Federal Tax Amnesty – Unreported Income | IRS Federal Tax Amnesty

Federal Tax Amnesty – Unreported Income | IRS Federal Tax Amnesty (Golding & Golding)

Federal Tax Amnesty – Unreported Income | IRS Federal Tax Amnesty

Federal Tax Amnesty

Federal Tax Amnesty is a bit of misnomer. The Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Programs are not technically Amnesty Programs, as much as they are voluntary disclosure programs.

With voluntary disclosure, the applicant pays a smaller penalty — in hopes of avoiding a much larger penalty, as well as possible other penalties (and in some instances, Criminal Investigations).

The IRS has the right to penalize you extensively for the non-filing of many different key International Tax forms such as: FBAR, Form 8938, Form 3520, Form 3520-A, Form 5471, Form 5472, Form 8621 and Form 8865 — as well as domestic tax fraud, evasion and more.

When Do I Need to Use Federal Tax Amnesty?

Voluntary Disclosure is for individuals, estates, and businesses who are out of compliance with the IRS and the Department of Treasury. What does that mean? It means that if you are required to file a U.S. tax return and you don’t do so timely, then you are out of compliance.

If the IRS discovers that you are out of compliance, you may become subject to extensive fines and penalties – ranging from a warning letter all the way up to tax liens, tax levies, seizures, and criminal investigations. To combat this, you can take the proactive approach and submit to Voluntary Disclosure.

We Specialize in Safely Disclosing Unreported Income & Assets

There are 5 main versions of the program. Here are the 5 Main Options:

(New) Updated Traditional IRS Voluntary Disclosure Program

When OVDP (Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Program) ended back in September 2018, the Internal Revenue Service was unclear as to whether a New “Offshore” Voluntary Disclosure Program would be introduced. Instead of a “new program,” the traditional voluntary disclosure program was expanded.

You can use the disclosure program to submit FBARs for your Foreign Bank Accounts, FATCA, PFIC, along with your Domestic Income

Resource: Summary of the Traditional IRS Voluntary Disclosure Program

Resource: Golding & Golding’s 8-Step Guide to See if you Qualify

SFCP – IRS Streamlined Filing Compliance Procedures

IRS Streamlined Filing Compliance Procedures are a stand-alone “streamlined” version of the traditional OVDP. The “stand-alone” streamlined filing procedures were created in 2014 by the Internal Revenue Service.

The purpose of the procedures are to assist taxpayers who were noncompliant with offshore reporting requirements – but were also non-willful.

If the Taxpayer can certify under penalty of perjury of being non-willful, the IRS reduces the penalty structure, and even waives the penalty for applicants who qualify as foreign residents.

Resource: Golding & Golding’s IRS Summary of IRS Streamlined Filing Compliance Procedures

SDOP – IRS Streamlined Domestic Offshore Procedures

SDOP is the Streamlined Domestic Offshore Procedures, and it is the program designed for for U.S. persons residing in the United States (or do not meet the technical “Foreign Resident Test”) 

Resource: Golding & Golding’s IRS Summary of IRS Streamlined Domestic Offshore Procedures

SFOP – IRS Streamlined Foreign Offshore Procedures

SFOP is the Streamlined Foreign Offshore Procedures. These are the Procedures for U.S. persons residing outside the United States is referred to as the Streamlined Foreign Offshore Procedures.

Resource: Golding & Golding’s IRS Summary of IRS Streamlined Foreign Offshore Procedures

DIRP – Delinquency Procedures for Offshore & Foreign Accounts and Assets

If you do not have any unreported income resulting in having to amend your tax returns — and all you have is unreported foreign assets, accounts or investments with no unreported income, you may be in luck. In these instances, in which you do not otherwise need to file for traditional offshore disclosure or the Streamlined Filing Compliance Procedures — you may qualify for the Delinquency Procedures and avoid any penalties.

Resource: Golding & Golding’s IRS Summary of Delinquent International Informational Return Submission Procedures

RC – Reasonable Cause for Offshore & Foreign Accounts and Assets

Reasonable Cause may be an option for some taxpayers. Specifically, if you were completely non-willful in your failure to disclosure, and were unaware that there was any reporting requirement, then the thought of paying any penalty may sound absurd.

Resource: Golding & Golding’s Summary of IRS Reasonable Cause for Offshore & Foreign Accounts & Assets

Fixing Lesser Experienced Law Firm mistakes.

IRS Voluntary Disclosure is complex enough for experienced practitioners who focus exclusively in the area of law, never mind relative newcomers who are trying to handle more than just offshore voluntary disclosure as part of their everyday tax practice.

We know, because those cases usually end up on our door-step. 

Resource: Examples of recent cases we had to takeover from less experienced Attorneys can be found by Clicking Here (Case 1) and Clicking Here (Case 2).

Golding & Golding – Board-Certified in Tax Law

Golding & Golding represents clients worldwide in over 70-countries exclusively in Streamlined, Offshore and IRS Voluntary Disclosure matters. We have successfully completed more than 1,000 streamlined and voluntary disclosure submissions.

• Learn more about the Board-Certified Tax Law Specialist credential
• Learn more about Golding & Golding’s Case Accomplishments
• Learn more about Golding & Golding Testimonials from prior clients

We are the “go-to” firm for other Attorneys, CPAs, Enrolled Agents, Accountants and Financial Professionals worldwide.