Disclosure of foreign accounts: 4 facts about FATCA
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If you hold assets such as bank and other financial accounts or securities from companies outside the United States, you may need to report them to the IRS. The Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) requires certain U.S. taxpayers who have interests in “specified foreign financial assets” (SFFAs) to provide information via Form 8938, “Statement of Specified Foreign Financial Assets.” Here are four important facts about FATCA:
- SFFAs are indeed Among the assets the IRS considers SFFAs are foreign financial accounts and instruments, as well as foreign stocks and securities. But some types of foreign assets don’t need to be reported. These include financial accounts maintained by U.S. payers, such as the U.S. branches of foreign financial institutions or the foreign branches of U.S. financial institutions.
- The penalties for failing to report are steep. They start with a $10,000 failure-to-file penalty. An additional penalty of up to $50,000 can be imposed if you continue to not report after being notified by the IRS. The statute of limitations is lengthy, extending to six years if you don’t include gross income from a foreign asset of more than $5,000 on your tax return.
- Not everyone with foreign financial assets needs to report. If you aren’t required to file a U.S. income tax return for the year, you don’t need to file Form 8938. Even if you are required to file a return, Form 8938 isn’t required unless:
- You’re a single filer or file separately from your spouse and held SFFAs of more than $50,000 on the last day of the tax year or more than $75,000 at any time during the tax year, or
- You’re married and file jointly and held SFFAs of more than $100,000 on the last day of the tax year, or more than $150,000 at any time during the year.
The thresholds are higher for U.S. taxpayers living outside the United States. Other details, exceptions and restrictions may apply.
- It’s complicated. If you hold financial assets outside the United States, it’s worth reviewing them to determine whether you’re subject to the FATCA reporting requirements. But don’t expect this to be a simple task; the law is complex. We can help you account for all of your foreign assets and determine whether you need to file Form 8938.
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