Financial planning for Americans in Dublin.

You moved for the job, the passport, or the life. Now you're paying tax in two countries, your Irish bank keeps recommending funds the IRS punishes, and your US broker has started sending letters about your address. We start with what you actually want your money to do — then build the structure underneath it, on both sides of the Atlantic.

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

RSUs taxed in Dublin and the US
Irish funds, brutal US tax treatment
Your pension vs your 401(k)
US broker closing your account
Two tax returns, no single plan

Almost every fund an Irish bank or broker will sell you is taxed badly by the IRS

Irish-domiciled funds and ETFs are the default product here — they're what AIB, Bank of Ireland, Davy and Goodbody put in front of you. For an American, each one falls into a US category that carries punishing tax and an extra IRS form every year. The same exposure, bought in US-domiciled form, is taxed normally. Nothing about your investment strategy has to change; where the fund is registered does.

Ireland can tax you on gains you haven't sold — and the US won't give you credit for it yet

Irish funds are taxed at 41% every eight years on paper gains, whether or not you sell. Because you haven't actually sold anything in US eyes, the IRS gives you no offsetting credit until you do. Most US families in Dublin have an eight-year clock running and don't know the date. We map every position and either restructure before the trigger or time the sale so the credit lines up.

Your RSUs at Google, Meta, Stripe, LinkedIn, Workday or Salesforce are a two-country event

Ireland taxes the vest as salary at up to 52%. US payroll often withheld already. Without splitting the grant across US and Irish workdays and claiming the credit properly, you genuinely pay twice — usually five figures a year, quietly, for years. We sequence vests, sales and FX with both returns in view.

Your Irish pension is a good deal — if someone checks the US side

A PRSA or company scheme gives real Irish tax relief, and the US–Ireland treaty covers the wrapper. Two things get missed: the funds inside it are almost always the problem funds above, and the lifetime cap on tax-relieved pension savings (rising to €2.8M by 2029) means over-funding can destroy value. We model the right contribution level year by year, not once at retirement.

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

Irish inheritance tax is 33% above a €400k threshold for a child — one of the lowest allowances in Western Europe. The US taxes your worldwide estate as a citizen, and if your spouse isn't American, the usual spousal exemption doesn't apply. Parents in the States leaving property to an Irish-resident child is the version nobody plans for. Both problems are solvable years ahead, and only years ahead.

Irish banks don't really want US clients, and your US broker doesn't want your Dublin address

Fidelity, Schwab, Vanguard and Morgan Stanley have all restricted or closed accounts for Americans with Irish addresses. Local wealth managers frequently decline US persons outright. A forced liquidation creates a tax year you didn't choose. There are custodians that genuinely work — the move just has to be sequenced properly.

Buying in D4, D6, Sandycove or Greystones is a US tax decision before it's an Irish one

A euro mortgage creates a US currency gain most owners have never heard of. The Irish exemption on your main home and the US exclusion don't line up. If you rent out a Dublin property, it's fully reportable in the US with tax on the depreciation when you eventually sell. We model the after-tax cost on both sides before you sign.

Frequently asked questions

Why can't my Irish accountant just handle this?

Because the problem lives in the gap between two systems. An Irish tax adviser works to Revenue rules and doesn't think in US forms, PFICs or US estate tax. A US CPA doesn't think in PRSAs, ARFs, deemed disposal or CAT. We sit in the middle, design the strategy, and coordinate both.

Are Irish ETFs really that bad for an American?

Yes. Every Irish-domiciled fund is a PFIC for US purposes, requiring Form 8621 annually, and the default IRS treatment can produce a bill larger than the gain. Add Ireland's 41% deemed disposal every eight years, with no US credit until you actually sell, and fund domicile becomes the single biggest controllable variable on your 1040.

Is my PRSA a problem?

The wrapper is recognised under Article 18 of the US–Ireland treaty. The funds inside it usually aren't — they're typically PFICs. We rebuild the fund selection and claim the treaty position properly.

How are my RSUs at Google, Meta, Stripe or LinkedIn taxed in Dublin?

Ireland taxes the vest as employment income at up to 52% marginal (income tax, USC and PRSI). The US usually withheld at vest too. A workday sourcing analysis and a properly claimed foreign tax credit are what stop you paying twice.

Will my Schwab or Fidelity account survive my move?

Often not. Most US custodians restrict or close accounts with Irish addresses. Move before you're force-liquidated. Interactive Brokers, Schwab International for qualifying clients, and a small bench of Ireland-friendly setups genuinely work.

What about inheritance tax?

Irish CAT is 33% above a €400k Group A threshold. If your parents in the US leave you assets while you're Irish-resident, or you leave assets to Irish-resident children, CAT applies. Lifetime gifting, the dwelling-house exemption, section 72/73 policies and the US–Ireland estate treaty are the levers — all of them need lead time.

Do you file my taxes?

No, deliberately. 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?

We start with 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

Book a Fit Conversation — Complimentary Fit Conversation (45 min).