IRS Kicks Off 2013 Filing Season for the 2012 Tax Year

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On January 30, 2013, the Internal Revenue Service opened the 2013 filing season by announcing a variety of enhanced products and services to help taxpayers prepare and file their tax returns by the April 15 deadline.

The IRS began accepting and processing most individual tax returns on January 30, 2013, after updating forms and completing programming and testing of its processing systems to reflect the American Taxpayer Relief Act (ATRA) that Congress enacted on January 2, 2013. The vast majority of taxpayers can file now, but the IRS is continuing to update its systems for some tax filers. The IRS will begin accepting tax returns from people claiming education credits in mid-February while taxpayers claiming depreciation deductions, energy credits and many business credits will be able to file in late February or early March. A full list of the affected forms is available on IRS.gov.

This year, taxpayers have until Monday, April 15, 2013, to file their 2012 tax returns and pay any tax due. The IRS expects to receive more than 147 million individual tax returns this year, with about 75 percent projected to receive a refund.

Last year for the first time, 80 percent of all individual returns were filed electronically. E-file, when combined with direct deposit, is the fastest way to get a refund. Last year, about three out of four refund filers selected direct deposit.

Family Partnerships and Income-Splitting

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Family partnerships can offer an advantageous method for splitting business income between family members who may be taxed at lower income rate brackets. This can result in substantial tax savings. However, because of the potential for widespread abuse of this device by shifting income to close relatives who may perform little or no actual work for a partnership, the Internal Revenue Code Section 704(e) (with related regulations and case law) place certain limitations upon family partnerships.

Under these limitations, the IRS can determine that the family partnership arrangement is invalid for tax purposes and disallow income-splitting. This article introduces the reader to the concept of a “family partnership” and outlines some of the general rules for determining whether family members will be recognized as valid partners.

Who is a Family Member for Purposes of IRC Section 704(e)?

Under IRC Section 704(e), “family members” include spouses, ancestors, lineal descendants, and any trusts for the primary benefit of such persons. It is important to note that brothers and sisters are not listed in this classification.

How Will a Family Member be Recognized as a Valid Partner?

In general, a family member may only be recognized as a partner of a family partnership if either of two conditions is met.

Under the first condition, if capital is a “material income-producing factor” and the partnership interest (allowing for full ownership and control) was acquired in a bona fide transaction, regardless of whether it was obtained by purchase or gift from another family member, a family member may be treated as a valid partner. Typically, capital will be considered a material income-producing factor if the partnership receives a significant portion of its gross income from utilizing capital resources (such as from investments in plant and equipment, or inventories). However, capital will usually not be treated as material income-producing factor if the partnership receives much of its gross income from service-oriented elements (such as commissions or fees). Additionally, the family member/partner must have a legitimate capital interest in the assets of the firm – a profits interest alone will not be sufficient.

Alternatively, pursuant to various cases interpreting IRC Section 704(e), if capital is not a material income-producing factor, but a family member contributes vital services to the partnership, the family member may be recognized as a legitimate partner of a family partnershp.

Transfer of a Partnership Interest to Children

One of the most common traps associated with income-splitting in family partnerships is the transfer of a partnership interest to the partner’s children. In such cases, the general rule is: where the capital is a material income-producing factor and a partnership interest is transferred, whether by gift or purchase, to children under the age of eighteen, a large portion of a dependent child’s income distribution received from the partnership may be subject to the “Kiddie tax” rules. Thus, unless the child’s income constituted earned income, it may be taxed at his parents’ tax rate. If a child performs legitimate services for the partnership, however, the Kiddie tax rules may be inapplicable.

Contact Sherayzen Law Office for Tax Planning with respect to Family Partnerships

The information contained in this article is general in nature, and does not constitute legal advice. In order to avoid making costly tax mistakes, you may wish to seek the advice of legal counsel.

If you currently have an interest in a family partnership or you would like to create one, contact Sherayzen Law Office, Ltd. Our experienced business tax firm will thoroughly analyze your case, create a customized ethical tax plan that fits your needs and implement this plan (including preparation of any legal and tax documents).

Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Program: Key Requirements

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2012 OVDP (Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Program) (now closed) may present a great opportunity for certain U.S. taxpayers to deal with their current as well prior non-compliance with U.S. tax laws. However, 2012 OVDP is not for everyone; while for certain categories of taxpayers it is the best option, other taxpayers may have additional choices that may make alternative disclosure options more appealing than the entrance into the official voluntary disclosure program – this is the determination that should be made by the taxpayer after a comprehensive overview of his case with an experienced international tax attorney.

In order to make this determination, however, one must understand what are the key requirements of the 2012 OVDP once a taxpayer is accepted into the program (the acceptance requirements are described in another article). In this article, I will strive to provide a broad overview of such requirements, though you will need to consult Sherayzen Law Office for a more detailed explanation of the program and the exact requirements that may apply to your case.

General Understanding of the 2012 OVDP Requirements

The 2012 Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Program is a fairly rigid and invasive program designed to allow certain types of U.S. taxpayers to voluntarily bring themselves back into compliance with U.S. laws in exchange for lower penalties and general avoidance of criminal prosecution. It is important to emphasize the 2012 OVDP is NOT a full-amnesty program; rather, it offers an alternative penalty system in exchange for voluntary compliance with a number of requirements.

The 2012 OVDP requirements can be broadly divided into five categories: statute of limitations, disclosure filings, cooperation, payment and closing agreement.

Statute of Limitations Extensions

As part of the 2012 OVDP requirements, the taxpayer must agree to extension of statute of limitations for the purposes of assessing additional taxes (including tax penalties) and the FBAR penalties. For this purposes, the taxpayer must supply the properly completed and signed Form 872 (Consent to Extend the Time to Assess Tax) and a Consent to Extend the Time to Assess Civil Penalties Provided By 31 U.S.C. § 5321 for FBAR Violations.

The key reason for the Statute of Limitations extensions is the ability of the IRS to extend its power to assess taxes and penalties to eight years instead of usual three years for the tax returns and six years for the FBARs. This is a key requirement of the 2012 OVDP and it must be communicated to the taxpayer before he submits his application to participate in the 2012 OVDP.

Disclosure Filings

This is the biggest part of the OVDP requirements. The taxpayer must provide:

1. Copies of previously filed original (and, if applicable, previously filed amended) federal income tax returns for tax years covered by the voluntary disclosure;

2. Complete and accurate amended federal income tax returns (for individuals, Form 1040X, or original Form 1040 if delinquent) for all tax years covered by the voluntary disclosure, with applicable schedules detailing the amount and type of previously unreported income from the account or entity (e.g., Schedule B for interest and dividends, Schedule D for capital gains and losses, Schedule E for income from partnerships, S corporations, estates or trusts and, for years after 2010). Starting year 2011, this requirement includes Form 8938, Statement of Specified Foreign Financial Assets. Note that, for the taxpayers who began filing timely, original, compliant returns that fully reported previously undisclosed offshore accounts or assets before making the voluntary disclosure for certain years of the offshore disclosure period, these taxpayers must provide copies of the such previously filed returns for all corresponding years;

3. Complete and accurate original or amended offshore-related information returns and Form TD F 90-22.1 (Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts, commonly known as an “FBAR”) for tax years covered by the voluntary disclosure. This requirement includes any forms 5471, 8865, 8858, 3520, 926 and so on;

4. Completed Foreign Account or Asset Statement for each previously undisclosed foreign account or asset during the voluntary disclosure period if the information requested in that statement was not already provided in the initial Offshore Voluntary Disclosures Letter. Also, a copy of the completed and signed Offshore Voluntary Disclosures letter and attachments should be included in the disclosure (I am not discussing this part of the OVDP process here because it is outside of the scope of this article);

5. Completed penalty computation worksheet showing the applicant’s determination of the aggregate highest account balance of his/her undisclosed offshore accounts, fair market value of foreign assets, and penalty computation signed by the applicant and the applicant’s representative if the applicant is represented;

6. Copies of offshore financial account statements reflecting all account activity for each of the tax years covered by your voluntary disclosure (only for the taxpayers who are disclosing offshore financial accounts with an aggregate highest account balance in any year of $500,000 or more). An explanation of any differences between the amounts reported on the account statements and the tax returns should be provided as well. For those applicants disclosing offshore financial accounts with an aggregate highest account balance of less than $500,000, copies of offshore financial account statements reflecting all account activity for each of the tax years covered by your voluntary disclosure must be available upon request;

7. PFIC Statement detailing whether the amended returns involve PFIC issues during the tax years covered by the OVDP period, and if so, whether the taxpayer chooses to elect the alternative to the statutory PFIC computation that resolves PFIC issues on a basis that is consistent with the mark to market (MTM) methodology authorized in IRC § 1296 but does not require complete reconstruction of historical data, and

8. If the taxpayer has a Canadian Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) or Registered Retirement Income Fund (RRIF) and wishes to make a late election pursuant to Article XVIII(7) of the U.S. – Canada income tax treaty to defer U.S. tax on RRSP or RRIF earnings, then: (a) a statement requesting an extension of time to make an election; (b) Forms 8891 for all tax years and type of plan covered under the voluntary disclosure; (c) a dated statement signed by the taxpayer under penalties of perjury describing (i) events that led to the failure to make the election, (ii) events that led to the discovery of the failure, and (iii) if the taxpayer relied on a professional advisor, the nature of the advisor’s engagement and responsibilities;

Cooperation

By entering into the 2012 OVDP program, the taxpayer agrees to cooperate in the voluntary disclosure process, including providing information on offshore financial accounts, institutions and facilitators, and signing agreements to extend the period of time for assessing Title 26 liabilities and FBAR penalties. Cooperation does mean that the taxpayer may provide information against his former business partners, bank advisors and accountants.

This is a very important requirement, because the taxpayer agrees to comply with any IRS requests which may subject his business dealings to a very close examination by the IRS. This is why it is important to examine the taxpayer’s tax affairs and business deadlines as much as possible (and usually the taxpayer’s attorney will have a very limited time to do so at the beginning of the case) prior to applying to the 2012 OVDP.

Payment

By entering the 2012 OVDP, the taxpayer agrees to pay the following penalties (this is added to the additional tax due as a result of the voluntary disclosure):

1. 20% accuracy-related penalties under IRC § 6662(a) on the full amount of the taxpayer’s offshore-related underpayments of tax for all years (this includes any PFIC tax as well);

2. Failure to file penalties under IRC § 6651(a)(1), if applicable;

3. Failure to pay penalties under IRC § 6651(a)(2), if applicable;

4. Interest on the additional tax due and all applicable penalties (note that the abatement of interest and penalty provisions under IRC § 6404 does not apply under the terms of the 2012 OVDP); and

5. Offshore Penalty – in lieu of all other penalties that may apply to the taxpayer’s undisclosed foreign assets and entities, including FBAR and offshore-related information return penalties and tax liabilities for years prior to the voluntary disclosure period, a miscellaneous Title 26 offshore penalty, equal to 27.5% (or in limited cases 12.5% or 5%) of the highest aggregate balance in foreign bank accounts/entities or value of foreign assets during the period covered by the voluntary disclosure.

A full payment of all tax due, interest, penalties and the Offshore Penalty must be submitted to the IRS with the voluntary disclosure package. However, it is possible to make good faith arrangements with the IRS to pay in parts if the IRS approves the taxpayer’s eligibility for a special arrangement.

Closing Agreement

At the end of the 2012 OVDP process, the IRS agent will prepare Form 906 (Final Determination Covering Specific Matters) which will describe all of the final terms of your voluntary disclosure. Upon signing of the Agreement, the taxpayer agrees to these final terms and the voluntary disclosure process is finished.

Contact Sherayzen Law Office for Help With 2012 Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Program

If you have undisclosed offshore accounts and foreign assets, you should contact Sherayzen Law Office to discuss the option of entering into the 2012 OVDP. Our experienced international tax firm will thoroughly analyze your case, identify the available options and help you determine whether entering 2012 OVDP is the best course of action in your specific case. Once the decision is made, our attorneys will prepare all of the necessary documents and tax forms, guide you through your voluntary disclosure and rigorously represent your interests during your negotiations with the IRS.

2012 FBAR is Due on June 30, 2013

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One of the most important tax compliance forms for businesses and individuals is the Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (the “FBAR”), FinCEN Form 114 Formerly TD F 90-22.1. Pursuant to the Bank Secrecy Act, 31 U.S.C. §5311 et seq., the Department of Treasury (the “DOT”) has established certain recordkeeping and filing requirements for United States persons with financial interests in or signature authority (and other comparable authority) over financial accounts maintained with financial institutions in foreign countries. If the aggregate balances of such foreign accounts exceed $10,000 at any time during the relevant year, the FBAR must be filed with the DOT.

The FBAR must be filed by June 30 of each relevant year, including this year (2013). Thus, the 2012 FBAR must be received by the DOT by June 30, 2013. This rule is contrary to your regular tax returns where the mailing date determines whether the filing is timely. There are no extensions available – the FBAR must be received by June 30 or it will be considered delinquent.

If the FBAR becomes delinquent, it may be subject to severe penalties.

Contact Sherayzen Law Office for FBAR Assistance

If you have any questions or concerns regarding whether you need to file the FBAR or how to prepare the form, please contact Sherayzen Law Office directly. If you have not previous filed the FBARs and you were required to do so, you may be subject to severe penalties and you may need to do some form of a voluntary disclosure. In such case, you need to contact our experienced international tax attorneys to schedule a consultation as soon as possible. Attorney Eugene Sherayzen will assess your situation, determine your potential FBAR liability, explain the available options, prepare all of the required tax forms and the necessary legal documentation, guide you through this complex process of voluntary disclosure, and vigorously represent your interests during your negotiations with the IRS.

Failure to Conduct Voluntary Disclosure and Potential Penalties: 2013 Update

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Failure to conduct voluntary disclosure may mean heavy penalties for U.S. taxpayers are not in compliance with international tax laws established by U.S. government. In this article, I summarize some of the key penalties that such non-compliant U.S. taxpayers may face once the IRS finds them.

Penalties in General

In general, if the IRS verifies that a taxpayer failed to disclose his offshore financial accounts and foreign entities (and the income from these sources), the taxpayer may be subject to severe civil and criminal penalties. In addition to income-related accuracy related penalties, the IRS may also assess additional fraud-related penalties, FBAR penalties and foreign asset reporting penalties (with interest). Combined, all of these penalties and interest may exceed the actual value of nondisclosed assets and foreign bank accounts. In the worst-case scenario, a criminal prosecution may be initiated against such noncompliant taxpayers.

Finally, the voluntary disclosure process – which would otherwise be a far less painful way to deal with this problem – is automatically unavailable for taxpayers as soon as they are subject to IRS investigation.

Let’s discuss the penalties in more detail.

Accuracy-Related and Failure to File and Pay Penalties

An accuracy-related penalty on underpayments is imposed under IRC § 6662. Depending upon which component of the accuracy-related penalty is applicable, a taxpayer may be liable for a 20 percent or 40 percent penalty.

If a taxpayer fails to file the required income tax return, a failure to file (“FTF”) penalty may be imposed pursuant to IRC § 6651(a)(1). The penalty is generally five percent of the balance due, plus an additional five percent for each month or fraction thereof during which the failure continues may be imposed. The total penalty will not exceed 25 percent of the balance due.

If a taxpayer fails to pay the amount of tax shown on the return, a failure to pay (“FTP”) penalty may be imposed pursuant to IRC § 6651(a)(2). The penalty may be half of a percent of the amount of tax shown on the return, plus an additional half of a percent for each additional month or fraction thereof that the amount remains unpaid, not exceeding the total of 25 percent of the balance due.

Fraud Penalties

Fraud penalties may imposed under IRC §§ 6651(f) or 6663. Where an underpayment of tax, or a failure to file a tax return, is due to fraud, the taxpayer is liable for penalties that may essentially amount to 75 percent of the unpaid tax.

FBAR Penalties

The most severe civil penalties are likely to come from non-compliance with FinCEN Form 114 formerly Form TD F 90-22.1 (Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts, commonly known as an “FBAR”) non-compliance. Generally, the civil penalty for willfully failing to file an FBAR can be as high as the greater of $100,000 or 50 percent of the total balance of the foreign account per violation (see 31 U.S.C. § 5321(a)(5)). Non-willful violations that the IRS determines were not due to reasonable cause are subject to a $10,000 penalty per violation. For more detailed discussion of the FBAR civil penalties, I refer you to this article.

Form 8938 Penalties

Form 8938 is a newcomer to the world of tax penalties. The Form was born out of the HIRE and came into existence only starting the tax year 2011. Generally, failure to file Form 8938 carries a penalty of $10,000; however, other additional penalties may be applicable (for more detailed discussion of Form 8938 penalties, please read this article).

Penalties for Failure to File Other Information Returns

In addition to these common penalties, additional penalties may apply depending on the particular circumstances of the non-compliant taxpayer. I will summarize a few key penalties here.

Form 5471

If the taxpayer belongs to one of the four categories of required filers of Form 5471 (Information Return of U.S. Persons with Respect to Certain Foreign Corporations) and he fails to do so, he generally faces a penalty of $10,000 for each return. For a more detailed discussion of Form 5471 penalties, review this article.

Form 8865

Where the taxpayer is required to file Form 8865 (Return of U.S. Persons With Respect to Certain Foreign Partnerships) and he fails to do so, the non-compliant taxpayer generally faces a $10,000 per each unfiled return with additional penalties possible. If the taxpayer transferred property to a controlled foreign partnership and he fails to file Form 8865, he faces additional penalties of 10 percent of the value of any transferred property; the penalty is limited to $100,000. Please, review this article for a more detailed discussion of Form 8865 penalties.

Other Common Information Returns

Depending on a taxpayer’s situation, he may face additional penalties for failure to file Forms 926, 3520, 3520-A, 5472 and other forms.

Criminal Prosecution

In the worst-case scenario, a criminal prosecution may be conducted by the IRS. Huge penalties and potential jail time are the possible in case of tax evasion.

Possible criminal charges related to tax returns include tax evasion (26 U.S.C. § 7201), filing a false return (26 U.S.C. § 7206(1)) and failure to file an income tax return (26 U.S.C. § 7203). Willfully failing to file an FBAR and willfully filing a false FBAR are both violations that are subject to criminal penalties under 31 U.S.C. § 5322 (see this article for discussion of the FBAR criminal penalties)

A person convicted of tax evasion is subject to a prison term of up to five years and a fine of up to $250,000. Filing a false return subjects a person to a prison term of up to three years and a fine of up to $250,000. A person who fails to file a tax return is subject to a prison term of up to one year and a fine of up to $100,000. Failing to file an FBAR subjects a person to a prison term of up to ten years and criminal penalties of up to $500,000.

Contact Sherayzen Law Office for Help With Offshore Voluntary Disclosure

If you have undisclosed offshore accounts or foreign entities, contact Sherayzen Law Office for help as soon as possible. We are an international tax law firm that specializes in helping U.S. taxpayers in the United States and throughout the world to avoid the nightmare scenario and properly conduct disclosure of offshore assets, foreign bank accounts, foreign entities and unreported foreign income to the IRS.

If you believe that you may not be in full compliance with U.S. tax laws, the worst course of action is to do nothing and wait for the IRS to discover your noncompliance. Once this happens, your options are likely to be severely limited and the penalties a lot higher. Therefore, contact us so that we can help you with your international tax problems. Remember, all calls and e-mails are confidential.