Note: "Effective January 1, 2027, I will no longer prepare or file Bonaire tax returns", the last tax returns I prepare and file are for the year 2025, but I will be working together with another tax accountant you will read about below.

Welcome to my website. I’m Bernice Stephens, a U.S. and Bonaire tax professional with a rather international story of my own.

I grew up in the Netherlands and later spent many years living in California. After living on both sides of the Atlantic, my husband and I decided to make another big move. In 2017, we left the United States and made Bonaire our home.

Bonaire quickly became much more than just a place where we lived. We fell in love with the island, the ocean, the people, and the unique lifestyle that comes with living in the Caribbean.

My professional journey has been just as international.

I began working in tax 15 years ago, with a particular focus on U.S. taxpayers living outside the United States. After moving to Bonaire, I worked for a local law firm where I developed extensive experience with both U.S. and Bonaire tax matters. In 2022, after the retirement of the attorney I had worked with for many years, I took the next step and established my own tax practice.

Running my own practice has allowed me to work closely with individuals, families, business owners, and expats whose financial lives cross international borders. It has also shown me just how complicated—and sometimes frustrating—international taxation can be.

Over the years, my interests and expertise have increasingly moved toward U.S. and international taxation.

As a U.S. citizen living abroad myself, I understand that expat taxation is about much more than simply preparing a tax return. Living outside the United States can create questions about foreign income, bank accounts, investments, businesses, pensions, corporations, and reporting requirements that can be difficult to navigate without specialized knowledge.

This is the direction I want to take my practice going forward, allowing me to focus on U.S. and international taxation while pursuing my long-term goal of becoming an Enrolled Agent.

I am now part of the tax team at BNC Tax & Accounting B.V., an American-owned firm based in the Netherlands that specializes in U.S. taxation for Americans living abroad.

BNC has been helping U.S. taxpayers navigate international tax compliance since 2002. The team includes Enrolled Agents and CPAs who understand the unique challenges that come with living and working internationally.

Joining BNC was an exciting next chapter for me. It gives me the opportunity to deepen my knowledge, work alongside other U.S. tax professionals, and continue doing the work I enjoy most—helping Americans abroad understand their tax obligations and making complicated international tax matters easier to manage.

You can find more information about BNC Tax & Accounting BV here:

https://www.bnctax.com

At the same time, I have made the decision to step away from preparing Bonaire tax returns.

This was not an easy decision. Bonaire has been an important part of both my personal and professional life, and I am very grateful for the clients who have trusted me with their Bonaire tax affairs over the years.

I want to make sure that clients who need ongoing Bonaire accounting and tax services are in good hands. For that reason, I am working closely with Arrie Vis, who owns and operates his own accounting firm on Bonaire.

I have great respect for Arrie and for the work he does. I know the importance of having someone you can trust with your financial affairs, and I feel confident referring clients to him.

Going forward, new Bonaire clients will be referred to Arrie, and I will work with him during the transition whenever needed.

You can learn more about Arrie and his services here:

My focus going forward is clear: U.S. and international tax for Americans living outside the United States.

Whether you have recently moved abroad, have lived overseas for decades, own a business, receive income from several countries, or simply want to make sure you are doing everything correctly, international tax can become complicated very quickly.

My goal is to make it less intimidating.

I believe good tax advice should not leave you feeling confused or overwhelmed. You should understand what you are filing, why you are filing it, and how your decisions today may affect your tax situation in the future.

Through BNC Tax & Accounting, I am excited to continue building long-term relationships with clients and helping them navigate the tax issues that come with living an international life.

Thank you for stopping by and for taking the time to learn a little more about me.

I am grateful for every client who has trusted me throughout the years, and I look forward to this next chapter and to continuing to help Americans living abroad make sense of their taxes—wherever in the world life takes them.