USA
Canada
India
US, Canada and India taxes. One firm.
Living in the US and need returns filed in Canada or India? We prepare your US, Canadian and Indian returns in one place, so everything lines up and the same income is not taxed twice. From our Buffalo-area offices right next door to Canada, cross-border tax is everyday work for us.
Choose your country
Where are your ties?
US + India
Tax returns for NRIs living in the US
US and Indian returns, NRE and NRO account reporting, property in India and Indian tax notices.
US + Canada
Cross-border tax for Canadians and Americans
US and Canadian returns, RRSP and TFSA reporting, Canadian property and pensions.
How we help
Three countries, one team.
One firm for every return you need, in every country you need it. No juggling preparers and no gaps between them.
Bundled packages
Every return, one place
Your US personal and business returns plus your Canadian and Indian returns, all filed by one team with one point of contact.
Treaty relief
Avoid paying tax twice
We use foreign tax credits and the US-Canada and US-India tax treaties so the same income is not taxed by both countries.
Foreign reporting
FBAR and FATCA, done right
NRE and NRO accounts, Indian mutual funds and Canadian registered plans can all carry US reporting requirements with steep penalties. We find what applies and file it.
Rental property
Property in Canada or India
From reporting rental income in both countries to the tax side of selling, we handle the filing and help you plan ahead.
India & Canada compliance
NRIs, OCIs and Canadian non-residents
Your ongoing Indian and Canadian tax filings and compliance, handled from here, for people who now live in the US but still have income, property or accounts there.
Estate planning
Cross-border estates
Estate and inheritance planning for families with assets in Canada or India, so your family is not caught between two tax systems.
Why collaboration matters
Different tax years. Different deadlines. One plan.
The US and India do not even agree on when the year starts. When the same income lands in two systems on two calendars, the returns have to be prepared together to come out right.
Tax years
Two tax years that do not line up
The US tax year runs January to December. India’s runs April to March. Income is split differently in each country, so foreign tax credits have to be matched to the right year on both sides or you can end up paying twice.
Deadlines
Three countries, three due dates
US returns are generally due April 15, Canadian returns April 30 and Indian returns typically July 31. We plan the whole calendar so one filing is never waiting on another.
Indian tax notices
Help when India sends a notice
If you receive a notice or assessment from the Indian tax department, we work with our counterparts in India on the response and any litigation, with your US return in view the whole time.
Who this is for
Built a life here, kept ties there.
- Anyone living in the US who needs a tax return filed in Canada or India
- Physicians, engineers and other professionals on a work visa or green card, with income or assets in India or Canada
- NRIs and OCI cardholders with bank accounts, investments or rental property in India
- Canadians living in Western New York, and Americans with property, pensions or income in Canada
- Parents moving to the US who still have residential ties or income in Canada or India
- Families settling an estate or receiving an inheritance from another country
- High-net-worth households with complex finances on both sides of a border
Worth knowing
A few things that catch people out.
None of this is urgent reading. It is what we would walk you through anyway.
Indian mutual funds can be costly on a US return
Many are treated as passive foreign investment companies under US rules. That brings extra forms and can mean a much higher tax bill. It is worth a review before you buy more.
Canadian accounts are not all treated alike
An RRSP generally keeps its tax deferral on your US return. A TFSA does not. Income inside a TFSA is taxable for US purposes even though Canada does not tax it.
The year you move is the tricky one
Arriving or leaving usually means dual-status or part-year treatment, and both countries may have a claim on that year.
What to expect
Three steps, at your pace.
Tell us where things are
A short conversation about where you earn income, hold accounts and own property. There is no wrong amount to know at this stage.
We map what has to be filed
Which returns are needed in which country, what is due when and where treaty relief applies, before any work starts.
We prepare and file everything
We prepare your US, Canadian and Indian returns and explain in plain English how they fit together.
Common questions
US, Canada and India tax questions.
Do I still need to file a tax return in India if I live in the US?
Often, yes. If you earn income in India, such as rent, interest or gains from selling property or investments, you may need to file an Indian return even as a non-resident. We look at your situation and tell you exactly what is required.
Do I have to report my Indian or Canadian bank accounts to the IRS?
US residents generally must report foreign financial accounts, including NRE and NRO accounts and Canadian bank and investment accounts, once total balances pass certain thresholds. Penalties for missing these reports can be steep, so it is worth getting right.
Will I pay tax twice on the same income?
Usually not, when the returns are prepared correctly. Foreign tax credits and the US-India and US-Canada tax treaties are designed to prevent double taxation, but the returns in each country have to line up for that relief to work.
Can you prepare my Canadian and Indian returns as well as my US return?
Yes. We are a one-stop shop for US, Canadian and Indian tax returns, so every filing is handled by one team that sees the whole picture.
Do I need to live near Buffalo to work with you?
No. Many cross-border clients work with us entirely online from anywhere in the US. You are also welcome at our offices in Orchard Park, West Seneca and East Aurora.
In-house expertise
A CPA who knows Canadian and Indian tax.
Our in-house CPA is experienced in Canadian and Indian taxation, so your returns in all three countries are handled by people who understand how they fit together. One firm, one conversation.
Taxes in more than one country?
Book a consultation and we will tell you what has to be filed, where and when. Offices in Orchard Park, West Seneca and East Aurora, or entirely online.
The fine print
Sterling Tax & Accounting, Inc. prepares US, Canadian and Indian tax returns. We are not attorneys and nothing on this page is legal or immigration advice. Treaty benefits, residency and foreign reporting requirements depend on your specific facts.