Comparison · updated monthly
Golding & Golding is an offshore-disclosure law firm. It's for willful or legal exposure — not self-serve software.
Golding & Golding is a US tax law firm staffed by attorneys, focused on offshore disclosure, FBAR, and IRS controversy work. When there is potential willfulness, audit or examination exposure, or a need for attorney-client privilege, a law firm like Golding is the right call — and Atamatax explicitly refers those cases out. Atamatax is self-serve software for the non-willful expat who needs an accurate return with PFICs and FBARs, not legal representation.
Who Golding & Golding is for
Golding fits anyone whose facts could be willful, who is under (or fears) IRS examination, who needs legal advice and privilege, or who is weighing a formal voluntary-disclosure route. Atamatax fits the non-willful filer who is simply behind or has foreign funds to report and wants to prepare accurately at a flat price.
Side-by-side
What it is
- Atamatax
- Self-serve tax-prep software (not a law firm).
- Golding & Golding
- A tax law firm — licensed attorneys.
Willful / potential-fraud exposure
- Atamatax
- Out of scope — we refer these to a law firm.
- Golding & Golding Winner
- Core expertise; attorney-client privilege.
Non-willful self-serve prep
- Atamatax Winner
- Built for exactly this — flat price, free draft.
- Golding & Golding
- Available, but at law-firm engagement cost.
Legal advice & privilege
- Atamatax
- Not provided — software, not legal counsel.
- Golding & Golding Winner
- Yes — a key reason to use a law firm.
IRS audit / examination representation
- Atamatax
- Not offered.
- Golding & Golding Winner
- Yes — controversy work is a strength.
Pricing
- Atamatax Winner
- $299 / $499 / $799 flat per return, upfront.
- Golding & Golding
- Legal-engagement fees; higher and case-specific.
Form 8621 (PFIC) preparation
- Atamatax Winner
- Built-in; up to 25 per return.
- Golding & Golding
- Handled within a legal engagement.
Streamlined / non-willful catch-up prep
- Atamatax
- Supports preparation for non-willful cases.
- Golding & Golding
- Handles these, including borderline-willful facts.
Free draft before paying
- Atamatax Winner
- Yes.
- Golding & Golding
- Engagement-based; no self-serve free draft.
The marked column indicates which product handles the feature more completely as of June 2026. We update this page when their offering changes — tell us if it's out of date.
Bottom line
If your facts could be willful, you're facing IRS examination, or you need legal advice and privilege, a law firm like Golding & Golding is the right choice — and Atamatax will refer you out rather than try to handle it. If you're a non-willful filer who just needs an accurate expat return with PFICs and FBARs prepared at a flat, upfront price, that's what Atamatax is built for. The two aren't really competitors so much as different tools for different exposure levels.
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