Final FATCA rules are issued – Deadline Is July 1, 2014 For Foreign Banks To Disclose U.S Account Holders To IRS

Last week the IRS released a large package of regulations needed to implement the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA). FATCA, enacted as part of the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment Act of 2010, P.L. 111-147, requires U.S. withholding agents to withhold tax on certain payments to foreign financial institutions (FFIs) that do not agree to report certain information to the IRS regarding their U.S. accounts and on certain payments to certain nonfinancial foreign entities (NFFEs) that do not provide information on their substantial U.S. owners to withholding agents. FATCA withholding goes into effect July 1, 2014.

One significant change is to accommodate direct reporting by certain entities about their substantial U.S. owners to the IRS rather than to withholding agents.  What this means is that your foreign bank can now directly report U.S. account holders directly to IRS without going through any third party or foreign government agency and be in compliance with FATCA.

The IRS has also made it easy for foreign banks to report U.S. account holders through an online FATCA registration system IRS has launched.  FFIs that are required to participate or else face withholding on their U.S. investments include:

• Depository institutions, such as banks;
• Custodial institutions, such as mutual funds;
• Investment entities, such as hedge funds; and
• Certain insurance companies that have cash-value products or annuities.

If you have never reported your foreign investments on your U.S. Tax Returns, you should seriously consider participating in the IRS’s Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Initiative (OVDI).  Once the IRS contacts you, you cannot get into this program and would be subject to the maximum penalties (civil and criminal) under the tax law.  Taxpayers who hire an experienced tax attorney in Offshore Account Voluntary Disclosures should result in avoiding any pitfalls and gaining the maximum benefits conferred by this program.

Protect yourself from excessive fines and possible jail time. Let the tax attorneys of the Law Offices Of Jeffrey B. Kahn, P.C. located in Los Angeles and elsewhere in California qualify you for OVDI.

Description: Let the tax attorneys of the Law Offices Of Jeffrey B. Kahn, P.C. resolve your IRS tax problems, get you in compliance with your FBAR filing obligations, and minimize the chance of any criminal investigation or imposition of civil penalties.