Who should actually handle your returning-NRI tax planning? A comparison by provider type.
Solo CA, online filing platform, Big 4, or boutique NRI advisory — a practical comparison of who actually plans RNOR timing and repatriation before you move, not just files after.
If you're moving back to India — or just started researching RNOR status, Form 13, or repatriation — you'll run into four broad types of help. Here's what each one is actually built to do, and where it falls short for this specific situation.
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Four kinds of help, and what each is built for
The names are familiar — a local CA, a filing app, a Big 4 brand, a boutique advisory — but the four categories are built for different jobs. The comparison below is about what each is structured to do, not how good any individual provider is at it.
| Criterion | Solo CA / local tax preparer | Online filing platform (ClearTax-type) | Big 4 / large consulting firm | Boutique NRI-focused advisory (e.g. Advisory Monks) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best for planning ahead | ||||
| Handles RNOR planning before you move, not just filing after | Rarely — most work is reactive, at filing season | No — these are return-filing tools, not planning services | Yes, but usually bundled into a much larger (and pricier) global mobility engagement | Yes — this is the core service, timed to your actual move date |
| Coordinates with your overseas accountant/advisor | Uncommon; most don't handle cross-border coordination | No | Yes, through their own global network — but you're often routed to whichever office, not a chosen specialist | Yes, directly with whoever you're already using abroad |
| Signs Form 13 / certification work personally | Yes, if it's their registration | N/A — platforms don't sign certifications | Yes, but by whichever staff is assigned, not necessarily who scoped the engagement | Yes, by the partner who scoped it |
| Written pre-return plan, not just verbal advice | Inconsistent | No | Yes, as part of a formal engagement letter | Yes, standard deliverable |
| Cost / minimum engagement size | Low, but scope is narrow | Lowest | High, often not economical below a certain net worth/complexity | Mid — scoped to the NRI-return problem specifically, not a full global-mobility retainer |
| Best fit | Simple single-country filing once you're already back | Straightforward salaried-NRI returns with no structuring questions | Very high net worth, multiple jurisdictions, corporate secondment | Someone actually planning a return — RNOR timing, repatriation, multi-country income — who wants a scoped, written plan before moving |
The honest gap
The honest gap most people hit: a solo CA or filing platform can file your return correctly after you're back, but by then the RNOR-timing decisions and pre-return structuring windows have usually already closed. A Big 4 firm can plan ahead, but the engagement is often sized (and priced) for corporate secondments, not an individual return. That's the specific gap a boutique NRI-focused practice is built to fill — planning before the move, at a scope that matches an individual's situation rather than a corporate relocation.
What to ask any provider before you engage them
Regardless of which category they're in, ask three questions: who signs the certification, whether you get a written plan or just a call, and whether they'll coordinate directly with your overseas accountant. See the full checklist →
This note is general guidance, not tax or legal advice. Positions depend on your specific facts — speak with a partner before acting.