Who we help
US–UK accounting for startups, founders & contractors
Running a company across the US and UK adds a layer most accountants miss: a UK limited company owned by an American is usually a controlled foreign corporation, triggering Form 5471 and potential GILTI tax on profits before they are distributed. We handle the UK accounts, Corporation Tax and payroll alongside the US owner's reporting, so incorporation decisions are modelled across both systems from the start.
The way you structure a cross-border business shapes your tax for years — and for an American founder, a routine UK incorporation can quietly create US reporting obligations and current tax on profit you haven’t even drawn. The decisions that look purely operational (sole trader vs limited company, when to incorporate, how to pay yourself) all have a US dimension.
The goal isn’t to avoid incorporating — it’s to incorporate with both systems in view. Elections like check-the-box and Section 962 can transform the US position of a UK company, but only if chosen deliberately and on time. We bring the UK accounting and the US tax together so founders make these calls with the full picture.
We help founders and contractors who are…
- Americans starting or running a UK limited company
- Contractors deciding between sole trader and limited company
- Startups with US and UK founders or investors
- Founders weighing check-the-box or Section 962 elections
- Businesses trading across both countries
- Wanting one team for UK accounts and US owner reporting
What you'll likely need
The services that fit your situation
Frequently asked questions
A UK limited company owned by a US citizen is usually a "controlled foreign corporation" for US purposes. That brings Form 5471 reporting (with a penalty starting at $10,000 for non-filing) and potential current US tax on the company’s profits under the GILTI/NCTI rules, even before you take money out. None of this stops you incorporating — but the decision should be modelled across both systems first.
For a UK-only business the answer turns on profit level and risk. For an American in the UK it is more involved, because a limited company triggers US CFC reporting while a sole trader does not — but a sole trader pays UK National Insurance and may face US self-employment tax considerations. The right answer depends on your numbers and your US status, which is exactly what we model.
It lets the owner of a UK company choose how it is treated for US tax — as a corporation or as a "disregarded" pass-through entity. Done deliberately it can simplify a US owner’s position and avoid GILTI complexity; done without modelling it can create self-employment tax exposure and a deemed liquidation. It is powerful and irreversible for five years, so it should never be filed casually.
Yes — that is the point of working with us. We prepare the UK company accounts, Corporation Tax and payroll, and the US owner’s Form 5471, GILTI calculation and personal return, coordinated so the UK tax credits correctly against the US position. One team, both jurisdictions.
Building across both countries?
Book a consultation and we'll model your structure across the UK and US before you commit to it.