Nationwide  Specialists in foreign-seller real estate withholding
📞 216-505-0717
For Title Agents & Closing Counsel

FIRPTA support that integrates with your closings.

Built for the title companies, settlement attorneys, and closing teams who routinely handle foreign-seller transactions. We handle the FIRPTA layer end-to-end so your closings stay on schedule and your buyer's withholding-agent liability is fully shielded.

The problem

FIRPTA closings break standard workflows.

Most closing teams handle a foreign-seller transaction once or twice a year. The standard workflow assumes a domestic seller — wire instructions go to the seller, the title company prepares conventional closing documents, and everyone moves on. With a foreign seller, the standard playbook fails in five specific ways:

  • !
    The buyer becomes a withholding agent and faces personal liability under § 1445 — most buyers don't know this.
  • !
    15% of gross proceeds must be withheld at closing — sometimes more, sometimes none, depending on Forms 8288-B and 899 status.
  • !
    Forms 8288 and 8288-A must be filed within 20 days of closing — the IRS scrutinizes postmarks.
  • !
    The IRS now requires per-disposition forms (January 2026 revision) — multi-seller closings need separate 8288-As per seller.
  • !
    EFTPS electronic remittance is becoming mandatory — buyers need a U.S. Tax ID and 7–10 days lead time to enroll.

The cost of getting any of these wrong falls on the buyer and, by extension, on the title company that ran the closing.

How we work with you

A four-step integration.

1

Refer the seller

You identify a foreign seller on the file. You introduce us. We handle the seller's intake, ITIN application (Form W-7 Exception 4), and Form 8288-B Withholding Certificate — typically 30–90 days before closing.

Pre-closing
2

Refer the buyer

You introduce the buyer to us. We engage with the buyer separately and prepare Forms 8288 and 8288-A under the January 2026 revision, with exact IRS payment instructions ready before closing.

Pre-closing
3

We coordinate at closing

All forms ready before or at closing. EFTPS enrollment guidance for the buyer if needed. Wire instructions to your team. The 20-day IRS deadline tracked and verified within 48 hours of expiration.

Closing day
4

You receive copies for your file

Stamped 8288-A copies and confirmation of payment delivered for your transaction file. The buyer remains the legal Withholding Agent throughout. Your title company's exposure is minimized through clean documentation.

Post-closing
Why title companies choose us

Six reasons we get the repeat referral.

  • Liability shield. Buyer-side compliance handled correctly under § 1445 — no late-remittance penalty exposure for your buyer or your firm.
  • EFTPS-ready. The IRS is moving FIRPTA payments to mandatory electronic remittance; we guide buyers through enrollment in time, with the 7–10 day PIN delivery factored into the schedule.
  • Single point of contact. One specialist firm handling seller, buyer, and the IRS — no relay across three different parties when something goes wrong on closing day.
  • Same-day-wire capable. When closings tighten, we can coordinate a same-day federal wire to meet the 20-day deadline — for an additional flat fee, not hourly.
  • Title-Agent member program. Recurring referrers get priority turnaround, a designated FIRPTA contact, and standardized pricing across volume.
  • State-withholding awareness. We flag state-level nonresident withholding (CA 3.33%, HI 7.25%, CO 2%, NJ 2–10.75%, GA 3%, others) so nothing surprises closing day.
The member program

For closing teams that see foreign sellers regularly.

If your firm sees more than four foreign-seller transactions a year, the Title-Agent member program gives you:

  • ·
    Designated FIRPTA contact — one person at the firm who knows your closings, your usual workflow, and your communication preferences.
  • ·
    Priority turnaround — engagements opened within 24 hours of referral, even at year-end peak.
  • ·
    Standardized fee schedule — predictable per-engagement pricing across your volume, no surprise quotes.
  • ·
    Closing-day phone line — direct number for live FIRPTA questions during a closing in progress.
  • ·
    Quarterly briefings — emailed updates on rule changes (Section 899 country list updates, EFTPS effective date, state withholding changes) so your team stays current.
  • ·
    Educational sessions — on request, we present FIRPTA basics to your closing team or attorneys (CE credits not currently offered).

There's no cost to join the program — it's simply how we structure ongoing relationships with high-volume referral partners.

Get started

First closing? Or fortieth?

Same answer: call. We'll ask about your usual workflow, give you a sense of how the FIRPTA layer integrates, and answer specific questions about the file in front of you. No engagement obligation, no charge.