Prior-Year U.S. Tax Returns

Expert Late Tax Return Preparation for U.S. Expats

Get late tax filing help from a CPA or IRS Enrolled Agent who prepares each missed year as a complete return, files it with the IRS, and helps you keep any penalties as low as possible.
$565 flat fee per tax year No minimum number of years
4.8/5
1,600+ reviews
2K+ late returns filed
27K+ expats helped
218 countries served
17+ years serving expats

Three Steps to File Every Year You Missed.

Catch up on U.S. taxes abroad without complete records. You do not need every document for every missed year. Just have a rough idea of which years you skipped and where your income came from. Your accountant handles the rest.
1

Create Your Account

Complete a short form, confirm your account, and tell us which years you missed. We will pair you with an accountant who works on late filings every day.
2

Share What You Have

Complete your questionnaire for each year and upload whatever records you can find. Your accountant will tell you what can be reconstructed and what can be reasonably estimated.
3

We Prepare and File

Your accountant prepares each year as a full return, reviews it with you, and files it with the IRS, then explains what to expect on penalties and interest.

Late Tax Preparation at One Flat Fee per Year.

LATE TAX RETURN PREPARATION
$565 USD
Per tax year · Flat fee No hidden or hourly fees Add-on forms priced separately

What’s Included

  • One full federal tax return per year filed
  • Form 2555 or Form 1116, when they apply
  • One each of Schedules A, B, C, D, and E
  • One rental property and up to three K-1s
  • Up to 20 bank and brokerage transactions
  • Prepared by an expat CPA or IRS Enrolled Agent
  • Guidance on penalties and what to expect

Will You Owe Penalties for Filing Late?

Late-filing penalties are based on the tax you owe: generally 5% of the unpaid tax for each month a return is late, up to 25%, with a smaller 0.5% monthly charge for tax left unpaid, so if you owe nothing, there is usually no penalty at all. Many expats owe little or no U.S. tax once the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion and Foreign Tax Credit are applied, which is why filing late often costs less than people expect.

Greenback files each missed year at a flat $565 and checks first whether the Streamlined Program could remove penalties entirely for those who qualify.

Why File Your Late Returns With Greenback?

Comparing Greenback against other ways to file the years you missed? Late returns are routine work here, priced the same as a current-year return.
Greenback
Software or a general preparer
Which years to file
We confirm which years need a return
You work out which years to file
Expert review
Expat CPA or IRS Enrolled Agent
Domestic preparers may rarely file expat returns
Expat relief
Exclusions applied, so many years owe $0
Software may miss the FEIE on past years
Penalty guidance
Explained in writing before you file
Penalties often found after you file
Program fit
Streamlined checked first, used only if it fits
Streamlined may not be checked at all
Filing multiple years
All years handled by one accountant
Each year may go to a different preparer
Pricing
$565 flat fee per year, no late surcharge
Some charge more for late years
Greenback
Which years to file: We confirm which years need a return
Expert review: Expat CPA or IRS Enrolled Agent
Expat relief: Exclusions applied, so many years owe $0
Penalty guidance: Explained in writing before you file
Program fit: Streamlined checked first, used only if it fits
Filing multiple years: All years handled by one accountant
Pricing: $565 flat fee per year, no late surcharge
Software or a general preparer
Which years to file: You work out which years to file
Expert review: Domestic preparers may rarely file expat returns
Expat relief: Software may miss the FEIE on past years
Penalty guidance: Penalties often found after you file
Program fit: Streamlined may not be checked at all
Filing multiple years: Each year may go to a different preparer
Pricing: Some charge more for late years

Expats Trust Greenback With Their Late Tax Returns

Late Tax Return Reviews

Trustpilot

Greenback helped me with late filing the first year I used them and helped me with getting my foreign spouse established as a joint filer in the second year… I will use Greenback again. In fact, I don’t plan on changing tax accountants again!

Ellsworth United States

Since I realized the need to file quite late and had no assistance or referrals for a service, I had to trust Greenback expat tax services would do a good job and take care of me, and fortunately they did not disappoint me… My accountant, the service appointed to me, was excellent and helpful and quite patient while at the same time encouraging to go forward with completing all the paperwork.

Maria S. Greece

My accountant was on top of my case from the word ‘GO’ and I never had to wonder what was going on. She communicated everything throughout the process and quickly broke down my case of returns nearly a year late, organized them and got them submitted! Thank you!

H. Steve United States

I got behind filing because it felt so overwhelming. GreenBack got me back on track, and now everything is systematized and takes a fraction of the time. Thank you Greenback!

Anne H Saudi Arabia

My Greenback accountant was really amazing. I had a really complicated case and he took me through step by step. In the end my filings were about 200 pages and I could have never done it without them. If you are like me and got behind in taxes being an expat during covid I really could not recommend them more.

R Rush United States

I had to deal with multiple years of outstanding returns… My Greenback accountant made this entire process clear, manageable, and as stress-free as possible. He guided me through preparing and filing the years of outstanding tax returns… and handled every detail of all my forms with precision and care.

Marius M. Romania
Trustpilot

Late Tax Return FAQs

Common Questions About Filing Late U.S. Tax Returns From Abroad

Greenback prepares a late federal return for a flat $565 per year, with the same inclusions as a current-year return. Greenback’s zero-income federal return, for a year you had no income, is $120. Greenback confirms how many years you need before you commit, so you see the full total upfront.

Greenback prices late years the same as current ones, with no surcharge for older years and no hourly billing. The $565 covers the full return for that year, including the standard expat forms and schedules.

Greenback reviews your income and residency year by year and tells you which years need a return before you pay for anything. The IRS generally looks at the last six years to assess your situation, but if your income fell below the filing threshold in some of those years, those years may not need a return.

Greenback prepares several years’ returns together, all handled by the same accountant, so the information carries over from year to year. Each year is $565, and Greenback confirms the full total before any work starts.

Greenback’s Late Tax Return service usually fits one or two missed years at $565 per year. Greenback’s Streamlined Filing Package usually fits three or more missed years, or years you did not know you had to file, because the Streamlined Filing Procedures can remove penalties for filers whose lapse was non-willful. Two late years cost less than the $1,750 package, and Greenback recommends the right one before you commit.

Greenback reviews what you owe for each missed year before you commit, so you know where you stand on penalties up front. Many expats find the penalties come to little or nothing once the exclusion and credit are applied, and if you qualify for the Streamlined Filing Procedures, Greenback can file through that program to remove late-filing and late-FBAR penalties.

Greenback can e-file many recent prior-year returns for U.S. citizens abroad, though some older tax years and certain forms must be filed on paper. Greenback confirms which of your years can be e-filed and which need to be mailed, and handles the submission either way at no extra cost.

Greenback can start with whatever you have. A Greenback accountant tells you which records matter for each year, what can be rebuilt from bank or payroll statements, and what can be reasonably estimated, and you will not be asked for paperwork that does not change the return.

Greenback completes most single late years within two to three weeks of receiving your questionnaire. Several years together take longer, though not in proportion, since the same accountant handles all of them and much of the information carries over.

Greenback can still help, and it needs to be notified before any work starts. An IRS notice changes which options are available and can affect eligibility for the Streamlined Program, so Greenback builds your plan around the notice from the start.

Featured In

Ready to File the Years You Missed?

Flat $565 per year, no late surcharge. One expat accountant files every year you missed.