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FBAR (FinCEN Form 114 formerly Form TD F 90-22.1) penalties can be absolutely draconian. However, with a help of an experienced international tax attorney, they do not have to be so brutal. Unfortunately, the IRS, accountants and even many lawyers present an overly simplistic view of the FBAR penalty structure. They start out with the […]
Every year, the U.S. Department of Treasure publishes its official currency conversion rates (they are called “Treasury’s Financial Management Service rates” or the “FMS rates”). Recently, the Treasury Department published the FMS rates for December 31, 2012. While there are other good reasons for the existence of these rates, the FMS rates for December 31 […]
The IRS has established various rules regarding required tax years in order to prevent excess deferral of taxes by partnerships, S corporations, and personal service corporations. In certain circumstances, however, under Internal Revenue Code Section 444, partnerships, S corporations, and personal service corporations may elect to use a tax year other than their required tax […]
A lot of taxpayers are still confused about whether they need an attorney or an accountant to file delinquent Forms 8938. As I explain below, Form 8938 is an essentially legal disclosure form and its voluntary disclosure should be handled by an experienced international tax attorney. Form 8938 Requires Legal Disclosure It is important to […]
For taxpayers with undisclosed offshore accounts and who are looking to do an FBAR voluntary disclosure with the IRS, it is crucially important to understand that FBAR disclosure is a legal issue that should be handled by an international tax attorney. Confusion Over the Roles of Legal and Accounting Professions in FBAR Disclosures I receive […]