FBAR Reporting & IRS Requirements

FBAR Reporting

FBAR Reporting 

FBAR Reporting: The requirements for reporting the FBAR are becoming more complex than ever. The IRS requires U.S. persons with foreign accounts (who meet the threshold) to file an annual FBAR.

The Internal Revenue Service has taken an aggressive position with enforcing foreign accounts compliance. FBAR reporting includes more than just bank accounts.

It also includes offshore stock accounts, investment accounts, and assets — as well as foreign life insurance policies. When a person does not properly report the FBAR, they may be subject to FBAR Penalties. The civil penalties are either willful vs. non-willful, bit the IRS can also pursue criminal FBAR penalties. While this is not common, FBAR convictions can happen.

If you are out of FBAR compliance, the Internal Revenue Service has developed various FBAR Amnesty programs, collectively referred to as Offshore Voluntary Disclosure.

How to Disclose Offshore Bank Accounts

The FBAR reporting rules continue to evolve. The form is technically referred to as FinCEN Form 114. The IRS requires U.S. persons with offshore accounts, assets and investments (aka Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts) report the accounts each year electronically on the FinCEN website, which is the BSA e-filing system. Not all foreign bank and financial accounts are reportable. Some common reported “accounts,” include:

• Checking and savings accounts
• Investment accounts
• Stock accounts
• Mutual Funds and ETFs
• Life Insurance Policies
• Pension and retirement accounts

Is Preparing the FBAR, Hard?

The FBAR reporting requirements can be deceivingly complex. While FBAR reporting is primarily used to report foreign bank and financial accounts, there are several FBAR filing requirements, which we will summarize for you.

While preparing the FBAR is not always complex, FBAR rules, deadlines and penalties can be rough — especially since foreign and offshore reporting is a key IRS enforcement priority.

Golding & Golding has prepared the following 10-Step FBAR Filing Guide, which is summarized below:

How is the FBAR Reported?

Since 2013, the FBAR is filed electronically. Individual account holders can file the FBAR directly on Financial Crimes Enforcement Network’s (FinCEN) BSA E-Filing System. Even though the form is due at the same time your tax reutrn is filed, the form is no longer filed with your tax return.

*You can apply for an exemption if you want to still file by “paper.”

Who Must File an FBAR?

An FBAR is a “Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts” form. It is a form that is filed online, directly with the Department of Treasury when a person, trust or business owner has an annual aggregate amount that exceeds $10,000 in foreign and overseas accounts on any given day.

Important Definitions

Foreign

Outside of the United States. No same-country exception for reporting.

Account

Account includes much more than just “Bank Accounts.” See below for an expanded summary.

Reporting

Means the filing of the FBAR form, online on the FinCEN website.

FBAR

Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Account Form.

TD 90.22-1

TD stands for Treasury Department and is another way to identify the form.

FinCEN Form 114

FinCEN is a financial crimes enforcement network. FinCEN created the form initially back in the 1970s, but now the IRS enforces penalties.

BSA

The Bank Secrecy Act

Step-by-Step Filing Guide 

While we always recommend using a tax professional when submitting forms to the IRS, we understand many of you want to do it yourself. This guide is intended to provide you the basics of reporting. It is not intended for you to rely (or your tax professional) in actually filing the form. The summary is basic, and there are many other factors that may impact your specific filing, especially if it is a late filing.

Step 1 – Are you a U.S. Person?

The form must be filed by U.S. persons. In order to confuse you, the IRS does not define US person to mean the same as U.S. Citizen. A US person typically falls into three categories: U.S. Citizen, Legal Permanent Resident, Foreign National who meets the IRS Substantial Presence Test (typically individuals on H-1B Visa, L-1 Visas, and E-2 Visas – although it is not a requirement to have one of these Visas).

If you are a US person, then you move on to step two.

Step 2 – Do You Meet the Threshold for Filing?

The threshold filing is relatively simple. On any day of the year, if you aggregated (totaled) the maximum balances of all of your foreign accounts, does that total amount exceed 10,000? If it does, then you have to file the form. The most important thing to remember is you do not need to have more than $10,000 in each account; rather, it is an annual aggregate total of the maximum balances of all the accounts.

Step 3 – Identify What is an Account

This is one of the more difficult parts of the job. That is because when a person thinks of financial accounts, they typically think of a “Bank Account.” It makes sense, since the word “Bank” is included directly in the FBAR definition. Therefore, many people (understandably so) will only focus just on bank accounts. Unfortunately, you have to include all financial accounts unless it is otherwise excluded (and there are only a few exclusions).

Some examples of other accounts include:

• Stock accounts that have an Account Number
• Private Pension Accounts
• Investment Accounts
• Foreign Mutual Funds and ETF Accounts
• Foreign Life Insurance that has a Surrender Value

Step 4 – How Many Accounts Do You Have?

This is an important question, because if you have more than 25 accounts then you do not have to list all of the accounts on the actual form. Rather, you maintain your own records so that the IRS contacts you on a future date, you will have that information available.

Like most people, if you have less than 25 accounts then you would report all the accounts on the FBAR. It does not matter if your account has a zero balance, and it does not matter if the account was “dormant.” If the account is open and you are listed on the account, you have to report it.

Step 5 – What is Your relationship to the Account?

There are different sections of the FBAR. The sections are broken down into three main categories, which include ownership of the Account, co-ownership or joint ownership of the account, and signature authority and/or no monetary interest in the account.

The latter category typically includes people who may have been included on the account in emergency when a parent or elderly individual is getting on age. Also, if you are an employee and you have signature authority, that is included as well.

Step 6 – Categorize the Different Accounts

It is important that you prepare separate categories to identify each different type of account. That is to make sure that, for example, you do not report an account you have signature authority in this section that is labeled account ownership, because then the IRS and U.S. government will believe that the money listed is your own money — as opposed to money for which you may have no ownership over.

Step 7 – Determine the Maximum Balance

You are not required to search for the holy Grail of maximum balances. In other words, you should do the best you can. If you have bank statements for each month, then you would use each month statement to determine what the maximum value is. Likewise, if you have a passport account passbook account and you only get it updated when you enter the bank, then you will have to use the best value you can.

Thereafter, make sure you have identified the maximum balance available for each account.

Step 8 – Use the Exchange Rate

You are not required to use any specific exchange rate, but it has to be reasonable. Both the Department of Treasury and the IRS each publish their own annual exchange rates and feasibly, either exchange-rate would be okay to use.

It is important to make sure that you use the respective exchange rate for the year at issue. Sorry for those of you with euros, rupees or rubles who want to use current exchange rates for prior years.

If you are submitting to one of the offshore disclosure programs or a reasonable cause statement and have to go back six years, then you will have to use the rate that was available six years ago and not today’s rate for filing prior forms.

Step 9 – Complete the FBAR

The FBAR is a relatively simple from a preparation standpoint. In other words, for each account, you will identify the name of the institution, the address and the maximum balance. There’s not much more needed beyond this information.

If you are unable to access the maximum balance or even come up with your best estimate, you can mark off maximum balance unknown for each account of which this is applicable.

Keeping in mind, that the more you marked off “maximum balance unknown” the higher the chance that the FBAR might be further scrutinized. If you are in this type of situation, please be sure to speak with an experienced Offshore Disclosure Lawyer first.

Step 10 – Filing a Late FBAR(s)

At our International Tax Law Firm (Golding & Golding), offshore disclosure is all we do, and this includes Late FBAR Filings, and FATCA Compliance.

Filing a late FBAR outside of the offshore disclosure programs is typically considered a Quiet Disclosure and can land you in some real trouble. If you happen to have zero unreported income (that means zero unreported income from abroad and not zero tax liability) you may be able to qualify for the delinquency procedures, which results in a penalty waiver and a relatively simple submission procedure.

If you have any unreported income, you can still make a reasonable cause submission but it is different. Most individuals prefer to enter one of the approved programs such as streamlined filing compliance procedures or traditional OVDP — you may have multiple options available to you.

Depending on which program you qualify for, and/or which program you prefer to enter, you may qualify for reduced penalty for even a penalty waiver.

We do not recommend making any submission to the Internal Revenue Service regarding any foreign or offshore accounts without at least speaking with an experienced offshore disclosure lawyer first to evaluate and assess your facts.

Non-Compliance with U.S. Tax Law

Whether it is because you did not you had to report foreign accounts, thought you were below the threshold for filing, did not realize non-bank accounts were required to be reported, and/or have other unreported income, accounts, investments or assets – we can help.

Golding & Golding: About Our International Tax Law Firm

Golding & Golding specializes exclusively in international tax, and specifically IRS offshore disclosure. 

We are the “go-to” firm for other Attorneys, CPAs, Enrolled Agents, Accountants, and Financial Professionals across the globe. Our attorneys have worked with thousands of clients on offshore disclosure matters, including FATCA & FBAR.

Each case is led by a Board-Certified Tax Law Specialist with 20 years of experience, and the entire matter (tax and legal) is handled by our team, in-house.

• Golding & Golding’s Case Accomplishments
• Golding & Golding Testimonials from prior clients

*Please beware of copycat tax and law firms misleading the public about their credentials and experience.

Less than 1% of Tax Attorneys Nationwide Are Certified Specialists

Sean M. Golding is one of less than 350 Attorneys (out of more than 200,000 practicing California Attorneys) to earn the Certified Tax Law Specialist credential. The credential is awarded to less than 1% of Attorneys.

Recent Golding & Golding Case Highlights

• We represented a client in an 8-figure disclosure that spanned 7 countries.
• We represented a high-net-worth client to facilitate a complex expatriation with offshore disclosure.
• We represented an overseas family with bringing multiple businesses & personal investments into U.S. tax and offshore compliance.
• We took over a case from a small firm that unsuccessfully submitted multiple clients to IRS Offshore Disclosure.
• We successfully completed several recent disclosures for clients with assets ranging from $50,000 – $7,000,000+.

How to Hire Experienced Offshore Counsel?

Generally, experienced attorneys in this field will have the following credentials/experience:

• 20-years experience as a practicing attorney
• Extensive litigation, high-stakes audit and trial experience
• Board Certified Tax Law Specialist credential
• Master’s of Tax Law (LL.M.)
• Dually Licensed as an EA (Enrolled Agent) or CPA

Interested in Learning More about Golding & Golding?

No matter where in the world you reside, our international tax team can get you IRS offshore compliant. 

Golding & Golding specializes in FBAR and FATCA. Contact our firm today for assistance with getting compliant.