Purpose of the streamlined procedures
The streamlined filing compliance procedures describe below are available to taxpayers certifying that their failure to report foreign financial assets and pay all tax due in respect of those assets did not result from willful conduct on their part. The streamlined procedures are designed to provide to taxpayers in such situations with- a streamlined procedure for fling amended or delinquent returns, and
- terms for resolving their tax and penalty procedure for filing amended or delinquent returns, and
- terms for resolving their tax and penalty obligations.
As reflected below, the streamlined filing procedures that were first offered on September 1, 2012 have been expanded and modified to accommodate a broader group of U.S. taxpayers. Major changes to the streamlined procedures include:
- extension of eligibility to U.S. taxpayers residing in the United States
- Elimination of the $1,500 tax threshold, and
- elimination of the risk assessment process associated with the streamlined filing compliance procedure announced in 2012.
Eligibility criteria for the streamlined procedures
The modified streamlined filing compliance procedures are designed only for individual taxpayers, including estates of individual taxpayers. The streamlined procedures are available to both U.S. individual taxpayers residing outside the United States and U.S. individual taxpayers residing in the United States. Descriptions of the specific eligibility requirements for the streamlined procedures for both non-U.S. residents (the "Streamlined Foreign Offshore Procedures") and U.S. residents ("Streamlined Domestic Offshore Procedures") are set forth below.
Taxpayers must certify that conduct was not willful. Taxpayers using either the Streamlined Foreign Offshore Procedures or the Streamlined Domestic Offshore Procedures, will be required to certify, in accordance with the specific instructions set forth below, that the failure to report all income, pay all tax and submit all required information returns, including FBARs (FinCEN Form 114, previously Form TD F 90-22,1) was due to non-willful conduct. Non-willful conduct is conduct that is due to negligence, inadvertence, or mistake or conduct that is the result of a good faith misunderstanding of the requirements of the law. READ MORE DETAILS OF THE STREAMLINED PROGRAM HERE
Our firm of CPAs and Attorney have represented and assisted hundreds of individuals enter the Streamlined Program. If you wish to learn more and want help entering the program EMAIL US to set up a consultation.
