International reporting & foreign filings
Built on trust
Full service tax, accounting, and advisory services tailored to individuals and businesses. We combine technical expertise with personalized attention to deliver exceptional results.
Foreign accounts, and the forms that follow.
The reporting obligations attached to foreign accounts, gifts, and entities are separate from the tax itself. You can owe nothing and still face substantial penalties purely for not filing a form.
This work is about identifying which obligations apply to your situation and keeping them filed. Where filings were missed, dealing with that properly rather than quietly.
FBAR, 8938, 3520, and the rest
- FBAR (FinCEN Form 114) preparation and filing
- Form 8938 reporting of specified foreign financial assets
- Forms 3520 and 3520-A for foreign trusts, gifts, and inheritances
- Reporting for foreign corporations and partnerships
- Foreign tax credit work, and treaty positions where they apply
- Catching up on missed filings, including streamlined procedures where you qualify
Who it's for
- US citizens and residents with accounts or assets outside the United States
- People who have received a large gift or inheritance from abroad
- Owners of foreign companies, or beneficiaries of foreign trusts
- Anyone who has just discovered a filing they did not know existed
How it works
We map what you hold
Accounts, entities, trusts, and gifts | including the ones people forget count.
We identify what is required
Different forms, different thresholds, different agencies.
We file, and fix any gaps
Current year filed, and a proper route back for anything missed.
Common questions
What triggers an FBAR?
If the combined maximum value of your foreign financial accounts exceeds $10,000 at any point in the calendar year, you must file. It is the aggregate across all accounts, not per account, and it is the highest value during the year, not the year-end balance. The money being there for a single day still counts.
Is Form 8938 the same thing as an FBAR?
No, and filing one does not satisfy the other. The FBAR goes to FinCEN; Form 8938 goes to the IRS with your return, and its thresholds are higher. For taxpayers living in the United States, Form 8938 starts at more than $50,000 of specified foreign financial assets on the last day of the year or more than $75,000 at any time, and more than $100,000 or $150,000 respectively if married filing jointly. Many people have to file both.
I was given money by family overseas. Do I report it?
Possibly. Gifts and bequests from non-resident individuals or foreign estates are reportable on Form 3520 once they exceed $100,000 in a year. The gift itself is generally not taxable income to you, but the reporting is mandatory, and the penalties for missing it are based on the amount received.
I have missed filings from previous years. What now?
Deal with it deliberately. There are established routes for catching up, including streamlined filing compliance procedures for taxpayers whose failure to file was not wilful. Quietly filing the current year and hoping is generally the worst option. Bring it to us and we will tell you honestly which route applies.
Often needed alongside
Tax planning & compliance
Year-round planning and accurate filings for individuals, businesses, and multi-entity structures.
Read more about tax planning & complianceIRS & FTB correspondence
Review and response support for notices, account discrepancies, information requests, penalties, and other federal or California tax correspondence.
Read more about irs & ftb correspondenceTalk to a partner
Tell us what you are weighing up and we will come back within one business day.