The company’s story began at a major tax firm in Canada, where founder George Kiss and international tax expert Mary Beth Lougen first worked together. Mary Beth — an Enrolled Agent, U.S. Tax Court Practitioner, and dual U.S.–Canadian citizen — taught U.S. taxation to professionals within the firm’s expatriate tax program. George enrolled in her courses and quickly distinguished himself, becoming a Master Tax Specialist while developing deep expertise in U.S. international taxation.

As the firm’s expatriate practice grew, so did the complexity of the returns being prepared. One of the greatest challenges was Form 8621, the reporting form required for Passive Foreign Investment Companies (PFICs). Preparing these returns involved hours of manual calculations, spreadsheets, foreign currency conversions, and extensive supporting documentation — highly technical, time-consuming, and prone to error even for experienced professionals.

Drawing on his background as both a software engineer and international tax specialist, George designed and developed a purpose-built Form 8621 calculator that automated the most complex calculations while preserving the professional judgment required of the preparer. What began as a solution to one of the most difficult areas of U.S. international taxation soon became the foundation of Expat Tax Tools.

After leaving the firm to establish the company, George continued expanding the software to address additional challenges faced by cross-border tax professionals. About a year later, Mary Beth joined the company, bringing decades of experience in U.S. taxation, technical research, tax education, and professional training. Her expertise shaped both the software and the educational resources that accompany it, ensuring the products reflect not only accurate calculations but the practical realities of preparing complex international tax returns.

Today, Expat Tax Tools combines George’s software engineering expertise with Mary Beth’s extensive tax knowledge to deliver specialized solutions for professionals working in U.S. international taxation. Our products streamline complex calculations for Form 8621, PFIC reporting, foreign investment gains, foreign currency conversions, Section 962 analysis, and other challenging areas of cross-border compliance. Rather than replacing the expertise of tax professionals, the software is designed to enhance it — reducing repetitive manual work, improving consistency, and providing clear documentation that supports accurate, defensible filings.

The mission that inspired our first product still guides every solution we develop: to give tax professionals the specialized tools they need to confidently navigate the most complex areas of U.S. international taxation — so they can spend less time on calculations and more time serving their clients.