- Credential 1
- CPA (Canada)
- Credential 2
- CPA (US)
- Credential 3
- CA (India)
Pankaj Sharma is a Canadian CPA, U.S. CPA, and Indian Chartered Accountant based in Canada, providing practical, business-oriented tax and cross-border financial advice to individuals, families, and businesses. He works closely with clients from India, the U.S., and the UAE, with non-resident Indians (NRIs) and OCI cardholders around the world, and with individuals and businesses navigating Canadian, U.S., and Indian tax, investment, and compliance matters.
Pankaj advises clients on the financial and tax issues that arise before, during, and after an international move, including Canadian and U.S. tax residency, India tax and compliance obligations, NRE/NRO/FCNR and other banking arrangements, OCI rules and their practical implications, foreign investment and reporting requirements, and the cross-border movement of assets between India, Canada, and the United States.
Areas of practice
- §Canadian and U.S. tax residency
- §India tax and compliance obligations
- §NRE, NRO, FCNR and other banking arrangements
- §OCI rules and their practical implications
- §Foreign investment and reporting requirements
- §Cross-border movement of assets between India, Canada, and the United States
On NRIFolio
Articles that Pankaj has reviewed carry his name beneath the headline. The editorial standards explain what a review covers. Nothing published here is advice for your situation; it is the rule, where it is written, and what it depends on.
Reviewed · Banking & Accounts · 10
- 01
Singapore · Banking & Accounts
NRI Banking from Singapore: The Right Accounts on Both Sides
Setting up NRI banking from Singapore: a DBS, OCBC, or UOB account on one side, NRE and NRO on the other — and FCNR(B) deposits held directly in SGD.
Reviewed Oct 2026 - 02
Singapore · Banking & Accounts
Sending Money from Singapore to India: Rails, Costs, and the Records That Matter
SGD to INR without the hidden margin: DBS Remit, Wise, and Instarem compared, the NRE vs NRO decision, tax rules, and the paper trail worth keeping.
Reviewed Oct 2026 - 03
All Corridors · Banking & Accounts
Can an NRI Continue a PPF Account? Yes — Until Maturity, and No Further
An NRI can keep a resident-opened PPF account to its 15-year maturity — contribute via NRO, no extensions. Tax treatment abroad and exit rules explained.
Reviewed Oct 2026 - 04
All Corridors · Banking & Accounts
NRO to NRE Transfer: The Step-by-Step Process That Actually Works
The NRO to NRE transfer, step by step: source documents, the CA certificate on Form 15CB (now 146), filing 15CA online, and handling banks that say no.
Reviewed Oct 2026 - 05
All Corridors · Banking & Accounts
Is Money You Send to Your Parents in India Taxed? No — and the Fine Print Is Worth Knowing
Money you send your parents in India is not taxed — at any amount. Section 56(2)(x), the no-clubbing advantage over spousal gifts, and the records to keep.
Reviewed Oct 2026 - 06
All Corridors · Banking & Accounts
When Should You Send Money to India? A Framework, Not a Prediction
Stop guessing the rupee. A decision framework for NRI remittances: cost averaging, when lump-sum timing matters, FCNR hedging, and the real fee stack.
Reviewed Jul 2026 - 07
Gulf · Banking & Accounts
NRI Banking in the UAE: Setting Up the Right Accounts on Both Sides
A Gulf NRI needs two setups: a WPS salary account in the UAE and NRE/NRO accounts in India. How to open both, connect them, and exit cleanly.
Reviewed Jul 2026 - 08
All Corridors · Banking & Accounts
How to Repatriate Money from India: Ceilings, Certificates, and the Order of Operations
NRE money leaves freely; NRO is capped at USD 1 million a year. The 15CA/15CB process (now Forms 145/146), property rules, and what banks ask for.
Reviewed Jul 2026 - 09
Gulf · Banking & Accounts
Repatriating UAE Income to India: Routes, Limits, and the Tax Traps in Between
Moving dirhams to India is easy; doing it without a tax problem is not. NRE routing, remittance costs, FEMA rules, and residency traps for Gulf NRIs.
Reviewed Jul 2026 - 10
All Corridors · Banking & Accounts
NRE vs NRO vs FCNR: The Complete Guide to NRI Bank Accounts
The NRE, NRO, and FCNR differences that matter: taxability, repatriation limits, currency risk, and which combination fits your situation.
Reviewed Jul 2026
Reviewed · Tax & Compliance · 14
- 01
United States · Tax & Compliance
Selling or Inheriting Property in India as a US Resident: The Tax on Both Sides
India taxes the sale; the IRS taxes it again on a different basis. Step-up for inherited property, the foreign tax credit, Form 3520, FBAR, and the order to do it in.
Reviewed Oct 2026 - 02
Singapore · Tax & Compliance
How Singapore Taxes Your Indian Income: The Corridor Where the Answer Is Mostly Nothing
Singapore's territorial system leaves Indian rent, NRE interest, and capital gains untaxed — India's tax still applies in full, with nothing to credit.
Reviewed Oct 2026 - 03
All Corridors · Tax & Compliance
The Lower TDS Certificate: How NRIs Stop Buyers Withholding 15% of the Sale Price
Buyers must withhold ~13-15% of the full price when an NRI sells property. The Section 197 lower-TDS certificate cuts that to your actual tax — here's how.
Reviewed Oct 2026 - 04
All Corridors · Tax & Compliance
Buying Property from an NRI Seller? The TDS Is Your Problem — Here's the Full Drill
Buying a flat from an NRI seller? You must deduct TDS on the full price under Section 195 — TAN, Form 27Q, the rates, and the certificate that fixes it.
Reviewed Oct 2026 - 05
All Corridors · Tax & Compliance
Which ITR Form Should an NRI File? ITR-2, Almost Always
NRIs cannot file ITR-1 or ITR-4. When ITR-2 vs ITR-3 applies, filing thresholds, due dates, e-verification without Aadhaar OTP, and refund mechanics.
Reviewed Oct 2026 - 06
United States · Tax & Compliance
Is NRE FD Interest Taxable in the US? Yes — Here's the Full Picture
NRE FD interest is tax-free in India but fully taxable on your US return — with no foreign tax credit to offset it. How to report it, and the real math.
Reviewed Oct 2026 - 07
Singapore · Tax & Compliance
The India–Singapore DTAA: History, Rates, and Where the Treaty Actually Bites
The India-Singapore DTAA after the 2017 protocol: capital gains India taxes, the contested mutual fund clause, 15%/10% interest caps, TRC and Form 10F.
Reviewed Aug 2026 - 08
Australia · Tax & Compliance
How the ATO Taxes Your Indian Assets: Foreign Income, CGT, and the Temporary Resident Shield
Temporary residents pay no Australian tax on most Indian income. PR flips the switch: worldwide income, CGT with a market-value reset, and FITO relief.
Reviewed Jul 2026 - 09
Canada · Tax & Compliance
T1135 for Indian Assets: The $100,000 Cost Rule, the Goa House Question, and What Ignoring It Costs
Indian deposits, mutual funds, and rental property over CAD $100,000 at cost trigger Canada's T1135. Who files, what counts, and the real penalty math.
Reviewed Jul 2026 - 10
United Kingdom · Tax & Compliance
How HMRC Taxes Your Indian Income: NRE Interest, Rent, and the UK–India Treaty
NRE interest is tax-free in India but fully taxable in the UK. The arising basis, the 4-year FIG regime, DTAA relief on rent, and Self Assessment.
Reviewed Jul 2026 - 11
All Corridors · Tax & Compliance
NRI, RNOR, or Resident: The Day Counts That Decide What India Can Tax
NR, RNOR, or ROR decides whether India taxes your foreign income. The 182-day and 120-day rules, RNOR tests, deemed residency, and worked examples.
Reviewed Jul 2026 - 12
All Corridors · Tax & Compliance
FEMA Rules for NRIs: What the Law Requires, Allows, and Forbids
What NRIs can and can't do under FEMA: residency rules, account obligations, property limits, penalties up to 3x, and how RBI compounding works.
Reviewed Jul 2026 - 13
All Corridors · Tax & Compliance
How DTAA Works for NRIs: Two Tax Nets, Two Relief Methods, and the Paperwork That Unlocks Them
Same income, two tax nets. How DTAA relief works for NRIs: treaty rates, TRC and Form 10F, tie-breaker rules, and foreign tax credits on both sides.
Reviewed Jul 2026 - 14
United States · Tax & Compliance
FBAR Filing for NRIs: Who Must File, What Counts, and What It Costs to Get Wrong
Indian accounts over $10,000 in aggregate trigger FBAR. Which accounts count, how to file FinCEN Form 114, and the real penalty math after Bittner.
Reviewed Jul 2026
Reviewed · Investing · 11
- 01
United States · Investing
Term Insurance for NRIs: Buy It in India, in the US, or Both?
How much cover an NRI family needs in two currencies, whether to buy from an Indian or US insurer, the 1% US excise tax almost nobody mentions, and a calculator.
Reviewed Nov 2026 - 02
Singapore · Investing
CPF for Indian Expats: Who's In, Who's Out, and How the Money Comes Home
How CPF works for Indian professionals in Singapore: the 17%+20% rates, three accounts, the full-withdrawal exit on renouncing PR, and India's tax angle.
Reviewed Oct 2026 - 03
Singapore · Investing
Employment Pass to PR: The Financial Checklist for the Singapore Decade
The money decisions of the EP-to-PR decade for Indian professionals in Singapore — CPF math, SRS, HDB vs ABSD, and why nothing gets trapped.
Reviewed Oct 2026 - 04
Singapore · Investing
The SRS Account: Singapore's One Tax Shelter That Actually Lets Foreigners In
Employment Pass holders get one Singapore tax shelter: the SRS. The S$35,700 foreigner cap, dollar-for-dollar relief, the 10-year exit, and the India plan.
Reviewed Oct 2026 - 05
All Corridors · Investing
NRI Mutual Fund Taxation in India: Rates, TDS, and the Refund You're Owed
How India taxes NRI mutual funds: 12.5% equity LTCG, slab rates on post-2023 debt, mandatory TDS at redemption, 20% on IDCW — and when a treaty caps it.
Reviewed Oct 2026 - 06
Australia · Investing
Superannuation vs Indian Investments: Where an Australian NRI's Retirement Money Actually Belongs
How Australia's 12% super guarantee, 15% fund tax and the temporary-resident exemption reshape the super vs India investing decision for NRIs.
Reviewed Jul 2026 - 07
Canada · Investing
TFSA, RRSP, and Your Indian Money: A Canadian NRI's Allocation Guide
How TFSA and RRSP rules interact with Indian accounts: 2026 limits, non-resident traps, the 25% withholding on return, and why India taxes TFSA growth.
Reviewed Jul 2026 - 08
Gulf · Investing
Buying Indian Property from the Gulf: What FEMA Allows, How Funding Decides Your Exit, and the Tax at Every Gate
What FEMA lets Gulf NRIs buy, why the funding account decides repatriation, buyer-side TDS traps, rent and capital gains rules — mechanics, not a pitch.
Reviewed Jul 2026 - 09
United Kingdom · Investing
ISA vs Indian Mutual Funds: Why HMRC Taxes Your SIPs Like Salary
Indian mutual funds are non-reporting offshore funds — HMRC taxes gains at up to 45%. The £20,000 ISA, the 4-year FIG window, and the DTAA maths.
Reviewed Jul 2026 - 10
United States · Investing
H-1B to Green Card: The Financial Checklist for a Decade-Long Wait
What changes financially from H-1B to green card — and what doesn't. 401(k), the house question, PFIC, estate tax, and the exit-tax cliff, for NRIs.
Reviewed Jul 2026 - 11
United States · Investing
PFIC Rules: Why Your Indian Mutual Funds Became a US Tax Problem
Why Indian mutual funds are PFICs for US taxpayers, how the punitive Section 1291 default works, the QEF and mark-to-market elections, and Form 8621.
Reviewed Jul 2026
Reviewed · Return to India · 9
- 01
Singapore · Return to India
Returning to India from Singapore: Sequencing the Cleanest Exit in the NRI World
IR21 clearance, full CPF withdrawal on renouncing PR, the SRS 10-year clock, and India's RNOR window — the Singapore-to-India return in the right order.
Reviewed Oct 2026 - 02
All Corridors · Return to India
The e-OCI Card: What India's 2026 OCI Overhaul Means for You
India's 2026 OCI overhaul explained: the digital e-OCI card, new USD 25 and USD 100 fees, the passport-renewal rule, and the mandatory e-arrival card.
Reviewed Jul 2026 - 03
All Corridors · Return to India
Converting Your NRI Accounts Back: The Return-to-India Banking Checklist
NRE, NRO, and FCNR(B) when you move back to India: re-designation rules, the NRE interest tax trap, demat conversion, and the right sequence.
Reviewed Jul 2026 - 04
All Corridors · Return to India
Health Insurance in India After Years Abroad: The Returning NRI's Guide
Your US or UK cover ends at the border. Waiting periods, the 3-year PED cap, senior-parent policies, and why returning NRIs should buy two years early.
Reviewed Jul 2026 - 05
All Corridors · Return to India
How India Taxes Your Foreign Retirement Accounts When You Return: The 89A Election, the RNOR Window, and the Treaty Map
Once you're ROR, India can tax 401(k), UK pension and RRSP growth yearly. Section 89A relief, Form 10-EE, the RNOR window and treaty articles, explained.
Reviewed Jul 2026 - 06
All Corridors · Return to India
OCI vs PIO: What Your Card Actually Changes When You Move Back to India
PIO is gone, OCI is a lifelong visa — not citizenship. What the card changes for property, bank accounts, and taxes when you move back to India.
Reviewed Jul 2026 - 07
All Corridors · Return to India
Bringing Your Foreign Assets Home: What Returning NRIs Keep, Convert, and Declare
Under FEMA 6(4) returning NRIs keep foreign assets. RFC accounts, the RNOR window, customs cash and gold limits, and Schedule FA disclosure, verified.
Reviewed Jul 2026 - 08
All Corridors · Return to India
Schools in India for Kids Who Grew Up Abroad: A Returning Family's Guide
CBSE, ICSE, IB or Cambridge? Board choice, language rules, honest fee ranges, and the JEE/NEET question for NRI families moving kids to India.
Reviewed Jul 2026 - 09
United States · Return to India
Social Security for Indian Immigrants: The 40-Credit Cliff and What Survives a Move Back to India
India has no totalization agreement with the US. Fewer than 40 credits means contributions lost — credits, payments to India, WEP repeal, DTAA.
Reviewed Jul 2026