Form 8621 software for Americans abroad
Form 8621 software for foreign funds and ETFs.
Scan potential PFICs free, identify the probable filing workload, and check the supported output and price for your tax year before paying.
Supported calculations and mapped worksheets · Price depends on year and scope · Results before payment · No credit card
Supported §1291, QEF and mark-to-market inputs produce line-mapped Form 8621 worksheets and an assumption log. Election eligibility, historical records and missing rates need review; an incomplete calculation is not a completed filing. Official PDFs are not included for this tax year unless supported and released.
Atamatax is self-serve tax-preparation software: you review the package and file it with the instructions provided — how every figure is checked.
By Danilson Ramos · Founder, Atamatax
Published July 2026 · Updated October 2026
Before choosing a package
Match the output to your tax year.
- Tax year 2026
- The $199 CPA Export provides supported calculations, mapped worksheets and assumptions for handoff. Final official IRS PDFs are not integrated for this year; missing rates or records remain open items.
- PFIC Portfolio
- $499 for one supported annual return, including up to 25 holding-year worksheets. Integrated template years: 2025. Official Form 8621 PDFs also require release validation; confirm the available output.
- Review and filing
- You or a professional you engage must check the inputs, complete missing forms, sign and file. Software does not include CPA/EA review, an election opinion, representation or electronic filing — those belong to a fully managed engagement, quoted separately.
- Complex or prior years
- Missing basis, late elections, indirect ownership and multi-year corrections need individual scoping. No completion time is promised until the records and scope are established.
What flat pricing changes at three PFICs or more
Atamatax’s PFIC Portfolio package is $499 for up to 25 supported Forms 8621 in one tax year. Bright!Tax lists professional preparation starting at $170 per PFIC without distributions (last checked October 24, 2026; see the published fee schedule). Side by side:
| PFICs | Per-form professional preparation | Atamatax PFIC Portfolio |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | from $170 | $499 flat |
| 3 | from $510 | $499 flatlist-price difference $11 |
| 5 | from $850 | $499 flatlist-price difference $351 |
| 10 | from $1,700 | $499 flatlist-price difference $1,201 |
Multiplying this published starting fee by three PFICs passes the software package price. This is an illustration of two pricing models, not a quote or a forecast of savings. Confirm base-return charges, transaction work, years and the written scope with the provider.
A professional engagement may include review, advice, a preparer’s signature and filing, depending on its terms. Atamatax’s software deliverable is a reviewable draft package you complete and file yourself. Compare the service scope together with the price, not the price alone.
Mainstream tax software (TurboTax) doesn't produce Form 8621, so U.S. persons with foreign funds are left with three real options.
The three options
- Hand-build the §1291 worksheet using the official instructions, complete records and a check of the applicable elections.
- A professional provider — scope may be priced per form, hourly, or as a case-specific package; confirm whether review and filing are included.
- Self-serve software — identify potential PFICs, calculate supported inputs, and produce a reviewable draft package.
How the software options differ
Different PFIC tools serve different users and expose different inputs, classifications, calculations and deliverables. Atamatax starts with potential-PFIC analysis, then drafts supported Form 8621 inputs in the context of the expat-return workflow under the configured PFIC · $499 tier, with up to 25 forms included.
| TurboTax | Preparer PFIC tools | CPA/EA firm | Atamatax | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Form 8621 output | Not supported | Confirm product and tax year | Confirm engagement scope | Supported worksheets; official PDFs depend on year and release |
| Potential-PFIC screening | No | Varies by product | Fact-specific review | Included |
| Professional advice / signature | No | Verify with provider | Depends on engagement | No |
| Pricing | Product-specific | Verify with provider | Per-form, hourly, or case quote | PFIC · $499 |
Start with the workflow that matches your holdings
For one known sale or excess distribution, use the Form 8621 §1291 calculator. For several held or sold positions, the PFIC portfolio analyzer runs the same engine as the return workflow. If the securities are European UCITS funds or sit at IBKR, review the UCITS PFIC guide or Interactive Brokers PFIC guide before entering them.
Scan first, then draft your Form 8621
Run your holdings through the free portfolio analyzer to see which are likely PFICs and how many forms you are looking at, then continue into the package when the draft looks right. For a single known sale or excess distribution, the §1291 worksheet builder is the faster route.
Other free tools
Authorities cited
- IRC §1291 — IRC §1291 — Interest on tax deferral (excess-distribution regime)
- IRC §1297 — IRC §1297 — Definition of a passive foreign investment company
- IRS Form 8621 — About Form 8621 — Information Return by a Shareholder of a PFIC or QEF
Primary sources (Cornell Legal Information Institute for the US Code and CFR; IRS.gov for forms, procedures, and treaty documents). This page is general information, not individualized tax or legal advice.
Atamatax provides tax preparation support and educational resources. This website does not constitute legal or tax advice.