Two calculators and a readiness check
These tools are built to help you understand costs and requirements — they do not fetch a live rate and do not offer tax or legal advice.
Conversion cost check
See what a quoted exchange rate and margin actually cost you when moving money between countries — useful once you're transferring funds as part of a relocation or foreign account setup.
Assumptions this uses
- You supply the quoted rate; this tool never fetches or estimates a live market rate
- The margin/spread percentage is entered by you, based on what your provider discloses or what you calculate against a published mid-market rate
- This does not include flat transfer fees some providers charge in addition to the spread
- This is not a tax calculation — it only measures the cost of the currency conversion itself
Limitations: This does not account for flat fees, receiving-bank charges, timing risk if the rate moves before settlement, or any tax consequences of the transfer itself.
Runs entirely in your browser.
The one-sentence test that keeps you on the legal side
Having a foreign bank account is legal. Reporting it, when required, is what keeps it that way. If anyone frames a foreign account as a way to keep money invisible from a tax authority, that is not banking advice - it is a description of the exact thing that turns a legal account into a legal problem. When in doubt, that question is worth taking to a professional.
Account or provider fee comparison
Compare the all-in annual cost of two account or provider options — useful when weighing a foreign bank account, a transfer provider, or a professional service against another.
Assumptions this uses
- Monthly fees are annualized by multiplying by 12
- Other annual fees are entered as a single combined figure you supply
- This does not include one-time setup or account-closure fees unless you add them to the 'other' field
- This is a cost comparison only — it does not evaluate service quality, regulatory status, or suitability
Limitations: This does not account for foreign transaction fees, currency conversion spreads, minimum balance requirements, or the tax and reporting consequences of holding an account with either option.
Runs entirely in your browser.
The Cross-Border Banking Reporting Starter Guide
A plain-English worksheet covering when a foreign account is legal, what FBAR and FATCA actually require, and the questions worth asking before you act.
Get the free guide →Cross-border readiness checklist
A quick self-check before you take a jurisdiction question to a professional — not a qualification test, just an honesty check on how prepared you are.
Assumptions this uses
- This checklist reflects general readiness for a first conversation with a professional, not a legal or tax determination
- Each item is self-reported by you — nothing is verified or submitted anywhere
- Completing every item does not mean a strategy applies to you; it means you're prepared to ask better questions
Limitations: This does not evaluate your actual eligibility for any program, calculate any tax figure, or substitute for a professional review of your specific facts.
Runs entirely in your browser.
Partner link — we may be paid a fee at no cost to you. How we make money.
Talk to a qualified cross-border banking and tax professional
Reporting obligations and bank policies are fact-specific. A licensed cross-border professional can look at your actual situation before you open, close, or report an account.
Request an introduction →