Answers for JSBC clients.

Once we have your organizer and documents, your return moves through a few stages:

• In queue: returns are generally picked up in the order clients come on board.
• In preparation: a preparer builds the return and may send you a few final questions.
• In review: a second person checks it, including how your US and Italian returns fit together.
• Ready for you: we send it to your client portal for your review and e-signature.

A quick reply to any questions keeps things moving. For an update, message us in your client portal.

We file your return after you sign the e-file authorization we send through your client portal. Until that signature comes back, the return cannot be submitted.

Once it is filed, we can confirm that it was submitted and accepted. If you need proof, such as the e-file acceptance confirmation or a copy of the filed return, ask in your client portal and we will send it.

If a tax office tells you it has no record of a filing, upload what they sent you and we will check.

If we need something, we will ask. Requests come as a message or task in your client portal, or by email, and say what is missing.

• Finished your organizer and uploads? We will reach out only if something is missing.
• Have an open question from us? Answering it is usually what is holding up your work.
• When your return or report is ready, you will get a notice in your client portal to review and sign.

Not sure something reached us? Send a message in your client portal and we will confirm.

Once something is filed, the timing is in the tax authority's hands. Waits vary widely, especially for paper filings and large refunds, and long delays are common.

• You can track a federal refund yourself with the IRS online refund tool.
• If you get a letter or notice, upload it to your client portal and we will tell you whether any action is needed.
• With your IRS authorization on file, we can pull your IRS transcripts to see what has been recorded.
• If you mailed anything, keep the mailing receipt.

Calling the agency rarely speeds things up unless they have asked for more information. If you would like us to call the IRS or the Agenzia for you, that time is billed by the hour.

Many setup steps depend on a government office or registry acting first. For example, a US company's EIN request goes in once the state has accepted the formation, and some Italian registrations need documents from a notary or the tax office before they can move.

• We file each next step as soon as the one before it is approved.
• Approvals sometimes arrive at your mailbox or email, not ours, so please forward anything from a government office or registry right away.
• We will tell you if we need a signature or document from you.

Processing times are set by each office and can run longer in busy periods.

It depends on how you chose to pay:

• Direct debit with your return: if you gave bank details and authorization in your organizer, the payment is set up when your return is filed, using that account. If you would rather pay yourself, tell us before we file and we will take the debit off.
• Italian F24 forms: we upload each form to your client portal with its amount and due date. If you authorized us to pay from your Italian account, we handle it.
• Paying yourself: send us a copy of your receipt so our records match.

If you made an estimated payment we may not know about, tell us so it is counted. We will always tell you an amount before anything is debited.

Planning memos, pre-move assessments and similar reports follow the same path:

• We gather your intake answers and documents.
• We draft the analysis.
• A second team member reviews it before it reaches you.

When it is ready, we will let you know in your client portal. Most clients then book a call to walk through it together, which you can do on our team booking page. If your situation has changed since we started, tell us, because the report may need updating first.

Signing and paying starts your onboarding. Here is what usually follows:

• Onboarding steps appear in your client portal, usually an intake questionnaire or organizer plus instructions.
• You complete the intake and upload your documents there.
• We add your work to our production queue and send next steps or questions as we go.

These messages go out automatically when you sign. If nothing has arrived in your client portal or email, send us a message and we will resend it.

More is better. Upload anything that could be relevant, for example:

• Prior-year US and Italian tax returns
• Brokerage and investment statements
• Retirement account and pension statements
• Records of your income

Your organizer shows what applies to you. If something does not apply, skip it. Complete what you can and we will tell you if anything is missing. You can upload to your client portal at any time, without waiting for us to ask.

For most Italian work we need access to your Agenzia delle Entrate account. You give us that access by completing the Delega Unica online, using SPID (Italy's digital identity login), your Italian electronic ID card (CIE) or an Italian digital signature.

• If you have none of these yet, getting a CIE from your comune or SPID from an approved provider is the first step.
• Once your Delega Unica is active, let us know and we will log in and take the next steps.
• You can still book a meeting with us while this is in progress.

We prepare the US return first, then the Italian return, and then coordinate the two so they work together. Because of that order, we routinely file an extension for your US return so both can be finished properly.

If you get a notice that your US return is complete, it means we have moved on to the Italian return, not that everything is done. After the Italian return is ready, you approve and sign the Italian forms and then pay any F24 forms we upload to your client portal.

At the end of a meeting we often send a quote or engagement for the services we discussed, even ones that are months away. That way you know the cost ahead of time.

You do not need to sign it right away. Accept it when you are ready to start that service. If a proposal includes something that no longer applies to you, or looks wrong, tell us and we will correct it before you sign.

If we have told you something is ready, such as a memo or analysis, go ahead and book whenever it suits you on our team booking page.

For new services, you can usually book while onboarding is still in progress, for example while you wait for an ID card or authorization. Finishing your intake and uploading documents before the call helps us prepare and use the time well.

Not sure? Message us in your client portal and we will tell you which step comes first.

We work with couples all the time. A few things to know:

• Each spouse gets their own client portal account.
• One engagement can cover both of you.
• We prepare a separate Italian return for each spouse, so each of you signs your own Italian authorizations.
• On the US side, we will tell you which forms need one signature or two.
• One of you can upload documents for both.

Our system notifies each of you about what to sign and when.

Once your proposal is signed and paid, we send an organizer (a guided questionnaire) through your client portal. It walks you through what to provide for your situation, so it is the best place to start.

If we need something beyond the organizer, we will ask for it by name in the portal. When you are unsure whether a document matters, upload what you have and we will tell you whether it is useful. You never need to guess.

Thank you for uploading. Your preparer reviews everything you send as they work on your file, and if something is missing or unclear they will message you in your client portal with a specific request.

It also helps to finish every organizer in the portal, since that is how we check off what we still need. If you have not heard from us, that usually means we are working with what you sent. You can always ask for a status check in the portal.

Please send statements for every account listed in your organizer, including small ones, unless we tell you otherwise.

In most cases we work from the account balances rather than every transaction, so statements that show the year-end balance and the highest balance during the year are usually enough. The statements as you download them from your bank are fine. We will tell you if a particular account needs more detail. If an older statement is hard to get, let us know in your client portal before spending hours on it.

Often, yes. Upload what you have to your client portal and we will tell you whether it works.

• An official summary or statement from the bank or provider is better than a screenshot.
• If a document confirms account details, it should show your name and at least part of the account number.
• For some requests only a formal certificate will do, and we will say so if that is the case.

Keep the originals and any backup documents in your own records too.

Tell us in your client portal which document you cannot find and why (lost, never issued, no longer have access). Many times it turns out we can work without it, or with something else you already have.

If we do still need it, we will suggest where to get a replacement. Banks, for example, often let you download official statements, payment receipts or account proof from online banking. A reasonable effort to obtain a document is what we ask; we will work with what you can provide.

Upload everything through your client portal. That keeps your file in one secure place where your whole team can see it.

• For forms you sign, check that every signature and date field is filled in before uploading.
• We will tell you who needs to sign each form; often it is just you.
• Occasionally a bank or government office needs an original paper document. We will tell you when that applies.

If an upload or online submission gets stuck, message us in the portal and we can set up a short call.

Sorry about that. Signing hiccups happen, and there is almost always a way around them.

• Try again on a computer rather than the phone app.
• If it still gets stuck, try a different browser.
• Send us a message in your client portal saying which document it was and what happened.

For a US e-file authorization, the identity questions allow two tries. If both fail, you can sign that form by hand instead.

If electronic signing still won't work, you can usually print the document, sign it by hand, and upload the signed copy back to your client portal. Message us if you get stuck and we will help you through it.

Yes, in most cases. For Italian documents there are two accepted options: an Italian digital signature, or a signature on paper. You can choose either one. US forms, such as the IRS e-file authorization, can also be signed by hand.

To sign on paper:

• Print the entire document, not just the signature page.
• Sign by hand where your name appears. On the Italian individual tax return, that is the third page.
• Scan the whole document clearly and upload the signed PDF to your client portal.

Send us a quick message once it's uploaded and we'll confirm everything looks right.

Send us their full name and email address in a message. Portal invitations aren't sent automatically, so we send them ourselves.

• Each person needs their own email address. Two people can't share one.
• The new person may need to activate their login from the invitation email before a signature request shows up.
• When two people sign, each gets a separate request. A partially signed status usually just means we're still waiting on the other person.

Whether spouses share one account or have separate ones depends on your US and Italian filings, so we set that up case by case.

Start with the most recent email notification from us and open the link in it. Older links can point to a version we've since replaced.

If you still can't find it, send us a message in your client portal saying what you're looking for, and we'll resend it or point you straight to it.

The same goes for meeting recordings, transcripts and spreadsheets we've mentioned. Just ask, and we'll send you a link or a downloadable copy.

Please upload files to the documents area of your client portal rather than attaching them in the chat. That keeps everything together in your file.

For personal details such as ID numbers, fill in your questionnaire (we call it an organizer). It asks for them and keeps them on record for future years.

Don't worry about duplicates or a file landing in the wrong section. We review every document by hand and will catch it. If an upload doesn't go through, try again, and let us know if it keeps failing.

Once a questionnaire (organizer) is submitted, it's locked for editing. Just send us a message and we can reopen it for you, or tell us the correction and we'll update it ourselves. The same goes for a typo in your address or contact details.

If a page times out or comes up blank, wait a little and try again.

If you approved something by mistake, let us know right away so we can sort it out.

Yes. You should get an email notification each time we send you a new message in your client portal. If they aren't arriving, let us know and we'll check the email address on your account.

If you've ended up with two logins or two accounts, or you wrote to us from a different one, tell us which email you want to use and we'll tidy it up.

Getting reminders for something you've already signed? Reminders are set on our side, so send us a message and we'll turn them off.

Unfortunately, not anymore. The Delega Unica is the online authorization that lets us see your records at the Italian Revenue Agency. Since December 2025 the Agency only takes it online: you activate it with SPID (Italy's digital identity login) or a CIE (Italy's electronic ID card), or sign it with an Italian digital signature. We pushed for alternatives for months without success.

If nothing urgent needs your records right now, the simplest path is to wait until you have SPID or a CIE. If something is time-sensitive, send us a message and we'll talk through the options.

A CIE (Italy's electronic ID card) is requested in person at your comune, the local town hall. When you apply, you'll receive the first half of your PIN, and the rest arrives by mail with the card.

SPID (Italy's digital identity login) comes from an approved provider. If you hold an Italian passport or ID card, you can get SPID without a CIE, even from outside Italy: choose a provider that serves residents abroad.

Either one works for the Delega Unica, the online authorization that lets us see your Italian Revenue Agency records. Let us know as soon as you have one and we'll take it from there.

The Delega Unica (the online authorization that lets us see your Italian Revenue Agency records) needs SPID, Italy's digital identity login, or your CIE, the electronic ID card. If it won't go through:

• Use a computer. The mobile version doesn't always work well.
• Have your full CIE PIN ready. The first half comes from the comune (town hall) when you apply, the second half by mail with the card.
• Enter your details exactly as they appear on your ID.
• Retry later if a page errors out or comes up blank.
• Pages in Italian? Your browser's translate feature can help.

Our step-by-step Delega Unica guide walks through each screen. Still stuck? Message us and we'll set up a short call to walk through it.

Once you've finished, send us a quick message in your client portal. We'll check on our side and confirm once we're linked to your records at the Italian Revenue Agency (that's what the Delega Unica, the online authorization, gives us).

After we confirm, there's nothing more you need to do for it. We'll start pulling the information we need for your file.

If you have SPID (Italy's digital identity login), that's the easiest route. Just follow the signing steps in the email we send you. A CIE (electronic ID card) or an Italian digital signature can also be used; that signing happens outside your client portal, so message us first and we will tell you how to send the signed file back.

No SPID, or it isn't working? Sign on paper instead:

• Print the entire return.
• Sign by hand on the third page, where your name appears.
• Scan the whole document and upload it to your client portal.

A bank debit authorization form can be signed by hand the same way.

Your proposal lists exactly what is included: which returns, which countries, which tax years and which people. Routine follow-up on that work is part of it, such as answering questions about your filing or fixing a return that was not accepted.

Extra charges usually only come up when something changes, for example:

• new income types, accounts or assets that need additional forms
• adding a spouse or another person
• a later tax year, which is a separate engagement
• work outside the proposal, such as reviewing a return someone else prepared
• replying to a tax notice or letter, unless your package includes it

If you are unsure, message us in your client portal before the work starts.

Our monthly packages are built for people living and working in Italy who want their US and Italian compliance handled in one place. The package covers the items listed in your proposal, which typically includes registration and setup help, ongoing tax payments, the related returns and the meetings needed to set things up or solve problems with them. Planning or "what if" questions are separate advisory work.

The main reason a package would change is if your income, accounts or assets change. Each package runs for a 12-month term from when you sign, with the monthly fee due at the start of each month. If you end it early, the rest of the term's fee is generally still due, as your engagement letter explains. If you do not plan to renew, tell us in writing at least 90 days before the term ends.

Current prices are on our pricing page, and your proposal shows exactly what yours includes.

Yes. Once we know your situation, we send a written proposal to your client portal. It shows the scope and the fee, and nothing starts until you accept it.

• If we offered you options, tell us which one you chose so we can quote it.
• The fee mainly depends on your income types and the assets and accounts you hold, since those drive which forms are needed.
• If a tax estimate is still in progress, it is fine to wait for it before signing.

For a general idea, see our pricing page. New clients can start at get started.

It depends on how well defined the work is.

• Flat fee: when we know what we are working with, such as standard returns, packages and planning reports, we quote a fixed price.
• Hourly: when there are many people, entities or open questions involved, or the work is advisory (plans, timelines, meetings, explaining things to another accountant), we bill for time spent.

Partner and staff time are billed at different rates. Current rates are on our pricing page and in the general terms attached to your engagement.

Questions about your own return, documents, status and filing are part of the work you have already paid for, and we usually reply the same day. Planning, "what if" and tax-rule questions are advisory work, billed as a written answer or by the hour, and we will tell you before anything is charged.

Calls are billed by length at the hourly rate, so a 15-minute call costs a quarter of an hour. Meetings that belong to work you have already paid for may be included. If you are not sure whether a call will be charged, just ask us in your client portal before booking.

Current consultation rates are on our pricing page.

Please tell us in your client portal before you sign or pay. Proposals are generated from templates, so occasionally a line item, rate or placeholder discount shows up that does not apply to you, and we will correct it.

A few things that often look odd but are correct:

• A quantity may be a number of hours, not a number of reports.
• A package price may be a per-return fee multiplied by the number of returns.
• A separate charge may be reimbursement of a payment we made on your behalf.
• Two proposals may cover different things, such as annual returns and a monthly package.

To see what you have already paid, open the billing section of your client portal.

We start once you have accepted your proposal and paid in your client portal, by card or bank debit. After that, we begin preparing your returns and calculations and will send you anything we need from you.

If you are not sure which document needs payment, message us in your client portal and we will point you to the right item.

You can book yourself, any time, without waiting for us to suggest a time. Use our team booking page. It shows everyone's open slots, and you pick the day and time that suits you.

If you cannot find the booking page, ask in your client portal and we will send it. There is no need to ask permission first; if a call would help, book it.

The quickest way is to book the first open slot on the team booking page. It always shows real, up-to-date availability, so the earliest slot there is genuinely the earliest we can meet.

If your question is time-sensitive, also send a short message in your client portal explaining what is urgent. Sometimes a quick written answer resolves it before the call.

Book with the advisor working on your file, or the person who suggested the call. The booking page lists the whole team, plus links to book with more than one advisor at once (scroll down to see them all).

• For one focused question, a 15-minute call is usually enough.
• If you want to cover several topics or review a return, choose a 30 or 60-minute call so there is time for everything.

Not sure? Ask in your client portal before booking.

Use the reschedule or cancel option in your booking confirmation email. Rescheduling that way moves the meeting automatically, so there is nothing else to do.

If you cancel, simply book again from the team booking page once you know when you are free. If you cannot find the email or the option is not working, message us in your client portal and we will sort it out.

When you book, you should receive a confirmation email with a calendar invitation and a Microsoft Teams meeting link. The booking page shows times in your own time zone, so check the AM or PM before you confirm.

If you did not get the email or the link, send us a message in your client portal and we will confirm your booking and resend the link.

You are welcome to add a guest, such as a spouse or business partner, even after booking. Let your advisor know who is joining.

Start at Get Started. You answer a few short questions about your situation, then choose a time for a free 15-minute consultation. That way the right advisor sees your details before the call.

For what consultations and services cost, see Pricing, and for what we do, see Services.