Tag Archive for: IRS

2012 IRS Offshore Compliance Program

Great News for Some ExPats and Dual-Nationals

As an ExPat American, you know that you are required to file a U.S. tax return each year and report your foreign bank accounts if you have more than $10,000 offshore. Unless you have been living under a rock in Bangladesh, you also know that the IRS has been pushing hard to force disclosure, compliance and payment.

The drive for increased revenues started in 2003 when the IRS began investigating offshore credit cards. At that time, it was about compliance. The government had not yet figured out that putting people in jail for tax crimes would generate a lot of news, and thus cause many more thousands to come forward.

In 2008 the U.S. government began its attack on UBS in Switzerland, eventually forcing the Swiss to disclose 4,450 names of U.S. citizens with unreported accounts. The U.S. followed this up by prosecuting a few people in each State or region of the country to ensure maximum news coverage and created the voluntary disclosure program to maximize the return on their campaign.

So far, there have been three programs allowing people to come forward and voluntarily report their offshore bank accounts. As of June 26, 2012, the IRS has brought in over $5 billion in new taxes, interest and penalties.

The third, and current, program came into effect on September 1, 2012 and has several benefits for what it considers “low-risk” persons. These are U.S. citizens, including dual-citizens, who currently reside overseas, who owe little or no U.S. taxes. The objective is to convince these people to report the value and locations of their money and assets in exchange for not being hit with civil penalties.

These low-risk persons will be able to file three years of delinquent U.S. tax returns (including required information reporting forms) and six years of FBARs without the imposition of penalties. Whether a taxpayer is “low-risk” will depend on a number of factors, but will primarily require that the tax due is less than US$1,500 for each of the covered years, that the person was living and working outside of the U.S. during these years, and that the person did not take steps to conceal their income from the U.S.

It should be noted that this procedure will provide no protection from the risk of criminal prosecution. The IRS website indicates the following regarding criminal prosecution: “The Voluntary Disclosure Practice is a longstanding practice of IRS Criminal Investigation whereby CI takes timely, accurate, and complete voluntary disclosures into account in deciding whether to recommend to the Department of Justice that a taxpayer be criminally prosecuted. It enables noncompliant taxpayers to resolve their tax liabilities and minimize their chance of criminal prosecution. When a taxpayer truthfully, timely, and completely complies with all provisions of the voluntary disclosure practice, the IRS will not recommend criminal prosecution to the Department of Justice.”

Because the tax due amount takes the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion and Foreign Tax Credit into consideration, many Expats and foreign residents will qualify for the program regardless of their income. For example, anyone that is an employee in a high tax country (a country with a tax rate equal to or greater than the U.S.), should qualify, as will most people earning less than $80,000 to $95,000 per year who are living in a low tax country. Those at risk are entrepreneurs living in low tax countries, high net worth individuals with significant untaxed capital gains or passive income, and just about any self-employed person who was not operating through a foreign corporation and is thus subject to self-employment tax.

There are two groups of ExPats that are excluded from this program: 1) if your account is at a bank that is currently under investigation by the U.S., you may not be eligible, and 2) if you attempt to fight the release of your banking information from your foreign bank, you will not be eligible for this program. For example, the U.S. issues a summons to Bank ABC in Lichtenstein requesting all U.S. accounts. If you attempt to block this release by exercising your rights in Lichtenstein, you are disqualified from this program.

In addition, the IRS may announce that certain groups of taxpayers that have or had accounts at specific offshore banks will be ineligible to participate in the OVDP due to pending US government actions in connection with those specific institutions. Details regarding eligibility or ineligibility of specific taxpayer groups connected to such institutions will be posted to the IRS website.

The IRS says: “US persons with undeclared bank accounts are reminded that the 2012 OVDP gives taxpayers with unreported foreign bank accounts a chance to come clean while mitigating the risk of criminal prosecution, and that they should consider remedying any past non-compliance with their US tax and information reporting obligations while there is still an opportunity to do so.”

If you are a U.S. citizen who has been living and working abroad, and are willing to disclose your accounts and assets, now is the best time to evaluate your rights. I recommend the following three step plan of action: 1) discuss your situation with a qualified tax attorney and evaluate your risks of criminal prosecution, 2) have your attorney prepare U.S. tax returns to determine the amount of taxes due, and 3) if you qualify as a low-risk citizen, join the voluntary disclosure program as soon as possible, before your bank comes under attack or you are disqualified for another reason.

If you do not qualify as a low-risk taxpayer, you may still participate in the current voluntary disclosure program. However, you will be subject to substantial taxes and penalties, which are more severe than those levied by previous initiatives.

In addition to the standard tax, interest and penalties associated with your delinquent returns, the following penalties will be assessed, and must be paid or you will be disqualified from the program:

  • Pay a 20% accuracy-related penalties on the full amount of your offshore-related underpayments of tax for all years;
  • Pay failure to file penalties, which are up to 25% of the unpaid tax, if applicable;
  • Pay failure to pay penalties, which are up to 25% of the unpaid tax, if applicable;
  • Pay, in lieu of all other penalties that may apply to your 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 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;
      • Note that this penalty includes the value of all foreign assets, including real estate.

As you can see, the penalties are very severe if you do not qualify as a low-risk taxpayer. However, getting back in to the system and removing the risk of criminal prosecution will motivate many to come forward, pay and sleep well at night knowing they are in compliance with their tax filing obligations.

If you have unreported accounts or questions about your U.S. taxes please contact a U.S. licensed tax attorney or Enrolled Agent at Premier Offshore, Inc. We offer a free and 100% confidential consultation and have decades of experience in international taxation of U.S. citizens abroad. We can be reached at (619) 483-1708 or by email info@premieroffshore.com.

Offshore Filing Requirements

One of the most misunderstood areas of living, investing or operating a business abroad are the U.S. tax filing and reporting requirements. The purpose of this summary is to review the basic requirements and I recommend that you consult an international tax expert as to how they fit your particular situation.

One of the foundations of the United States tax system is that U.S. citizens and residents are taxed on their worldwide income. When handled properly, an active business, conducted outside of the United States, may have significant tax deferral and savings opportunities.

International Bank and Brokerage Accounts

One of the most critical filing requirements is the Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts. Anyone who is a signor or beneficial owner of a foreign bank or brokerage account(s) with more than $10,000 must disclose these accounts to the U.S. Treasury.

The law imposes a civil penalty for not disclosing an offshore bank account or offshore credit card up to $25,000 or the greatest of 50% of the balance in the account at the time of the violation or $100,000. Criminal penalties for willful failure to file an FBAR can also apply in certain situations. Note that these penalties can be imposed for each year.

In addition to filing the Foreign Bank Account form, the offshore account must be disclosed on your personal income tax return, Form 1040, Schedule B.

Corporate and Trust Filing Requirements

There are a number of filing requirements for IBCs and International Trusts. Failure to file the required returns may result in civil and criminal penalties and may extend the statute of limitations for assessment and collection of the related taxes.

  • Form 5471 – Information Return of U.S. Persons With Respect to Certain Foreign Corporations must be filed by U.S. persons (which includes individuals, partnerships, corporations, estates and trusts) who owns a certain proportion of the stock of a foreign corporation or are officers, directors or shareholders in Controlled Foreign Corporation (CFC). If you prefer not to be treated as a foreign corporation for U.S. tax reporting, you may be eligible to use Forms 8832 and 8858 below. http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f5471.pdf
  • A foreign corporation or limited liability company should review the default classifications in Form 8832, Entity Classification Election and decide whether or not to make an election to be treated as a corporation, partnership, or disregarded entity. Making an election is optional and must be done on or before March 15 (i.e. 75 days after the end of the first taxable year). http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f8832.pdf
  • Form 8858 – Information Return of U.S. Persons with Respect to Foreign Disregarded Entities was introduced in 2004 and is to be filed with your personal income tax return if making the election on Form 8832. A $10,000 penalty is imposed for each year this form is not filed. http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f8858.pdf
  • Form 3520 – Annual Return to Report Transactions With Foreign Trusts and Receipt of Certain Foreign Gifts is required when a U.S. person:Form 3520-A – Annual Information Return of Foreign Trust is required of any foreign trust with a U.S. Owner (Grantor). Failure to file this form can result in a penalty of 5% of the gross value of the U.S. person’s portion of the trust. http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f3520a.pdf
    1. Creates or transfers money or property to a foreign trust,
    2. Receives (directly or indirectly) any distributions from a foreign trust, or
    3. Receives certain gifts or bequests from foreign entities. http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f3520.pdf
  • Form 5472 – Information Return of a 25% Foreign-Owned U.S. Corporation is required to be filed by a “reporting corporation” that has “reportable transactions” with foreign or domestic related parties. A reporting corporation is either a U.S. corporation that is a 25% foreign-owned or a foreign corporation engaged in a trade or business within the United States. A corporation is 25% foreign-owned if it has at least one direct or indirect 25% foreign shareholder at any time during the tax year. http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f5472.pdf
  • Form 926 – Return by a U.S. Transferor of Property to a Foreign Corporation is required to be filed by each U.S. person who transfers property to a foreign corporation if, immediately after the transfer, the U.S. person holds directly or indirectly 10% of the voting power or value of the foreign corporation. Generally, this form is required for transfers of property in exchange for stock in the foreign corporation, but there is an assortment of tax code sections that may require the filing of this form. The penalty for failing to file is 10% of the fair market value of the property at the time to transfer. http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f926.pdf
  • Form 8938 – Statement of Foreign Financial Assets is new for tax year 2011 and must be filed by anyone with significant assets outside of the United States. Who must file is complex, but, if you live in the U.S. and have an interest in assets worth more than $50,000, or you live abroad and have assets in excess of $400,000, you probably need to file. If you are a U.S. citizen or resident with assets abroad, you must consult the instructions to Form 8938 for more information. Determining who must file is a complex matter. See http://www.irs.gov/uac/Form-8938,-Statement-of-Foreign-Financial-Assets for additional information.

IRS FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)—IRS Tax Problems and IRS Tax Debt Relief. The IRS Offer in Compromise Program Defined

1. What is an IRS Offer in Compromise?

In most cases, an IRS Offer in Compromise is a way to settle your IRS debt for less than the balance due, because you are unable to pay the full amount. You are basically offering the IRS something they could not take from you…something over and above what they could collect.

2. Do I qualify for an IRS Offer in Compromise?

If you can afford to pay your IRS debt in full, either over time or all at once, then you do not qualify for an Offer in Compromise.

If your assets, such as equity in real estate, retirement accounts, etc., are more than your IRS debt, then you do not qualify for an Offer in Compromise.

If you can’t afford to pay your IRS debt and your assets are significantly less than your IRS debt then you may qualify for an Offer in Compromise.

3. What are the “allowed expenses?”

You are allowed to spend up to certain amounts for your personal expenses such as food, clothing, housing, utilities, automobile, etc.

Some of these amounts, food and clothing for example, are regulated by the National Standards, which means that everyone in the U.S. is allowed the same expense.

Other expenses, such as housing and utilities, are based on where you live.

For example, a family of three living in Bailey County, Texas, is allowed only US$830 in housing and utilities. However, if that same family lives in New York County, New York, they are allowed up to US$4,976 in housing and utilities.

The logic of the IRS here is that you should not be allowed to make payments on your mansion and Ferrari, and not pay the government.

One of the most important tasks when filing an Offer in Compromise is to understand the interplay between the various allowed expenses to ensure you get the best deal available.

4. If I do not qualify for an IRS Offer in Compromise, what alternatives do I have?

If you can’t settle your IRS tax debt with an Offer in Compromise, you have two options:

  1. Set up an Installment Agreement. With this, you must pay the IRS each month until the applicable statute of limitations has expired. When the statute of limitations has run out, any remaining debt is eliminated.
  1. Request to be considered “temporarily uncollectable.” If you do not qualify for an IRS Offer in Compromise and you can’t afford to make monthly payments, then you can request that your account be placed on hold until your situation improves. The IRS will review your income and expenses each year and require you to make payments when you can afford to do so.

5. What is a “statute of limitations?”

In the case of an IRS Offer in Compromise, a statute of limitations is the length of time the IRS has at its disposal to collect taxes from you.

The IRS has 10 years to collect once you have filed your tax return or after your IRS tax debt has been assessed. “Assessed tax debt” generally refers to debt which is the result of an IRS audit.

Once the statute of limitations runs out, your IRS tax debt is eliminated.

For example, you file your 2009 federal personal income tax return on April 15, 2010, and owe US$100,000. The IRS has until about April 15, 2020 to collect that amount from you. If you made monthly payments totaling US$25,000 over 10 years, the remaining US$75,000 of debt is eliminated and you get a fresh start.

6. I am unemployed. Do I qualify for an IRS Offer in Compromise?

In general, if you are unemployed you do not qualify for an Offer in Compromise. The IRS will wait until you’ve been employed for around six months and then determine your ability to make monthly payments.

While you are unemployed, you should qualify to be listed as “temporarily uncollectable” (see above). When your income has stabilized, you might submit an Offer in Compromise.

Note:“Unemployed” means that you are capable of work and under age 65. Someone over age 65, or disabled and unable to work, is considered retired and may qualify for an Offer in Compromise.

7. If my IRS Offer in Compromise is rejected, what will happen?

In most cases, the IRS person working your Offer in Compromise will set up an Installment Agreement or list you as “temporarily uncollectable” if you do not qualify for an Offer in Compromise.

If you disagree with the rejection of your Offer in Compromise you can file an appeal, which will move your case to a more senior IRS person in your region. This person may have more authority to consider your unique circumstances.

8. How long does an Offer in Compromise take to complete?

It generally takes four to 12 months for your Offer in Compromise to be assigned to an IRS agent to work on. Then, it may require two to three months for the case to be completed. The precise time will depend on the amount of the debt and the complexity of your situation.

If your Offer in Compromise is rejected and you file an appeal, this may take another six months or so.

9. Can the IRS collect from me while I am in the Offer in Compromise program?

The IRS is prohibited from collecting from you while your Offer in Compromise is pending. Also, the applicable statute of limitations is on hold while your Offer in Compromise is being considered.

For example, if your debt would expire on April 15, 2020, and your Offer in Compromise takes 12 months before it is rejected, then the IRS has until April 15, 2021 to collect from you.

10. Is it expensive to have a professional help with an Offer in Compromise filing?

Legal fees for an Offer in Compromise typically range from US$3,500 to US$25,000. Complex cases cost more, and these fees do not include the IRS US$150 filing fee or the 20% non-refundable deposit. We estimate the average cost of a case to be US$4,500.

11. What forms do I need for an Offer in Compromise?

Planning and preparing the documents for an Offer in Compromise are complicated and require lots of experience. We believe that 90% of the work for an Offer in Compromise is done prior to filing.

A typical Offer in Compromise requires:

  • IRS Form 656 – Offer in Compromise Booklet and Form;
  • Form 433-A – Collection Information Statement for Wage Earners and Self-Employed Individuals;
  • Form 433-B – Collection Information Statement for Businesses;
  • Supporting documentation: You will need three months of documentation on just about every expense and income you have. These amounts include pay stubs, credit card statements, mortgage or rent statements, investments, transportation, W-2s, tax returns, etc.

12. What forms are required for an Installment Agreement or a request to be considered “temporarily uncollectable?”

Just like in the case of an Offer in Compromise, you will need Form 433-A and/or Form 433-B, along with the supporting documentation.

13. After the forms are complete and the Offer in Compromise filed do I need a tax attorney to negotiate the best deal? Will a tax attorney get me a better deal than I could get on my own?

The IRS Offer in Compromise program is very structured, with hundreds of different IRS agents handling thousands of cases. These agents receive a case, investigate whether the information provided is complete and accurate, apply the National and Local Standards, look for exceptions, and then accept or reject the Offer.

Because very little negotiation occurs and the IRS agent has almost no ability to diverge from the allowed standards, an expensive tax attorney is not required in most cases.

This means that most work is done before filing the Offer in Compromise, and an experienced professional adds the most value in planning, preparing, and documenting the Offer. Also, just as important, a professional can determine if you qualify for an Offer in Compromise prior to its being filed, saving you thousands of dollars and months of time.

14. I have not filed all of my federal personal income tax returns. Can I still submit an Offer in Compromise?

No, all of your tax returns must be filed before you submit an Offer in Compromise or set up an Installment Agreement. Basically, the IRS will not deal with you until all of your tax returns are filed.

We are experienced in preparing delinquent returns of all types and will be happy to assist you.

15. Is the IRS required to give me an Offer in Compromise if I qualify?

No, the IRS is not required to grant you an Offer in Compromise simply because you qualify. If the IRS believes your income will increase, they are likely to deny your Offer in Compromise and list you as “temporarily uncollectable.”

For example, a real estate agent made US$150,000 in 2008, US$125,000 in 2009, US$45,000 in 2010, and files an Offer in Compromise in 2010 for back taxes owed. The IRS is likely to wait a year or two to see if the taxpayer’s income increases significantly. If it doesn’t, they may grant an Offer in Compromise in 2011 or 2012.

16. What about all of the TV and radio ads promising to settle my IRS debt for 10 cents on the dollar?

Any firm that files a large number of Offers in Compromise will have success stories. However, these are the exception, not the rule.

For example, one of our clients owed US$250,000 to the IRS and settled his Offer in Compromise for US$7,500, or three cents on the dollar. This is the type of case we could use in our advertising.

Well…this client was 71 years of age, was living on Social Security and Disability income, and had no assets. I suspect that this more-detailed description fits very few of those of you reading these FAQs.

Therefore, every case and set of circumstance is different, and careful planning, preparation, and documentation of an Offer in Compromise are the keys to success.

17. Why are there so many websites promising to settle my IRS debt for less?

In fact there are only a few national firms marketing IRS tax debt settlement services. Also, there are many small local law firms and CPA offices offering this service.

However, there are hundreds of marketing websites. These are small companies, oftentimes guys in their basements, who put up a website to generate marketing leads on their spare time. They then sell these leads to an Offer in Compromise mill, or a tax person just starting out and who is not able to get business on his own. Our research indicates that the majority of sites on the Web are marketing sites.

18. How much does it cost to file an IRS Offer in Compromise?

The filing fee for an IRS Offer in Compromise is US$150. Also, you must submit a non-refundable deposit of 20% of your Offer amount.

For example, if you owe US$100,000 and offer to settle your debt for US$10,000, your filing fee is US$150, and your deposit is US$2,000 (20% of US$10,000).

19. What does the IRS say about the national Offer in Compromise mills?

Since 2004, the IRS has continually informed the public about unscrupulous promoters who prepare and file Offers in Compromise they know will be rejected, just to make the fee. IR-2004-17, issued on Feb. 3, 2004, warns that “[…]some promoters are inappropriately advising indebted taxpayers to file an Offer in Compromise (OIC) application with the IRS. This bad advice costs taxpayers money and time.”

20. Have government agencies shut down any of the national IRS Offer in Compromise mills?

Yes, state and federal agencies have stepped in to protect taxpayers from OIC mills.

For example, the Attorney General of California announced on Aug. 23, 2010 that he was suing the national firm of Roni Deutch for “victimizing thousands who sought her aid in dealing with the IRS.” He is seeking US$34 million in damages. For more information, click here to check the California Attorney General’s website.

In addition, California sought to enjoin Roni Deutch from doing business. Click here to read the legal brief.

In a second example, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) took action against American Tax Relief, a national tax debt relief company, claiming ATC is a scam that swindled clients out of millions of dollars. At the FTC’s request, ATC was shut down and their assets frozen.

For more information, click here to go to the FTC’s website and here to read the news clippings.

In a third example, the Texas Attorney General has filed suit against TaxMasters, Inc. The Texas Attorney General’s office states that there are nearly 1,000 complaints about TaxMasters, Inc., and that are seeking restitution and fines on behalf of those harmed.

To quote the Attorney General’s press release, TaxMasters, Inc. “routinely misled customers about the nature of their tax resolution service agreements – and worse, attempted to enforce those improper agreements through unlawful debt-collection tactics.” To read more, click here to access the Texas Attorney General’s website. Also, for an article in the Houston Chronicle detailing the lawsuit against TaxMasters, Inc. click here.

According to an ABC News report, there are thousands of similar complaints. To see this report, click here.

21. What do the consumer protection and business review websites have to say about the national IRS Offer in Compromise mills?

There are many opinions and unverified statements on the Web, which should all be taken with a grain of salt. Here are links to a few websites that may be of interest:

 

Taxpayer Bill of Rights

Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights

In tough economic times, many business owners and self-employed people find it difficult or impossible to pay their Federal taxes. When the debt is too large to pay, you then get the joy of negotiating with the Internal Revenue service.

NOTE: Of course, everyone has a hard time paying their taxes. Business owners and the self-employed are more likely to have large debts because many do not have taxes withheld from their paychecks, do not make quarterly estimates, and hope that there is enough cash in the business at the end of the year to keep the IRS at bay.

The following is a list of protections that taxpayers have when facing the IRS, known in the industry as the “Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights.” The first step in dealing with the IRS is to know these basic rights.

  • Innocent Spouse Relief (Publication 971):
    • Is available for ALL understatements of tax (previously, only substantial understatements) attributable to erroneous items (previously, only grossly erroneous items) of the other spouse.
    • You must file this claim within 2 years of the IRS beginning collection action.
    • You must show that the innocent spouse did not know and had no reason to know about the underpayment of taxes.
    • Innocent Spouse can be claimed for any tax liability arising after July 22, 1998 and any tax liability unpaid as of that date.
    • If Innocent Spouse is claimed and rejected, you can file a petition and go to tax court.
    • The IRS can grant equitable relief to taxpayers who do not satisfy the above tests.
    • If you filed a joint return, you can use innocent spouse as long as: 1) you are divorced or legally separated, or b) have been living apart for more than one year.
  • The IRS must abide by the Fair Debt and Collections Practices Act, which includes not communicating with you at an inconvenient time or place. This right basically protects against harassment.
  • The 10-year statute of limitations period on collection may generally not be extended, if there has been no lien on any of the taxpayer’s property.
  • The IRS must give you an installment agreement if:
    • You owe less than $10,000.
    • In the previous 5 tax years you have NOT 1) failed to file a tax return, 2) failed to pay any tax required to be shown on a return, and/or 3) entered into an installment agreement. and
    • Require full payment within 3 years.
  • A supervisor must approve the issuance of a Notice of Lien or Levy or seizing of property.
  • The IRS must notify you within 5 business days after the filing of a Notice of Lien and must include certain information in the notice, such as the amount of the tax and your appeal rights.
  • Anyone who will be affected by the filing of a lien is entitled to a fair hearing with an Appeals officer who had no prior involvement with the unpaid tax that gave rise to the filing of the lien.
  • You can get a certificate of discharge of a lien by depositing the amount in question with the IRS or you furnish a bond. You then have the right to sue to dispute the tax due.
  • The IRS must release a wage levy once it is determined that your outstanding tax liability is uncollectible. This basically means that the IRS determines that you do not have the financial resources (cash flow after allowed business and personal expenses and assets) to pay the debt.
  • You and 3rd parties can sue for money damages for reckless or intentional disregard of the statutory collection provisions. This has been made easier because it includes negligence on the part of an IRS employee. You must first follow administrative remedies and you are limited to $100k for negligence and $1m for intentional or reckless disregard.
  • The IRS must notify you, 30 days before filing a levy, that you have a right to a hearing.
    • You can then request an appeals officer hear the case before the levy.
    • You cannot challenge the underlying tax unless you had no previous opportunity to do so.
    • If not resolved, you have 30 days to appeal to the U.S. Tax Court or Federal Court.
  • Increase the amounts exempted from levy to $6,250 for furniture and personal effects and $3,125 for tools of the trade.
  • Property can’t be sold below the property’s minimum bid price.
    • Where no one is willing to pay the minimum bid price, the IRS can return the property or it is deemed to have paid that price.
    • b. Generally, this is 80% or more of the forced sale value.
  • If the amount of the debt is less than $5,000, the IRS cannot take your primary residence.
  • The IRS cannot seize your principle residence without prior court approval.
  • The IRS cannot reject an Offer in Compromise from a low income taxpayer solely on the basis of the amount of the offer.
  • While you have an Offer in Compromise pending, and 30 days thereafter, the IRS cannot take your property or levy your bank account.

The key to success and minimizing the expense, in your dealings with the IRS is a well-planned and documented financial statement, used to setup an installment agreement or to submit an Offer in Compromise.

IRS Voluntary Disclosure Program Gives Big Breaks to ExPats

IRS Voluntary Disclosure Program is great news for some Expats and dual-nationals

As an ExPat American, you know that you are required to file a U.S. tax return each year and report your foreign bank accounts if you have more than $10,000 offshore. If you have failed to file these forms, and want to get back in to the good graces of the IRS, the IRS Voluntary Disclosure Program may be for you.

Unless you have been living under a rock in Bangladesh, you also know that the IRS has been pushing hard to force disclosure, compliance and payment. The drive for increased revenues started in 2003 when the IRS began investigating offshore credit cards. At that time, it was about compliance. The government had not yet figured out that putting people in jail for tax crimes would generate a lot of news, thus cause many more thousands to come forward, and bring in a truckload of money…and promotions.

In 2008 the U.S. government began its attack on UBS in Switzerland, eventually forcing the Swiss to disclose 4,450 names of U.S. citizens with unreported accounts. The U.S. followed this up by prosecuting a few people in each State or region of the country to ensure maximum news coverage and created the voluntary disclosure program to capitalize on their campaign.

So far, there have been three IRS Voluntary Disclosure Programs allowing people to come forward and voluntarily report their offshore bank accounts. As of June 26, 2012, the IRS brought in over $5 billion in new taxes, interest and penalties.

The third, and current IRS Voluntary Disclosure Program came into effect on September 1, 2012 and has several benefits for what it considers “low-risk” persons. These are U.S. citizens, including dual-citizens, who currently reside overseas, who owe little or no U.S. taxes. The objective is to convince these people to report the value and locations of their money and assets in exchange for not being hit with excessive civil penalties.

These low-risk persons will be able to file three years of delinquent U.S. tax returns (including required information reporting forms) and six years of FBARs without the imposition of program penalties. Whether a taxpayer is “low-risk” will depend on a number of factors, but will primarily require that the tax due is less than US$1,500 for each of the covered years, that the person was living and working outside of the U.S. during these years, and that the person did not take steps to conceal their income from the U.S.

It should be noted that this procedure will provide no protection from the risk of criminal prosecution. The IRS website indicates the following regarding criminal prosecution: “The IRS Voluntary Disclosure Program has a longstanding practice of IRS Criminal Investigation whereby CI takes timely, accurate, and complete voluntary disclosures into account in deciding whether to recommend to the Department of Justice that a taxpayer be criminally prosecuted. It enables noncompliant taxpayers to resolve their tax liabilities and minimize their chance of criminal prosecution. When a taxpayer truthfully, timely, and completely complies with all provisions of the voluntary disclosure practice, the IRS will not recommend criminal prosecution to the Department of Justice.”

Because the tax due amount within the IRS Voluntary Disclosure Program takes the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion and Foreign Tax Credit in to consideration, most Expats and foreign residents will qualify as low risk. For example, anyone who is employed in a high tax country (a country with a tax rate equal to or greater than the U.S.), should be in the clear, as will most people earning less than $80,000 to $95,000 per year who are living in a low tax country. Those at risk are entrepreneurs living in low tax countries, high net worth individuals with significant untaxed capital gains or passive income, and just about any self-employed person who was not operating through a foreign corporation and is thus subject to self-employment tax.

There are two groups of ExPats that are excluded from this IRS Voluntary Disclosure Program: 1) if your account is at a bank that is currently under investigation by the U.S., you may not be eligible, and 2) if you attempt to fight the release of your banking information from your foreign bank, you will not be eligible for this program. For example, if the U.S. issues a summons to Bank ABC in Lichtenstein requesting all U.S. accounts, and you fight the request, you are disqualified from this program.

In addition, the IRS may announce that certain groups of taxpayers that have or had accounts at specific offshore banks will be ineligible to participate in the IRS Voluntary Disclosure Program due to pending US government actions in connection with those specific institutions. Details regarding eligibility or ineligibility of specific taxpayer groups connected to such institutions will be posted to the IRS website.

The IRS says: “US persons with undeclared bank accounts are reminded that the 2012 IRS Voluntary Disclosure Program gives taxpayers with unreported foreign bank accounts a chance to come clean while mitigating the risk of criminal prosecution, and that they should consider remedying any past non-compliance with their US tax and information reporting obligations while there is still an opportunity to do so.”

If you are a U.S. citizen who has been living and working abroad, and are willing to disclose your accounts and assets, now is the best time to evaluate your rights.
I recommend the following three step plan of action:

  1. discuss your situation with a qualified tax attorney to evaluate your risks of criminal prosecution,
  2. have your attorney prepare U.S. tax returns to determine the amount of taxes due, and
  3. if you qualify as a low-risk citizen, join the voluntary disclosure program program as soon as possible and before your bank comes under attack or you are disqualified for another reason.

If you do not qualify as a low-risk taxpayer, you may still participate in the current IRS Voluntary Disclosure Program. However, you will be subject to substantial taxes and program penalties, which are more severe than those levied by previous initiatives.

In addition to the standard tax, interest and penalties associated with your delinquent returns, the following penalties will be assessed, and must be paid or you will be disqualified from the program:

  • 20% accuracy-related penalties on the full amount of your offshore-related underpayments of tax for all years;
  • Pay failure to file penalties, which are up to 25% of the unpaid tax, if applicable;
  • Pay failure to pay penalties, which are up to 25% of the unpaid tax, if applicable;
  • Pay, in lieu of all other penalties that may apply to your 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 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;

Note that this penalty includes the value of all foreign assets, including real estate.
As you can see, the penalties are very severe if you do not qualify as a low-risk taxpayer. However, getting back in to the system and removing the risk of criminal prosecution will motivate many to come forward, pay up, and sleep better at night knowing that Uncle Sam will not come knocking…not yet, anyway.

If you have unreported accounts or questions about your U.S. Expat taxes, please contact me for for a free and confidential consultation regarding the IRS Voluntary Disclosure Program. I can be reached at (619) 483-1708, or info@premieroffshore.com.

The IRS has no Problem Using Weapons of Mass Destruction

IRS Attacks Forcing High Net Worth Americans out of the Country

The number of American expatriations is at a record high as tens of thousands of Americans a year are moving abroad in search of better lives. A root cause is how the U.S. government is treating its citizens these days.

At least 1,788 Americans officially threw away their U.S. citizenship in 2011, exceeding the totals from 2007, 2008, and 2009 combined. The Internal Revenue Service has been keeping a tally of U.S. citizens driven to renouncing that title since only 1998, but last year’s number has officially raised the bar when it comes to calling America quits.

Out of the 34 countries that belong to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the United States is the only nation that taxes its citizens no matter where they reside on Earth. As long as a person maintains citizen status, they are expected to send the United States government pennies on every dollar earned no matter where they live. The good old U.S. of A is also one of the only countries in the world that locks up its citizens in boxes for failing to pay up.

As the U.S. government works ever-more-aggressively to find ways to fund the deficit and as their worldwide bullying continues to create a backlash for us Americans trying to diversify offshore, more and more of us Americans who understand the importance of diversifying offshore are considering the idea of saying thanks, but, no, thanks, Uncle Sam. Here’s your passport back.

Just about every call I get now related to expatriation is from someone either battling the IRS or afraid of winding up in a clash with the Government.

Why are so many citizens concerned? I believe it is because the tone of the Internal Revenue Service has changed dramatically in the last five years.

Historically, if an average American failed to report his income accurately and completely it was a civil or a financial issue…he or she had to pay the taxes and penalties. Increasingly, the IRS is turning those sections of the tax code enacted to go after drug dealers and mafia kingpins (think Al Capone) on ordinary citizens, all in the name of increasing revenues.

These weapons of mass destruction (which, in this case, the U.S. government has no trouble finding) put regular people in jail for years for failing to file a form or to report income. They are being used not only to go after multi-millionaires and billionaires with huge accounts offshore, but everyday hard-working Americans, as well.

Here are three examples from my clients. There are hundreds of similar cases being argued throughout the United States right now.

Example #1 – Offshore Account

I know a single father of three who makes about US$80,000 a year as a self-employed consultant. Eight years ago, he moved some money offshore, to diversify and for asset protection. He never filed the necessary IRS forms, and he failed to report the account on his tax return.

Unfortunately for him, the account was at UBS Switzerland. He was reported to the IRS, which has decided to prosecute him.

Here is the rub: He did not have any unreported or untaxed income…which is to say, the account did not earn any interest, and the guy would not have had to pay any additional U.S. tax had he reported it.

That’s irrelevant now. In settlement negotiations, the man is facing up to one year in jail and a fine of US$540,000.
He has little money left and will never be able to pay the fine.
What is the point of the prosecution? The IRS gets to issue a press release showing a conviction in this city. This press release will forget to mention that there is no tax loss in the case, but it may induce many others to come forward…thereby increasing revenues on the back of an everyday citizen who made a mistake.

Example #2 – Cash Transactions

A retired U.S. citizen I know, living in California, age 60, is concerned about a major devaluation of the U.S. dollar. He decided a while ago that he wanted to purchase gold. He owns a condo with some equity and has a few hundred thousand dollars in retirement money.

As a regular guy, he can´t afford to buy large amounts of gold bullion, so he purchased gold coins from a local dealer. He paid cash for these coins so the dealer would not have to wait for a check to clear before handing over the merchandise. He has never sold any of his coins, thus there is no tax issue.

What did he do wrong? He took cash out of his account once or twice a week, always less than US $10,000 at a time, to make the gold purchases. To the IRS, this can qualify as “Structuring,” which is a crime.

The man’s bank sent two suspicious transaction reports to the IRS and closed his account. He had been a client of this bank for more than 30 years, yet the bank made no effort to warn him in advance of the reports they made to the IRS or to offer any assistance. They just turned him in.

As a result, the man is looking at a fine of up to US$100,000 and possible criminal charges that could incarcerate him for up to five years. Add to this a minimum of US$100,000 in potential legal fees, and the reality for this guy is that he and his family could be wiped out. Again, this is all the result of an innocent mistake.
Example #3 – Dual Citizen

Another client is a 55-year-old engineer who has been working at the same job for 20 years. He is a dual citizen of the United States and the United Kingdom. When he moved to the States, he rented out his U.K. home. Ever since, he has deposited this rental income in a U.K. account.

The man has filed tax returns in the U.K. reporting the rental property, but he did not report it, or the U.K. account, to the IRS. Had he reported the property and the related rental income all along, it would not have made any tax difference in the United States.
In fact, reporting the rental could have reduced his U.S. tax, thanks to the depreciation he could have claimed.

In 2009, this man learned of the requirement to file an FBAR form and entered the IRS Voluntary Disclosure Program. As a result, this story has a happier ending than the others. This guy will not face criminal charges.
He will, though, pay a fine of approximately US$22,000.

Cases like these and the hundreds of others currently being argued have changed the way that tax attorneys deal with clients. While we once would say, ‘Come clean, be honest, and let’s get through this,’ now we advise, ‘Be afraid…be very afraid.’

It is this culture of fear that is pushing many Americans to look around the world for places where they might live better, freer, and less fearfully.

I’ll note that these changes are not the result of one political party or another. They represent a permanent change in perspective by the U.S. government in general, in how both parties view their citizens. Changes to the tax laws, and in the ways the laws are interpreted, began under George Bush II with the Patriot Act and continue under Barack Obama with the Bank Secrecy Act and the HIRE Act.

In the face of a troubled U.S. economy and out-of-control spending, the U.S. government desperately needs to expand its tax revenues, and the IRS has decided that it can raise more money with fear and violence than with honey.

It’s a situation that qualifies as dire, and sensible Americans are looking to escape it as quickly as they can.

Offshore business tax reporting

IRS Snitch Gets Rich

IRS Snitch Gets Rich – UBS Whistleblower Receives $104 Million.

How much are 40 months of your life, and your dignity, worth? $104 million (or about $4,600 for each hour spent in prison) seems a good answer.

As you may have heard, The Internal Revenue Service awarded tax whistleblower and former UBS banker Bradley Birkenfeld $104 million for turning in his clients and giving insider information on the banks operations. This ultimately allowed the IRS to shatter the veil on Swiss bank secrecy, get paid a bribe or blackmail (how else can you describe paying money to avoid criminal prosecution) of $780 million from UBS, imprison hundreds of Americans, obtain records on 4,000 accounts, and raise $5 billion and counting in taxes and penalties.

Prosecutors have said they would have had no case against UBS without Mr. Birkenfeld, but they still sought one charge of conspiracy and prison time for this Good Samaritan. Mr. Birkenfeld was sentenced to 40 months and will probably do 85% of that sentence in one form or another. After serving 30 months, he was recently transferred to a halfway house in New Hampshire.

Clearly, Mr. Birkenfeld has seen the error of his ways and is on board with the IRS. He recently released the following statement through his attorneys: “The IRS today sent 104 million messages to whistleblowers around the world — that there is now a safe and secure way to report tax fraud and that the IRS is now paying awards,” and “The IRS also sent 104 million messages to banks around the world — stop enabling tax cheats or you will get caught.”

Well, before you decide to turn in your ex-spouse, business partner, or employer, you might like to know that the IRS has a history of screwing the whistleblower and denying claims for compensation.

In 2006, the IRS started a whistle-blower campaign which offers informants rewards of 15% for recoveries of less than $2m and 30% for recoveries in excess of $2m. However, the vast majority of claims submitted to the IRS go unanswered.

Of the cases that the IRS investigates, the usual time to completion is 5 years, you get a percentage of the amount recovered and not the amount assessed, and IRS records indicate they pay out an average of 4% of the money recovered, rather than 15 and 30%.

How can the IRS payout 4% on average when the regulation says 15 to 30%? Easy…they deny the majority of claims even after moneys are recovered. The IRS issues a letter saying they would have collected the money without the tip…that the tax cheat would have been found out through their normal audit procedures, and thus no money is due the whistleblower.

There are no appeals or legal remedies for the whistleblower. He or she is at the mercy of the Service.

While, I’m sure that there will be a flood of new cases coming in to the IRS Informant Program in the coming weeks, I’m just as certain that very few of these snitches will ever see a dollar for their efforts.

For additional information on the IRS program, and to tattletale on your friends and family in pursuit of a pay day, click here for the IRS website.

Attack on the Dollar

IRS Going After Cash Transactions

U.S. Goes After Cash Transactions

The New York Times recently reported that Federal and state authorities are investigating a handful of major American banks for failing to monitor cash transactions in and out of their branches. The government claims that this may have enabled drug dealers and terrorists to launder tainted money, according to officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

It is alleged that the primary target of the investigation is the embattled J.P. Morgan Chase. Who, fresh off a scandalous trading loss of $5.8bn, is in no position to stand up to another political firestorm. It is also suggested that the government is looking in to several other big name banks, including Bank of America.

Before I get in to this story, let’s define our terms:

A cash transaction is one where someone withdraws or deposits paper money. This does not include checks or wire transfers. A bank is required to report any cash transaction in excess of $10,000, and any transaction the teller deems to be “suspicious.”

A suspicious transaction is usually a group of transactions that are structured to avoid the reporting requirements. For example, you go in to the bank each day and deposit $9,500, or in to two branches with $6,000 each time. If the teller (or computer) notices, then a Suspicious Transaction Report will be sent to the IRS.

Tellers are also trained to spot signs of generally suspicious behavior. For example, if a customer asks about the reporting requirements or anything related to taxation or the IRS that is suspicious. If the customer seems nervous or otherwise sets of warning bells, a report will be generated.

With that said, let’s get back to the story:

The Comptroller of the Currency, as well as prosecutors from the Justice Department and the Manhattan district attorney’s office are all gearing up to go after these banks in order to protect us from drug dealers and terrorists…YEH! We should all stand up and applaud our government’s diligence!

Well, wait a minute. Who is the actual target here? Is al-Qaeda really transacting giant piles of cash and fooling tellers and computers in to not reporting? Are the internal bank compliance systems, on which these companies have spent millions of dollars, fooled so easily?

As someone who has represented both clients and family members caught up in these currency transaction reports and suspicious transaction reports, I can tell you that banks take them very seriously. I can also tell you that the teller’s credo is report first and ask questions later…CYA all the way.

So, why the sudden focus on cash transactions? In my opinion, it is a new battlefield being tested against average U.S. citizens, with nary a terrorist in sight. Are self-employed persons cashing their checks rather than depositing them to avoid paying taxes? Are they structuring their transactions to avoid a currency report?

With international tax evasion, the IRS has the Foreign Bank Account Form and related penalties. With domestic tax evasion, the government as the Currency Transaction Report to target anyone who lands in their crosshairs. Much like the FBAR, attempting to avoid the filing of a CTR is punishable by up to five years in prison.

As you may recall, it was just six years ago that the Patriot Act came in law under George Bush. The reasoning behind this act, as well as those to follow (HIRE, FATCA, et al.), was to put a stop to terrorist money laundering. Well, the Patriot Act led to the IRS attack on the Swiss bank UBS, $5 billion dollars and counting in new tax and penalty revenues, and the prosecution and imprisonment of hundreds of U.S. citizens…without a terrorist to be found
Now, as the government increases pressure on banks to report anyone transacting in cash, or acting suspiciously, and turns bank tellers in to unpaid IRS Criminal Investigation Agents, a new battle is brewing between the IRS and the average American self-employed person who may be fudging on his or her taxes.

When this is over, two things will come of it: 1) the IRS will persecute a few to collect from many and 2) the number of anonymous cash transactions will be reduced significantly, with business being done by credit card, check or wire, thereby traceable and controllable.