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FinCEN further extends FBAR filing deadline for certain individuals
On December 9, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) issued Notice 2022-1 to further extend the time for certain Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FBAR) filings in light of the agency’s March 2016 notice of proposed rulemaking, which proposed to revise the Bank Secrecy Act’s implementing regulations regarding FBARs. (See previous InfoBytes coverage on the 2016 NPR here.) Specifically, one of the proposed amendments seeks to “expand and clarify the exemptions for certain U.S. persons with signature or other authority over foreign financial accounts,” but with no financial interest, as outlined in FinCEN Notice 2021-1 issued December 9, 2021. FinCEN noted that because the proposal has not been finalized, it is further extending the filing due date to April 15, 2024, for individuals who previously qualified for a filing due date extension under Notice 2021-1. All other individuals must submit FBAR filings by April 15, 2023.
FinCEN extends FBAR filing deadline for natural disaster victims
On October 6, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) issued a notice extending the deadline to February 23, 2023 for victims of certain recent natural disasters to file their reports of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FBAR) for the 2021 calendar year (ordinarily due on or before October 15, 2022). The expanded relief is offered to victims impacted by Hurricane Fiona in Puerto Rico, Hurricane Ian in Florida, North Carolina, and South Carolina, and storms and floods in parts of Alaska. If FEMA later designates additional areas as eligible for individual assistance, FBAR filers in those locations will automatically receive the same filing relief. FinCEN also stated that it will work with FBAR filers who live outside the designated disaster areas but may have trouble meeting their filing obligations because their records are located in the affected areas.
FinCEN extends FBAR filing deadline for certain individuals
On December 9, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) issued Notice 2021-1 to further extend the time for certain Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FBAR) filings in light of the agency’s March 2016 notice of proposed rulemaking, which proposed to revise the Bank Secrecy Act’s implementing regulations regarding FBARs. (See previous InfoBytes coverage on the 2016 NPR here.) Specifically, one of the proposed amendments seeks to “expand and clarify the exemptions for certain U.S. persons with signature or other authority over foreign financial accounts,” but with no financial interest, as outlined in FinCEN Notice 2020-1 issued December 9, 2020. FinCEN noted that because the proposal has not been finalized, it is extending the filing due date to April 15, 2023, for individuals who previously qualified for a filing due date extension under Notice 2020-1. All other individuals must submit FBAR filings by April 15, 2022.
FinCEN extends FBAR filing deadline for natural disaster victims
On October 5, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) issued a notice extending the deadline to December 31, 2021 for victims of certain recent natural disasters to file their reports of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FBAR) for the 2020 calendar year. The expanded relief is offered to victims impacted by Hurricane Ida, the California wildfires, Tennessee severe storm and flooding, Michigan severe storms, flooding, and tornadoes, and Tropical Storm Fred. If FEMA later designates additional areas as eligible for individual assistance, FBAR filers in those locations will automatically receive the same filing relief. FinCEN also stated that it would work with FBAR filers who live outside the designated disaster areas but may have trouble meeting their filing obligations because their records are located in the affected areas.
2nd Circuit: Willful FBAR violations capped at 50 percent of aggregate balance
On July 13, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit held 2-1 that, under 31 U.S.C. § 5321 as amended, the maximum penalty for failing to file a Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts Report (FBAR) is 50 percent of the aggregate balance in the accounts at the time of the failure. According to the opinion, after a now deceased individual willfully failed to file an FBAR in 2008 for two foreign bank accounts, the IRS assessed a “willful penalty” that amounted to 50 percent of the aggregate account balances (approximately $4.2 million). The individual passed away without paying the penalty, and the U.S. government filed a lawsuit against his estate’s co-executors (defendants). A 1987 regulation limited the penalties for willful violations to $100,000 per account, but a 2004 amendment to the statute increased the maximum penalty for willful violations, to the greater of $100,000 or 50 percent of the aggregate account balance at the time of the violation. The defendants argued that the 1987 $100,000 penalty cap should apply, but the district court granted summary judgment for the government, though it noted that, despite the 2004 amendment, Treasury did not amend the 1987 regulation’s “now-inconsistent FBAR penalty provision,” which remains codified in the Code of Federal Regulations.
On appeal, the majority agreed with the district court, holding that the 2004 statute amended the penalty provisions: “Given that, [] Congress in 2004 raised the maximum penalty for such violations after being informed by the Secretary [of the Treasury] that perhaps as many as 800,000 persons required to file FBARs were noncompliant, a regulation purporting to nullify the statutory increase plainly does not ‘carry out’ Congress’s goal of encouraging compliance with the FBAR requirement.” The 2nd Circuit also rejected the defendants’ argument that the rule of lenity requires that any ambiguity be resolved in their favor, pointing out that “[t]here is no ambiguity or uncertainty as to what Congress intended in the 2004 Statute when it” increased the penalties. The dissenting judge stated that the majority’s decision “departs from basic administrative law and unjustifiably accommodates ‘the Treasury’s relaxed approach to amending its regulations.’”
FinCEN extends FBAR filing deadline for natural disaster victims
On October 6, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) issued a notice extending the deadline to December 31, 2020, for victims of certain recent natural disasters to file their reports of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FBAR) for the 2019 calendar year. The expanded relief is offered to victims impacted by the California wildfires, Iowa Derecho, Hurricane Laura, Oregon wildfires, and Hurricane Sally. If FEMA later designates additional areas as eligible for individual assistance, FBAR filers in those locations will automatically receive the same filing relief. FinCEN will also work with FBAR filers who live outside the designated disaster areas but may have trouble meeting their filing obligations because their records are located in the affected areas.
FinCEN extends FBAR filing deadline for certain individuals
On December 4, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) issued Notice 2018-1 announcing a further extension of time for certain Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FBAR) filings in light of FinCEN’s notice of proposed rulemaking (NPR) published March 10, 2016. (See previous InfoBytes coverage on the 2016 NPR here.) Specifically, one of the proposed amendments seeks to “expand and clarify the exemptions for certain U.S. persons with signature or other authority over foreign financial accounts,” but with no financial interest, as outlined in FinCEN Notice 2017-1 issued December 22, 2017. FinCEN noted that because the proposal has not been finalized, it is extending the filing due date to April 15, 2020 for individuals who previously qualified for a filing due date extension under Notice 2017-1. All other individuals must submit FBAR filings by April 15, 2019.