Financial planning for Americans in Cork.

Cork is where a lot of American careers land softly — Apple in Hollyhill, Pfizer in Ringaskiddy, Lilly, Stryker, Johnson & Johnson, Dell. The life is genuinely better: a house you can afford, a coast you can reach in twenty minutes, schools you don't have to worry about. The money side is where it gets messy, because two tax systems are now watching the same salary.

Cross-border financial planning and US investment management for Americans living abroad, typically with $1M+. Most clients have $1M+ in investable assets; we also work with selected households from $500K.

Written and reviewed by Anthony Walsh, Selanis. Last reviewed 2026-08-24.

Key issues

Pharma and tech equity taxed twice
Irish funds punished by the IRS
Company pension vs your 401(k)
US broker closing your account
Inheritance taxed on both sides

Your Apple, Pfizer, Lilly, Stryker or J&J shares are a two-country event

Ireland taxes the vest as salary at up to 52%. US payroll usually withheld already. Unless the grant is split across US and Irish workdays and the credit claimed properly, you pay in both places — often five figures a year for years, without anyone noticing. Share purchase plans and performance awards add another layer.

The funds your Cork bank or broker recommends are taxed badly by the IRS

Irish-domiciled funds are the default product in Ireland. For an American, they land in a US tax category that carries punishing treatment and an extra IRS form every year. The same investment, bought in US-domiciled form, is taxed normally. Your strategy doesn't need to change — the registration of the fund does.

Ireland taxes paper gains at 41% every eight years. The US gives you no credit for it yet.

Irish funds carry a charge on unrealised gains every eight years whether you sell or not. Since you haven't sold in US terms, the IRS offers no offsetting credit until you do. We find the clocks, then either restructure before they strike or time the eventual sale so the credit works.

Your Irish company pension is a good deal — with a US-side check

Real Irish tax relief, and the treaty covers the wrapper. What gets missed: the funds inside it are usually the problem funds above, and the lifetime cap on tax-relieved savings (rising to €2.8M by 2029) means over-funding can quietly destroy value for a senior manager. We set the contribution level year by year.

A house in Douglas, Blackrock or Kinsale is a US tax decision too

A euro mortgage creates a US currency gain almost no one has heard of. The Irish main-home exemption and the US exclusion don't line up neatly. Rent out a place and it's fully reportable in the States, with tax on the depreciation when you sell. Cheap by Bay Area standards is still worth modelling first.

Ireland taxes what your children receive. The US taxes what you leave.

Irish inheritance tax is 33% above €400k for a child. The US taxes your worldwide estate as a citizen, and if your spouse isn't American the usual spousal exemption doesn't apply. Inheritance coming the other way — parents in the US, an Irish-resident child — is the version nobody plans for, and the one that costs the most.

AIB and Bank of Ireland don't want the complexity, and your US broker doesn't want your Cork address

US custodians have restricted or closed accounts for Americans with Irish addresses; Irish institutions often decline US persons outright. A forced liquidation gives you a tax year you didn't choose. There are custodians that genuinely work for people here — sequencing the move is the whole job.

Frequently asked questions

Do you work with people in Cork, or is this a Dublin practice?

Both, and everything in between — Cork, Kinsale, Limerick, Galway, Kildare, Wicklow. Meetings are by video with an in-person option; nothing about the work depends on the county.

How is my Apple, Pfizer, Lilly or Stryker equity taxed?

Ireland taxes the vest as employment income at up to 52% marginal (income tax, USC, PRSI). US payroll usually withheld too. The fix is a workday sourcing analysis between US and Irish service periods plus a properly claimed foreign tax credit — otherwise you pay in both places.

Are Irish funds really a problem for Americans?

Yes. Irish-domiciled funds are PFICs under US rules, requiring Form 8621 each year, with default treatment that can exceed the gain. Ireland's 41% deemed disposal every eight years then taxes unrealised gains with no matching US credit. Fund domicile is the biggest controllable variable.

What happens to my 401(k) and Roth while I live in Ireland?

They keep working, but drawdown timing and order matter enormously across two systems. The US–Ireland treaty gives real coverage on pension distributions; the sequence needs to be designed years before you need the income, not at retirement.

Should I buy a house here?

Often yes — but model it first. A euro mortgage creates US currency gains on repayment or refinance, the Irish and US main-home reliefs don't align, and rental income is fully US-reportable with depreciation recapture on sale.

Do you file my taxes?

No. We coordinate a US CPA and an Irish tax adviser around one strategy. Keeping advice separate from filing keeps everyone independent.

What does it cost?

A 45-minute Complimentary Fit Conversation at no charge. Planning engagements start at $3,000, with ongoing management on a tiered fee from 1.00% on the first $1M, falling to 0.30% above $10M. No commissions, no product revenue.

Fees

Blueprint $3,000 and Life $8,000 (flat planning fees). Private Wealth Management on a tiered, blended schedule starting at 1.00% on the first $1M and declining to 0.30% above $10M. Fee-only: no commissions, no product payments, no lock-in. All fees

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