1. Explain to me simply and directly what you do at US Tax Consultants for your clients.

We have been helping American expats in Spain with their US and Spanish taxes since 1965. We prepare all types of forms, for both the U.S and Spain or Portugal

2. You’ve been working for American expats in Spain for over 60 years… What’s interesting about your history?

Our company was founded by John G. Kearins in 1965, after living in Italy for a while Jack ended moving to Torrejón, in Madrid, and joined Henry Frautschy, to continue helping U.S. Expats living in Spain, mainly in Torrejon.

I joined the company in 2010 and eventually became its owner and CEO.

The company has grown significantly and is currently a leader in U.S. Tax Preparation in the Iberian Peninsula. We currently have a team of 9 professionals, and we provided over 3.000 services in 2025. We have filed 1.553 1040 Individual Tax Returns for our clients this past year.

Now we have offices in Spain: in Madrid, The Navy Base of Rota, Asturias, and in Portugal we have them in Lisbon and the Algarve.

3. Why do you think an expat should choose US Tax Consultants? What do you offer that others don’t?

Unlike other solutions, we are experts in both IRS and AEAT/Portuguese tax systems, which allows us to avoid common errors that occur when tax returns are filed by multiple parties. We make sure there are no errors, and we optimize your taxation by applying our knowledge and experience of the complex double taxation treaty We also have a highly professional and certified team with a personalized service with tailored solutions, unlike online services. We have a Clients’ Area where clients can upload and view all documents and receive continuous updates throughout the tax preparation process.

Ease of use, simplicity, and transparency are our top priorities. Clients come first, and we know that if a client contacts us, it’s because they need something and we are here to help them. That’s why we also offer free consultation service for clients and people who are interested.

We are also implementing AI to automate mechanical and repetitive tasks and to efficiently retrieve information from past tax returns. The time we gain from these improvements allows us to dedicate more attention to personalized consultations with our clients.

4. What has been the company’s evolution in recent years? Growth, if there has been any, changes, evolution…

Over the past four years, our number of clients has grown from 1,000 to 3,000, and the number of services we provide has increased from 2,000 to 3,500. Revenue has risen by more than 18% per year during the same period, which has led us to expand our professional team. We now have seven IRS‑Certified Tax Preparers who are also Certified Acceptance Agents.

We have a very strong policy of using technology to free up our valuable people to focus more fully on our clients.  We are using the AI to implement primarily the mechanical and repetitive processes, to retrieve information from past returns which leave us with more time to spend assisting and answering the clients’ questions.

The privacy of our client’s information has always been important to us, and we have always been bound by professional standards of confidentiality. All information is handled in full compliance with Spanish Data Protection Laws and IRS security requirements under the Gramm‑Leach‑Bliley Act.

5. In addition to US taxes, you also file Spanish and Portuguese taxes… Is there a relationship between them?

To optimize tax filing, it is necessary to consider both tax systems the U.S.A. and your county of residency and its corresponding forms, such as the IRS Form 1040 and the Spanish Tax Agency Form 100 or the IRS3 from Portugal.

Since 2013, the IRS and the Spanish/Portuguese Tax Agencies have been sharing tax information under the FATCA agreement and failure to act appropriately can result in audits and fines.

Also, the Social Security systems of the three countries share information continuously and in a regulated manner to correctly implement the new Social Security agreement signed on April 8, 2024, and avoid double contributions.

This information is channeled through certificates, data verification, and electronic exchange systems and will likely increase the exchange of information needed to compare two pension calculations (Spain/Portugal only or Spain + USA) and to implement improvements to the regulatory base.

6. You place great emphasis on having the same preparer file US IRS and Spanish and Portugal Tax Agencies returns. Why?

As I mentioned before, a thorough understanding of both tax systems is crucial to avoid common errors that occur when tax returns are filed by different individuals. With US Tax Consultants, errors are avoided and taxation is optimized.

Our mastery of IRS and Spanish Tax Agency (AEAT) obligations allows us to develop an appropriate tax strategy through this combined perspective. We must not forget the importance of the US/Spain/Portugal tax treaty in preventing double taxation and tax evasion.

7. How important is the treaty for avoiding double taxation in order to pay less tax?

A tax treaty is very important for avoiding double taxation because it prevents the same income from being taxed by two different countries. Tax treaties clearly allocate taxing rights between countries, making sure that income is taxed only once, either by the country of residence or the country where the income is earned. This helps reduce the overall tax burden for individuals and businesses.

These treaties also provide mechanisms such as tax credits or exemptions, which ensure that you don’t end up paying tax twice on the same income.

As a result, taxpayers usually pay less tax overall, gain more certainty, and benefit from clearer rules when earning income across borders.

8. Where does US Tax Consultants have a presence? Do you have offices or offer online services?

US Tax Consultants has established a strong and growing presence across the Iberian Peninsula. We operate physical offices in Madrid, Asturias, Rota (Cádiz), Lisbon, and the Algarve, allowing us to provide in‑person support to U.S. taxpayers living or investing in Spain and Portugal.

Beyond our locations in Spain, our presence in Portugal has become increasingly important. The Portuguese market has shown significant growth in recent years, driven by a rising number of U.S. citizens relocating to Portugal as well as investors taking advantage of its attractive residency and tax programs. This expansion has enabled us to support a rapidly growing client base with specialized U.S. tax services, ensuring full compliance while optimizing their cross‑border tax position.

Our service is personalized, and although our offices are always open to our clients, we have developed an online system through the Clients’ Area of ​​our website that facilitates and streamlines the processes necessary for receiving, preparing, and delivering the required services.

We don’t really offer a traditional online service, but rather a mix of personalized services with direct contact along with easy-to-use technological tools that digitize work processes. This makes it simpler and more straightforward for our clients.

It’s like using the best of both worlds: in-person and digital.

9. I’m surprised that you have an office at the Navy Base of Rota to serve the American military… how was that possible?

In 2022, we were chosen through a competitive process to provide tax services to the U.S. military and their families at the Rota Navy Base. We were very proud to be selected because it showed that our work had been recognized and trusted.

We still do this work today from our own physical office inside the Base, which is open all year round. We feel completely integrated into the Base community, and the warm welcome we received has been reflected in our steady growth every year.

10. Something that’s surely important to clients: price. Are you expensive or cheap?

Price is definitely important. In fact, the Fees section is one of the most visited parts of our website because we want to be completely transparent. We’ve always published our prices openly.

We believe our fees are very competitive and, considering our experience and professionalism with both the IRS and the Spanish Tax Agency (AEAT), our prices are usually lower than those of other companies that offer a combined U.S.–Spain tax service.

Some companies, especially online providers, advertise a low starting price, but as soon as your tax return becomes slightly complex, the final cost skyrockets. That’s not how we work. Our philosophy is to be clear and honest from the start, so clients know exactly what to expect.

11. What do your clients think of the services you offer? Are they very, moderately, or not very happy?

Understanding what our clients think is very important to us because it helps us improve and see where we are doing well and where we need to do better.

Our most recent survey, completed in March 2025, showed very positive results:

• 93% of clients are satisfied with the quality of our services.
• 92% are satisfied with the professionalism of our team.
• 84% would recommend our services to others.

We also identified an area where we can improve because 18% of clients felt that the information provided during the preparation process and the initial onboarding was not clear enough. This feedback helps us focus on offering better communication and guidance from the start.

12. Is there anything else you’d like to add?

I would especially like to thank our clients for their trust in our company. Many of them have been with us for many years.

The professional team that currently makes up US Tax Consultants feels responsible for maintaining the spirit that led our Founders to begin helping American expats residing in Spain with their taxes in 1965.

Offering the highest quality service and earning our clients’ trust in such a sensitive matter as taxes is our top priority.

Of course, we have business and commercial objectives, but we are certain that growth and progress will depend on a job well done.

In our business vision, there are two interconnected elements that will determine our success: on the one hand, clients are satisfied with the work provided, and on the other, a motivated, proactive, and highly qualified team of professionals at US Tax Consultants.

As CEO of US Tax Consultants, I want to thank our clients for their loyalty and our team for their excellent work over a long and successful history.