you live and/or work or do business offshore,
yet you still should not have to pay any more than your legal obligation - taking full
advantage of any existing foreign tax or expense credits or deductions. Our goal is
to largely relieve you of having to weave through this complex maze of tax credits,
deductions - and traps - on your own. Expert,
personalized, tax help is only an e-mail away - at worst!
Founder:
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Donald
B Walter, CPA
Donald B Walter, CPA, resides in Seattle,
Washington, USA, and is principal of a successful CPA practice founded in 1991,
and known for the last decade as GlobalTaxHelp.com.
Since the launch of the firm's
website in 1999, Mr. Walter has emphasized an expertise in international
tax issues - both income and estate - facing US expatriates overseas, couples
of mixed US and non-US citizenship, and resident and non-resident aliens and
the various business, partnership and trust entities such clients often own.
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Prior to entering public practice in 1989, Mr. Walter was a chief financial
officer in the private sector for almost a decade, and also served as a Vice-
president of the Export Assistance Center of Washington for four years,
specializing in international trade finance.
Mr. Walter teaches seminars to other accounting professionals in the field of
international taxation, and has also taught seminars in cooperation with the University of
Washington, Seattle University, and the US Small Business Administration.
A 1974
Seattle University MBA graduate, having
earlier graduated from Ohio State University, Mr.
Walter served as an officer in the
US Coast Guard, after
which has followed a 24 year professional career centering on public and private
accounting and finance.
In addition to serving on the board of the
World
Affairs Council, Mr. Walter is a member of the
Washington
State CPA Society, the
World
Trade Club of Seattle, the
Japan-America Society,
the Dutch-American Chamber of Commerce,
the French-American Chamber of
Commerce and the British-American Chamber of
Commerce.
Senior Tax Manager:
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(Photo
pending)
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Ebon D.
Ameen, CPA
Ebon D. Ameen, CPA resides in Seattle,
Washington, USA, and is Senior Tax Manager of GlobalTaxHelp.com.
Mr. Ameen
joined GlobalTaxHelp in December, 2005, and
brings a decade of accounting and tax compliance experience to this key
position.
Born in San Francisco and
raised in Eugene, Oregon, Mr. Ameen is a
a June, 1994 graduate of the University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon with a Bachelor of
Science in Accounting.
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In the
decade following, Mr. Ameen worked in a variety of increasingly responsible
positions in various areas of business controllership, accounting and tax.
Positions were with both for-profit and not-for-profit entities large and
small. Individual and small business tax compliance and preparation
experience has played an increasingly larger role in career growth. Mr. Ameen's focus since joining GlobalTaxHelp.com in 2005 has been almost
exclusively in the areas of expatriate and foreign national income taxation,
and in addressing the unique tax compliance issues central to these areas.
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Mr. Walter is
individually licensed (#09096) as a CPA, and the
firm of Donald B. Walter CPA is separately licensed
(#2574) by the
Washington State Board of Accountancy. Mr. Walter
is also a 20-plus year member of the
Washington State CPA Society, member ID number: 5233.
Mr. Ameen is individually
licensed (#26733) as a CPA by the
Washington State Board of Accountancy.
He is also a member of the
Washington State CPA Society.
Both Mr. Walter's and Mr.
Ameen's CPA license status can be checked on the website of
Washington State Board of Accountancy.
Entering either of their last names in the appropriate CPA search window
should provide license details.
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