Reporting of Specified Foreign Financial Assets, 73817-73832 [2014-29125]
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Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 239 / Friday, December 12, 2014 / Rules and Regulations
the Revision 4 date of this service bulletin,’’
this AD requires compliance within the
specified compliance time ‘‘after the effective
date of this AD.’’
(2) Where Boeing Alert Service Bulletin
737–53A1116, Revision 4, dated September
30, 2013, specifies to contact Boeing for
repair instructions: Before further flight,
repair the cracking using a method approved
in accordance with the procedures specified
in paragraph (m) of this AD.
(3) Note 14 of paragraph 3.A., ‘‘General
Information’’ in the Accomplishment
Instructions of Boeing Alert Service Bulletin
737–53A1116, Revision 4, dated September
30, 2013, states that inspections as given in
that service bulletin are not required for the
upper forward corner if there is a Boeingprovided repair which has been approved as
an alternative method of compliance (AMOC)
to AD 2008–11–04, Amendment 39–15526
(73 FR 29421, May 21, 2008). This AD also
does not require inspections for the upper
forward corner given in Boeing Alert Service
Bulletin 737–53A1116, Revision 4, dated
September 30, 2013, if there is a Boeingprovided repair approved as an AMOC to the
corresponding requirements of AD 2014–05–
21, Amendment 39–17794 (79 FR 14992,
March 18, 2014), for the repaired area only,
provided the approval was made before the
effective date of this AD and the repair
doubler covers the doorway upper forward
corner and the upper hinge cutout.
rljohnson on DSK3VPTVN1PROD with RULES
(k) Credit for Previous Actions
This paragraph provides credit for the
inspections of the upper corners of the
forward galley service doors specified in
paragraph (g) of this AD, if those actions were
performed before the effective date of this AD
using any of the service information
identified in paragraphs (k)(1) through (k)(4)
of this AD (which are not incorporated by
reference in this AD), provided that any
preventative modification installed using this
service information is inspected in
accordance with paragraph (g) of this AD.
(1) Boeing Service Bulletin 737–53–1116,
dated July 21, 1988.
(2) Boeing Service Bulletin 737–53–1116,
Revision 1, dated September 7, 1989.
(3) Boeing Service Bulletin 737–53–1116,
Revision 2, dated September 30, 1993.
(4) Boeing Service Bulletin 737–53–1116,
Revision 3, dated July 27, 1995.
(l) Post-Repair Inspections
The post-repair inspections specified in
Table 11 of paragraph 1.E., ‘‘Compliance,’’ of
Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 737–53A1116,
Revision 4, dated September 30, 2013, are not
required by this AD.
Note 1 to paragraph (l) of this AD: The
post-repair inspections specified in Table 11
of paragraph 1.E., ‘‘Compliance,’’ of Boeing
Alert Service Bulletin 737–53A1116,
Revision 4, dated September 30, 2013, may
be used in support of compliance with
section 121.1109(c)(2) or 129.109(b)(2) of the
Federal Aviation Regulations (14 CFR
121.1109(c)(2) or 14 CFR 129.109(b)(2)).
(m) Alternative Methods of Compliance
(AMOCs)
(1) The Manager, Los Angeles Aircraft
Certification Office (ACO), FAA, has the
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authority to approve AMOCs for this AD, if
requested using the procedures found in 14
CFR 39.19. In accordance with 14 CFR 39.19,
send your request to your principal inspector
or local Flight Standards District Office, as
appropriate. If sending information directly
to the manager of the ACO, send it to the
attention of the person identified in
paragraph (n) of this AD. Information may be
emailed to: 9-ANM-LAACO-AMOCRequests@faa.gov.
(2) Before using any approved AMOC,
notify your appropriate principal inspector,
or lacking a principal inspector, the manager
of the local flight standards district office/
certificate holding district office.
(3) An AMOC that provides an acceptable
level of safety may be used for any repair
required by this AD if it is approved by the
Boeing Commercial Airplanes Organization
Designation Authorization (ODA) that has
been authorized by the Manager, Los Angeles
ACO, to make those findings. For a repair
method to be approved, the repair must meet
the certification basis of the airplane, and the
approval must specifically refer to this AD.
(n) Related Information
For more information about this AD,
contact Nenita Odesa, Aerospace Engineer,
Airframe Branch, ANM–120L, FAA, Los
Angeles Aircraft Certification Office, 3960
Paramount Boulevard, Lakewood, CA 90712–
4137; phone: 562–627–5234; fax: 562–627–
5210; email: nenita.odesa@faa.gov.
(o) Material Incorporated by Reference
(1) The Director of the Federal Register
approved the incorporation by reference
(IBR) of the service information listed in this
paragraph under 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR
part 51.
(2) You must use this service information
as applicable to do the actions required by
this AD, unless the AD specifies otherwise.
(i) Boeing Service Bulletin 737–53–1116,
dated July 21, 1988.
(ii) Boeing Service Bulletin 737–53–1116,
Revision 1, dated September 7, 1989. Pages
20, 21, and 22 are dated July 21, 1988.
(iii) Boeing Service Bulletin 737–53–1116,
Revision 2, dated September 30, 1993.
(iv) Boeing Service Bulletin 737–53–1116,
Revision 3, dated July 27, 1995.
(v) Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 737–
53A1116, Revision 4, dated September 30,
2013.
(3) For service information identified in
this AD, contact Boeing Commercial
Airplanes, Attention: Data & Services
Management, P. O. Box 3707, MC 2H–65,
Seattle, WA 98124–2207; telephone 206–
544–5000, extension 1; fax 206–766–5680;
Internet https://www.myboeingfleet.com.
(4) You may view this service information
at FAA, Transport Airplane Directorate, 1601
Lind Avenue SW., Renton, WA. For
information on the availability of this
material at the FAA, call 425–227–1221.
(5) You may view this service information
that is incorporated by reference at the
National Archives and Records
Administration (NARA). For information on
the availability of this material at NARA, call
202–741–6030, or go to: https://
www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibrlocations.html.
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Issued in Renton, Washington, on
November 28, 2014.
John P. Piccola, Jr.,
Acting Manager, Transport Airplane
Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2014–28926 Filed 12–11–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–13–P
DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Internal Revenue Service
26 CFR Part 1
[TD 9706]
RIN 1545–BJ69
Reporting of Specified Foreign
Financial Assets
Internal Revenue Service (IRS),
Treasury.
ACTION: Final regulations and removal of
temporary regulations.
AGENCY:
This document contains final
regulations providing guidance relating
to the provisions of the Hiring
Incentives to Restore Employment
(HIRE) Act that require specified foreign
financial assets to be reported to the
Internal Revenue Service for taxable
years beginning after March 18, 2010. In
particular, the final regulations provide
guidance relating to the requirement
that individuals attach a statement to
their income tax return to provide
required information regarding specified
foreign financial assets in which they
have an interest. The final regulations
affect individuals required to file Form
1040, ‘‘U.S. Individual Income Tax
Return,’’ or Form 1040–EZ, ‘‘Income
Tax Return for Single and Joint Filers
With No Dependents,’’ and certain
individuals required to file Form 1040–
NR, ‘‘Nonresident Alien Income Tax
Return,’’ or Form 1040NR–EZ, ‘‘U.S.
Income Tax Return for Certain
Nonresident Aliens with No
Dependents.’’
SUMMARY:
Effective Date: These regulations
are effective on December 12, 2014.
Applicability Date: For dates of
applicability, see §§ 1.6038D–1(b),
1.6038D–2(g), 1.6038D–3(e), 1.6038D–
4(b), 1.6038D–5(g), 1.6038D–7(d), and
1.6038D–8(g).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Joseph S. Henderson or Michael
Kaercher, (202) 317–6942 (not a toll-free
number).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
DATES:
Paperwork Reduction Act
An agency may not conduct or
sponsor, and a person is not required to
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respond to, a collection of information
unless the collection of information
displays a valid control number. The
collection of information contained in
these regulations has been submitted to
the Office of Management and Budget
for review in accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44
U.S.C. 3507(d)). The collection of
information is satisfied by filing Form
8938, ‘‘Statement of Specified Foreign
Financial Assets,’’ OMB No. 1545–2195,
with the respondent’s income tax
return.
Books and records relating to a
collection of information must be
retained as long as their contents may
become material in the administration
of any internal revenue law. Generally,
tax returns and tax return information
are confidential, as required by 26
U.S.C. 6103.
rljohnson on DSK3VPTVN1PROD with RULES
Background
On December 19, 2011, the
Department of the Treasury (Treasury
Department) and the Internal Revenue
Service (IRS) published temporary
regulations (TD 9567) (the ‘‘2011
temporary regulations’’) and a notice of
proposed rulemaking by cross-reference
to the 2011 temporary regulations in the
Federal Register addressing the
reporting requirements under section
6038D (76 FR 78553, TD 9567, 2012–1
IRB 395); (76 FR 75894; REG–130302–
10, 2012–1 IRB 412). The notice of
proposed rulemaking also included
Prop. Reg. § 1.6038D–6, setting out the
conditions under which a domestic
entity will be considered a specified
domestic entity and, therefore, required
to report specified foreign financial
assets in which it holds an interest.
Corrections to the 2011 temporary
regulations were published on February
21, 2012, in the Federal Register (77 FR
9845). Corrections to Prop. Reg.
§ 1.6038D–6 were published in the
Federal Register on February 21, 2012
(77 FR 9877) and February 22, 2012 (77
FR 10422).
The Treasury Department and the IRS
received written comments on the 2011
temporary regulations and Prop. Reg.
§ 1.6038D–6. All comments are available
at www.regulations.gov or upon request.
Because no requests to speak were
received, no public hearing was held.
After consideration of the comments
received, the Treasury Department and
the IRS adopt the 2011 temporary
regulations as final regulations with the
modifications described herein. The
Treasury Department and the IRS are
not adopting Prop. Reg. § 1.6038D–6 as
a final regulation at this time. Prop. Reg.
§ 1.6038D–6 (REG–144339–14) will be
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adopted as a final regulation at a later
date.
Summary of Comments and
Explanation of Revisions
I. Requirement To Report Specified
Foreign Financial Assets (§ 1.6038D–2)
A. Individuals Required To Report
(§ 1.6038D–2(a))
A number of comments were received
requesting that additional categories of
individuals be relieved of the
requirement to report specified foreign
financial assets under section 6038D.
1. Dual Resident Taxpayers
A comment recommended an
exemption from the section 6038D
reporting requirements be included for
an individual who is a dual resident
taxpayer and who, pursuant to a
provision of a treaty that provides for
resolution of conflicting claims of
residence by the United States and the
treaty partner, claims to be treated as a
resident of the treaty partner. In such a
case, a dual resident taxpayer may claim
a treaty benefit as a resident of the treaty
partner and will be taxed as a
nonresident for U.S. tax purposes for the
taxable year (or portion of the taxable
year) that the individual is treated as a
nonresident. The final rule adopts this
recommendation for a dual resident
taxpayer who determines his or her U.S.
tax liability as if he or she were a
nonresident alien and claims a treaty
benefit as a nonresident of the United
States as provided in § 301.7701(b)–7 by
timely filing a Form 1040NR,
‘‘Nonresident Alien Income Tax
Return,’’ (or such other appropriate form
under that section) and attaching a Form
8833, ‘‘Treaty-Based Return Position
Disclosure Under Section 6114 or
7701(b).’’ The Treasury Department and
the IRS have concluded that reporting
under section 6038D is closely
associated with the determination of an
individual’s income tax liability.
Because the taxpayer’s filing of a Form
8833 with his or her Form 1040NR (or
other appropriate form) will permit the
IRS to identify individuals in this
category and take follow-up tax
enforcement actions when considered
appropriate, reporting on Form 8938,
‘‘Statement of Specified Foreign
Financial Assets,’’ is not essential to
effective IRS tax enforcement efforts
relating to this category of U.S.
residents.
2. Individuals Resident in the United
States Under Non-Immigrant Visas
A number of comments requested an
exemption from the section 6038D
reporting requirements for foreign
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executives and employees resident in
the United States under non-immigrant
H, L, or E visas. The final rule does not
adopt this recommendation. Section
6038D is intended to provide the IRS
with information concerning the
specified foreign financial assets of U.S.
taxpayers to aid the IRS in enforcing tax
laws fairly and uniformly. Because all
U.S. residents are taxable on worldwide
income, excluding categories of
residents from the scope of section
6038D reporting is not consistent with
the purposes for which the provision
was enacted. Individuals in the United
States under non-immigrant visas often
stay in the United States for years,
making it difficult to justify treating
them more favorably than other U.S.
residents. For stays in the United States
of a shorter duration, the Treasury
Department and the IRS have
determined that the distinctions drawn
in the definition of a U.S. resident in
§ 1.6038D–1(a)(3) (which crossreferences section 7701(b)) best carry
out the purposes of section 6038D.
3. Persons That Do Not Owe U.S. Tax
for the Taxable Year
Another comment requested revising
§ 1.6038D–2(a)(7) to exempt from the
section 6038D reporting requirements
specified persons that do not owe U.S.
taxes for the taxable year. The final rule
does not adopt this comment. As
provided in the 2011 temporary
regulations, the final rule states that a
specified person that does not have to
file a tax return for the year does not
have to file a Form 8938. See § 1.6038D–
2(a)(7)(i). If the law requires the filing of
a tax return, however, information
reported on a Form 8938 concerning the
taxpayer’s specified foreign financial
assets is an important component of that
return, even if no tax liability is shown.
Requiring this filing will aid the IRS in
devising effective enforcement programs
with respect to such returns.
B. Applicable Reporting Thresholds
(§ 1.6038D–2(a))
Several comments requested increases
to the reporting thresholds provided in
§ 1.6038D–2(a) for certain types of assets
or for certain classes of individuals.
Other comments recommended that the
increased thresholds in the 2011
temporary regulations applicable to
certain specified individuals living
abroad be extended to additional
categories of taxpayers.
1. Assets Received in Connection With
the Performance of Personal Services
Some comments requested increased
reporting thresholds, or a complete
exemption from reporting, for specified
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foreign financial assets received in
connection with an individual’s
performance of personal services as an
employee of a foreign employer. The
concerns raised in these comment
letters primarily relate to the difficulty
of valuing these types of assets.
However, the 2011 temporary
regulations already broadly address
valuation concerns relating to these
assets by providing a simplified
valuation rule for interests in foreign
pension plans or foreign deferred
compensation plans if the beneficiary
does not know, or have reason to know
based on readily accessible information,
the value of the interest. In such cases,
the value of the individual’s interest in
the plan is limited to the value of the
distributions received from the plan
during the year for purposes of both
calculating the applicable reporting
thresholds and reporting the maximum
value of the interest. See § 1.6038D–
5(f)(3).
These comments are further
addressed by clarifying in the final rule
that nonvested interests in property
received in connection with the
performance of personal services are not
required to be reported. See section I.C.1
in this preamble, which describes this
clarification incorporated in the final
rule.
Because the Treasury Department and
the IRS have determined that the
concerns underlying these comments
are best addressed by these rules and
that the method of acquisition of a
specified foreign financial asset should
not determine an individual’s section
6038D reporting obligations, the final
rule does not adopt this request.
rljohnson on DSK3VPTVN1PROD with RULES
2. Employees Seconded to the United
States
Comments requested that higher
reporting thresholds (or a reporting
exemption) should apply in the case of
certain employees seconded to the
United States by foreign employers. For
the reasons set forth in section I.A.2
(relating to individuals resident in the
United States under non-immigrant
visas) and in section I.B.3 (addressing
U.S. residents who do not qualify for
section 911 benefits), the final rule does
not adopt this recommendation.
3. Non-Citizen U.S. Residents Who Do
Not Qualify for Section 911 Benefits
A comment was received requesting
that higher reporting thresholds apply
in the case of a non-citizen resident of
the United States who would qualify for
benefits under section 911(d)(1)(A) if he
or she were a U.S. citizen. This request
has not been adopted in the final rule
for administrability reasons. The 2011
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temporary regulations tie the increased
reporting thresholds in § 1.6038D–2(a)
to an individual’s status as a qualified
individual under section 911(d)(1) in
order to allow the IRS to use the
taxpayer’s filing of the return required
to claim section 911 benefits (Form
2555, ‘‘Foreign Earned Income’’, or
Form 2555–EZ, ‘‘Foreign Earned Income
Exclusion’’) as a marker to indicate that
higher reporting thresholds may apply
to the taxpayer. The ability to easily
identify taxpayers who may be eligible
for the increased thresholds is essential
to permit the IRS to target appropriate
enforcement programs to taxpayers
subject to different reporting thresholds
in a cost effective manner.
C. Interest in a Specified Foreign
Financial Asset (§ 1.6038D–2(b))
A number of comments requested that
the final regulations clarify the reporting
requirements with respect to certain
interests in assets under § 1.6038D–2(b).
These clarifications have been
incorporated in the final rule.
1. Nonvested Property Under Section 83
A comment requested clarification
regarding whether an individual is
considered to have an interest in
property transferred in connection with
the performance of personal services
during any period that the individual’s
interest in the property is not vested.
The final rule in § 1.6038D–2(b)(2)
clarifies that a specified person that is
transferred property in connection with
the performance of personal services is
first considered to have an interest in
the property for purposes of section
6038D on the first date that the property
is substantially vested (within the
meaning of § 1.83–3(b)) or, in the case
of property with respect to which a
specified person makes a valid election
under section 83(b), on the date of
transfer of the property.
2. Assets Held by a Disregarded Entity
A number of comments requested
clarification of the section 6038D
reporting requirements with respect to
specified foreign financial assets held by
an entity disregarded as an entity
separate from its owner under
§ 301.7701–2 of this chapter (a
disregarded entity). In response to these
requests, and consistent with
instructions to Form 8938, the final rule
provides in § 1.6038D–2(b)(4)(iii) that a
specified person that owns a foreign or
domestic entity that is a disregarded
entity is treated as having an interest in
any specified foreign financial assets
held by the disregarded entity. As a
result, a specified person that owns a
disregarded entity (whether domestic or
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73819
foreign) that, in turn, owns specified
foreign financial assets must include the
value of those assets in determining
whether the specified person meets the
reporting thresholds in § 1.6038D–2(a)
and, if so, must report such assets on
Form 8938.
D. Jointly Owned Assets (§ 1.6038D–2(c))
A number of comments requested
clarification of aspects of the rules in
§ 1.6038D–2(c) and (d) relating to joint
owners of a specified foreign financial
asset. These comments have been
adopted. Specifically, the final rule
clarifies that each of the joint owners of
a specified foreign financial asset who
are not married to each other must
include the full value of the asset (rather
than only the value of the specified
person’s interest in the asset) in
determining whether the aggregate value
of such specified individual’s specified
foreign financial assets exceeds the
applicable reporting thresholds, and
each joint owner must report the full
value of the asset on his or her Form
8938. See § 1.6038D–2(c)(1)(i) and
(c)(1)(ii). In addition, the final rule
clarifies that, in the case of joint owners
who are married to each other and file
separate returns, each joint owner of a
specified foreign financial asset must
report the full value of the asset (rather
than only the value of the specified
person’s interest in the asset) on the
individual’s Form 8938, even if both
spouses are specified individuals and
only one-half of the value of the asset
is considered in determining the
applicable reporting thresholds under
§ 1.6038D–2(c)(3)(i). See § 1.6038D–
2(d)(2).
II. Specified Foreign Financial Assets
(§ 1.6038D–3)
A. Financial Account (§ 1.6038D–3(a))
1. Retirement and Pension Accounts
and Certain Non-Retirement Savings
Accounts
The definition of a financial account
in the 2011 temporary regulations is
based on the definition of a financial
account for chapter 4 purposes, subject
to an exception for certain retirement
and pension accounts and nonretirement savings accounts that are
financial accounts for section 6038D
purposes but that are not treated as
financial accounts for purposes of
chapter 4. See §§ 1.6038D–1(a)(7),
1.1471–1(b)(49), and 1.1471–5(b). These
final regulations modify the definition
of a financial account for purposes of
section 6038D in order to require
consistent reporting under section
6038D with respect to retirement and
pension accounts and certain non-
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retirement savings accounts regardless
of whether the account is maintained in
a jurisdiction treated as having in effect
a Model 1 IGA or Model 2 IGA. For
financial accounts that are maintained
by a foreign financial institution that is
not located in a jurisdiction treated as
having in effect a Model 1 IGA or Model
2 IGA, the definition of a financial
account in the final rule continues to
include the retirement and pension
accounts and non-retirement savings
accounts described in § 1.1471–
5(b)(2)(i), consistent with the section
6038D coordination rule in that section.
See § 1.1471–5(b)(2)(i)(D). For taxable
years beginning after December 12,
2014, these final regulations also
provide that retirement and pension
accounts, non-retirement savings
accounts, and accounts satisfying
conditions similar to those described in
§ 1.1471–5(b)(2)(i) and that are excluded
from the definition of a financial
account under an applicable Model 1
IGA or Model 2 IGA (as provided in
§ 1.1471–5(b)(2)(vi)) are included in the
definition of a financial account for
purposes of section 6038D. The
Treasury Department and the IRS intend
to amend the chapter 4 regulations to
add a section 6038D coordination rule
to § 1.1471–5(b)(2)(vi) providing that
such accounts are included in the
definition of a financial account for
purposes of section 6038D.
rljohnson on DSK3VPTVN1PROD with RULES
2. Short-Term Accounts
One comment recommended the
addition of an exception to the
definition of a financial account for an
account in which funds are held for less
than 15 days, provided the income
generated from the account does not
exceed $1,000. The final rule does not
incorporate this comment. The 2011
temporary regulations already provide
relief for many short-term accounts
through a broad exception to the
definition of financial account for
escrow accounts. See §§ 1.6038D–1(a)(7)
and 1.1471–5(b)(2)(iv). This exception is
administrable because these accounts
are of a type that is distinguishable from
other accounts. A broader exception for
short-term accounts could significantly
complicate IRS efforts to devise effective
enforcement programs based on
comprehensive account reporting under
section 6038D.
3. Assets Held in an Account
Maintained by a Foreign Financial
Institution
Another comment requested
clarification that specified foreign
financial assets held in a financial
account are excluded from the
definition of specified foreign financial
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assets. The 2011 temporary regulations
already provide that the foreign
financial account itself, and not the
assets held in such an account, must be
reported for section 6038D purposes.
See § 1.6038D–3(a)(1). Accordingly, no
change has been adopted in response to
this comment.
4. Life Insurance With a Cash Surrender
Value
A comment requested clarification of
the section 6038D reporting
requirements applicable to a life
insurance policy with a cash surrender
value. Because the definition of
financial account for section 6038D
purposes is based on the definition of a
financial account for chapter 4
purposes, which includes these
contracts, the 2011 temporary
regulations already provide clear rules
requiring a taxpayer to report these
contracts on Form 8938. Accordingly,
the final rule is not modified to further
address this issue. See §§ 1.6038D–
1(a)(7), 1.1471–5(b)(1)(iv), and 1.1471–
5(b)(3)(vii).
5. Request for Examples of Foreign
Financial Assets Not To Be Reported
A number of comments requested
examples of the types of financial assets
that are not required to be reported
under section 6038D. The Treasury
Department and the IRS have not
provided these examples in the final
rule because the 2011 temporary
regulations, as well as the relevant
portions of the regulations under
chapters 4 and 61, already include
detailed rules to support taxpayer
determinations as to whether an asset is
a specified foreign financial asset that
must be reported. For example,
§ 1.6038D–3(d) includes examples of
assets other than financial accounts that
are included within the definition of
specified foreign financial asset, and the
rules in § 1.6049–5(b)(5)(i) provide
detail concerning which financial
institutions are U.S. payors for purposes
of determining that an account is
maintained by such an institution and
therefore is not required to be reported
under section 6038D.
The Treasury Department and the IRS
will continue to consider comments and
whether additional guidance is
warranted to address particular types of
assets under section 6038D.
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B. Other Specified Foreign Financial
Assets (§ 1.6038D–3(b))
1. Assets Held for Investment and Not
Used in, or Held for Use in, the Conduct
of the Taxpayer’s Trade or Business
A number of comment letters
recommended changes to the approach
set forth in the 2011 temporary
regulations for determining whether an
asset other than a financial account is
held for investment (and therefore may
be reportable under section 6038D) or is
instead excepted from the definition of
a specified foreign financial asset
because it is used in, or held for use in,
the conduct of a trade or business under
§ 1.6038D–3(b)(3), (b)(4), and (b)(5).
Several comments requested a bright
line test for distinguishing between nonfinancial account assets subject to
reporting and those not subject to
reporting. For example, one such
comment recommended looking to
whether an asset was acquired in the
taxpayer’s trade or business rather than
whether the asset was used in, or held
for use in, the conduct of the taxpayer’s
trade or business. Another comment
suggested providing that contracts
issued in the ordinary course of the
issuer’s (rather than the taxpayer’s)
trade or business should not be
reportable by the taxpayer. The final
rule does not change the definition of a
specified foreign financial asset as
suggested in these comments. The
Treasury Department and the IRS have
determined that the reporting rule under
the 2011 temporary regulations strikes
an appropriate balance under section
6038D by focusing on whether an asset
is held for investment. Distinguishing
assets held for investment from assets
with a close nexus to the taxpayer’s
trade or business is an inherently factual
determination that is not susceptible to
a bright line test. The Treasury
Department and the IRS have concluded
that the 2011 temporary regulations
provide reasonable rules that will yield
appropriate reporting results in a wide
variety of fact patterns involving the
taxpayer’s trade or business.
Another comment requested a rule
specifying that an asset inadvertently
acquired as a result of a corporate
reorganization or an in-kind asset
distribution not be treated as held for
investment, so long as the asset is held
by the taxpayer for only a short period
of time. The Treasury Department and
the IRS have concluded that this type of
exception is not warranted because the
general test set forth in the 2011
temporary regulations is fair, should be
uniformly applied, and should not be
unduly burdensome to apply under
these fact patterns.
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2. Certain Hedging Transactions
One comment recommended
modifying § 1.6038D–3(b) to provide
that certain hedging transactions
described in section 1221(a)(7) are not
specified foreign financial assets. The
final rule does not adopt the requested
change. The Treasury Department and
the IRS have concluded that taxpayers
engaging in hedging transactions should
determine whether such transactions are
specified foreign financial assets by
applying the same general test applied
by other taxpayers, that is, by
determining whether the hedging
transaction is ‘‘used in, or held for use
in, the conduct of a trade or business
and not held for investment.’’
3. Employment Contracts
Another comment requested that the
final rule provide that employment
contracts are not specified foreign
financial assets. The comment did not,
however, suggest a definition of an
employment contract for this purpose.
Moreover, the scope of property that
could be covered by such a contract may
vary widely among taxpayers depending
on the industry and the location in
which the taxpayer works. The Treasury
Department and the IRS have
determined that the trade or business
test of § 1.6038D–3(b)(3), (b)(4), and
(b)(5) should apply broadly to a wide
range of financial assets in order to
achieve uniform reporting results for
taxpayers with aggregate specified
foreign financial assets of similar value,
and that a broad exclusion for
employment contracts should not be
provided. Accordingly, the final rule
does not adopt this recommendation.
rljohnson on DSK3VPTVN1PROD with RULES
4. Shares of Foreign Corporations
Traded on Public Stock Exchange
Some comments recommended that
the definition of a specified foreign
financial asset exclude stock of a foreign
corporation that is traded on a public
stock exchange (whether or not the
exchange is located in the United
States). The Treasury Department and
the IRS have concluded that it is not
appropriate to exclude stock or
securities issued by a person other than
a U.S. person from section 6038D
reporting. If such stock or securities are
held in a financial account, the financial
account would be reported for section
6038D purposes, and if such stock or
securities are held directly by a
specified person and not in a financial
account, based on section 6038D(b)(2), it
is appropriate to require reporting of
such stock or securities for section
6038D purposes. Thus, this comment is
not adopted.
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5. Interest in a Social Security, Social
Insurance, or Similar Program
Several comments recommended
amending § 1.6038D–3(b) to specify that
an interest in a social security, social
insurance, or similar program of a
foreign government is not considered a
specified foreign financial asset. As a
general matter, the definition of a
specified foreign financial asset already
excludes these interests because they
are not assets described in § 1.6038D–
3(b)(1). In addition, the preamble to the
2011 temporary regulations and the
instructions to Form 8938 already
illustrate the application of this rule to
these interests, stating that ‘‘an interest
in a social security, social insurance, or
other similar program of a foreign
government’’ is not a specified foreign
financial asset. A chart comparing the
Form 8938 reporting requirements to the
FBAR reporting requirements, available
at www.irs.gov/Businesses/Comparisonof-Form-8938-and-FBAR-Requirements,
also addresses these programs. Because
the Treasury Department and the IRS
already have addressed this issue, the
final rule does not adopt the
recommendation.
6. Financial Assets Issued by a Person
Organized Under the Laws of a U.S.
Possession
The final rule clarifies that specified
foreign financial assets include stock,
securities, financial instruments, and
contracts that are held for investment
and not held in an account maintained
by a financial institution and are issued
by a person organized under the laws of
a U.S. possession. See § 1.6038D–
3(b)(1). For special rules applicable to
bona fide residents of the U.S.
possessions, see § 1.6038D–7(c).
C. Interest in a Foreign Trust or Foreign
Estate (§ 1.6038D–3(c))
A number of comments expressed
concern that the reason to know
standard of knowledge to report an
interest in a foreign trust or estate could
result in compliance difficulties for
specified individuals who are aware
that they have a beneficial interest in a
trust or estate but who have not received
a distribution from the trust or estate
and do not know the value of the
interest. These comments recommended
that the final rule provide that a
beneficiary of a foreign trust or estate
should not be required to report the
interest on Form 8938 for any year in
which the beneficiary did not receive a
distribution.
The Treasury Department and the IRS
have concluded that the concerns
expressed in these comments have
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already been addressed
comprehensively in the 2011 temporary
regulations, including by the adoption
of simple valuation rules that
substantially ease the reporting burdens
of beneficiaries. In the case of a foreign
trust, for a year in which the beneficiary
does not know, or have reason to know
based on readily accessible information,
the fair market value of the beneficiary’s
interest and the beneficiary does not
receive a distribution, the value of the
beneficiary’s interest in the trust, both
for purposes of determining whether the
beneficiary meets the reporting
thresholds in § 1.6038D–2(a) and, if so,
for reporting the maximum value of that
beneficial interest, is considered to be
zero. See § 1.6038D–5(f)(2). Similar
rules apply with respect to a foreign
estate. See § 1.6038D–5(f)(3). Thus, a
specified individual who is such a
beneficiary of a foreign trust or estate
but has not received a distribution
generally is only required to report the
beneficial interest if the beneficiary
otherwise is required to file Form 8938.
If a Form 8938 filing is required, the
taxpayer’s reporting burdens are
minimal with respect to the beneficial
interest. The Treasury Department and
the IRS have determined that these rules
achieve a reasonable and appropriate
balance between the government’s tax
administration interests and the
beneficiary’s compliance burden.
D. Request for Comments on the
Treatment of Virtual Currency
The Treasury Department and the IRS
are considering the proper treatment of
virtual currency under section 6038D
and welcome comments on this topic.
III. Information Required To Be
Reported (§ 1.6038D–4)
A. Reporting With Respect to Stock or
Other Securities of a Foreign
Corporation
A comment requested clarification
regarding whether to report on Form
8938 the foreign office address of a
foreign corporation in which the
taxpayer has an interest or the address
of the U.S. payor reported on Form 1099
with respect to dividends paid by the
foreign corporation. Because the rules
set forth in the 2011 temporary
regulations are clear, the final rule is not
changed to reflect these comments. If
stock of a foreign corporation is held by
a taxpayer outside of a financial
account, § 1.6038D–4(a)(2) provides that
the corporation’s address must be
reported. If stock of a foreign
corporation is held through a financial
account other than one maintained by a
financial institution that is a U.S. payor,
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the financial account is reported, and
§ 1.6038D–4(a)(1) provides that the
address of the financial institution with
which the account is maintained must
be reported. However, if stock of a
foreign corporation is held by a taxpayer
in a financial account maintained by a
financial institution that is a U.S. payor,
§ 1.6038D–3(a)(3)(i) provides that
neither the financial account nor the
foreign stock held in that account must
be reported on Form 8938.
B. Scope of Information Required To Be
Reported With Respect to an Asset
Another comment recommended that
taxpayers not be required to report the
items listed in § 1.6038D–4(a)(6), (a)(7)
and (a)(8) (that is, whether a financial
account was opened or closed during
the year, the date on which a specified
foreign financial asset (other than a
financial account) was acquired or
disposed of during the year, and details
regarding income, gain, loss, deduction
or credit items recognized during the
year and where those items are reported
by the taxpayer, respectively). This
comment has not been adopted in the
final rule. The Treasury Department and
the IRS have determined that collection
of this information is necessary for
effective tax enforcement actions and is
consistent with congressional intent in
enacting section 6038D.
IV. Valuation Guidelines (§ 1.6038D–5)
The Treasury Department and the IRS
received a number of comments
requesting changes and clarifications to
the applicable valuation guidelines
under the regulations.
rljohnson on DSK3VPTVN1PROD with RULES
A. Asset With No Positive Value During
the Year
Several comments requested that the
final rule clarify the valuation and
reporting rules applicable to specified
foreign financial assets with no positive
value during the year. Under § 1.6038D–
2(a)(5), a specified foreign financial
asset is subject to reporting even if the
asset does not have a positive value
during the year, although reporting on
Form 8938 is required only if the
aggregate fair market value of a
taxpayer’s specified foreign financial
assets exceeds the applicable reporting
thresholds in § 1.6038D–2(a). The final
rule clarifies in § 1.6038D–5(b)(3) that
the maximum fair market value for a
specified foreign financial asset with no
positive value during the year is treated
as zero. The final rule also is revised to
include in § 1.6038D–2(a)(5) a crossreference to the valuation rules in
§ 1.6038D–5(b)(3).
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B. Appraisals
One comment recommended revising
§ 1.6038D–5 to provide that a specified
person is not required to obtain an
appraisal from a third party to establish
a reasonable estimate of an asset’s fair
market value. For the reasons set forth
in section IV.C. of this preamble
(relating to a reasonable estimate of fair
market value), the guidance provided
with respect to the reasonable estimate
standard adequately addresses this
comment. In addition, the preamble to
the 2011 temporary regulations and the
instructions to Form 8938 already note
that a taxpayer need not obtain a thirdparty appraisal to establish a reasonable
estimate of a specified foreign financial
asset’s fair market value for purposes of
section 6038D. Accordingly, the final
rule does not adopt the requested
change.
C. Reasonable Estimate of Fair Market
Value
Several comments requested that the
final rule clarify what constitutes a
reasonable estimate of an asset’s fair
market value for purposes of reporting
under section 6038D. Some comments
also recommended including examples
in the final rule addressing when a
taxpayer would be considered to know,
or have reason to know based on readily
accessible information, that a valuation
in a periodic account statement was not
a reasonable estimate for purposes of
reporting.
The final rule does not provide
additional guidance on what constitutes
a reasonable estimate of fair market
value under section 6038D. The
Treasury Department and the IRS have
concluded that the ‘‘reasonable
estimate’’ standard is an appropriately
flexible one that will result in helpful
information for the IRS with respect to
a wide range of assets, while not
proving unduly burdensome for
taxpayers. Further, valuation is an
inherently factual inquiry, and it is not
feasible to devise detailed rules that
clearly describe outcomes that are
appropriate for a broad range of factual
situations. The 2011 temporary
regulations and final rule incorporate
valuation rules designed to reduce
taxpayer reporting burdens in specific
circumstances, such as the rule
permitting reliance on periodic account
statements from a financial institution
to determine a financial account’s fair
market value (see § 1.6038D–5(d)) and
the rule permitting the use of a year-end
value to determine a reasonable estimate
of maximum value for certain specified
foreign financial assets held outside of
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a financial account (see § 1.6038D–
5(f)(1)).
D. Hard-to-Value Assets
A comment requested that the final
rule establish a presumptive standard to
be applied to determine the fair market
value of certain illiquid assets such as
contractual rights and interests in nonpublicly traded entities. The Treasury
Department and the IRS recognize that
the reporting burdens under section
6038D can be significant with respect to
hard-to-value assets. However, the
Treasury Department and the IRS have
concluded that the requirement under
the 2011 temporary regulations to make
a reasonable estimate strikes an
appropriate balance between the
usefulness of the information reported
on Form 8938 and the taxpayer burdens
associated with complying with the
standard. For these reasons, the final
rule does not adopt valuation
presumptions for particular types of
assets that are hard to value.
E. Interests in Pension Plans and
Deferred Compensation Plans
Another comment recommended that
the value of interests in pension plans
and deferred compensation plans
should not be considered to be readily
ascertainable if the taxpayer has no
current rights to withdraw plan assets
without penalty. Adopting this
recommendation would result in a
taxpayer’s interest in a pension or
deferred compensation plan being
valued at zero if the taxpayer has no
right to withdraw, even if the taxpayer
regularly receives statements providing
the fair market value of the interest in
the pension or deferred compensation
plan. This result is not consistent with
the purpose for requiring reporting of
the maximum value of a specified
foreign financial asset and is not
adopted in the final rule.
F. Foreign Currency
The final rule adopts two
modifications to the valuation rules
relating to foreign currency. First, in
response to a comment, the final rule
states that a foreign currency conversion
shown on a periodic financial account
statement is among the aspects of the
statement that a taxpayer may rely upon
to the extent provided in § 1.6038D–
5(d). Second, § 1.6038D–5(c) of the 2011
temporary regulations provides that,
except as otherwise provided, a
specified person must use the foreign
currency exchange rate issued by the
U.S. Treasury Department’s Financial
Management Service for purposes of
section 6038D. The final rule is updated
to reflect the fact that foreign currency
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would not duplicate the information
currently being reported on Form 8854.
Further, filing of Form 8938 is expected
to substantially enhance IRS compliance
programs with respect to Form 8854
filers. Thus, the final rule does not
adopt this recommendation.
exchange rates are now issued by the
Treasury Department’s Bureau of the
Fiscal Service.
V. Exceptions From the Reporting of
Certain Assets Under Section 6038D
(§ 1.6038D–6)
A. General Alternatives To Reporting on
Form 8938
Several comments recommended that
the Treasury Department and the IRS
adopt an alternative approach to Form
8938 reporting. One comment suggested
consolidating all foreign asset reporting
for U.S. tax purposes on one form and
eliminating Form 8938. Another
comment recommended a revision to
Schedule B of Form 1040 to permit
specified individuals to indicate on that
schedule that all of their specified
foreign financial assets were reported on
the IRS forms specified in § 1.6038D–
7(a) such that no Form 8938 is required.
The final rule does not adopt these
recommendations. The Treasury
Department and the IRS have
determined that consolidating a
taxpayer’s information concerning his or
her specified foreign financial assets on
Form 8938 best carries out the purposes
of section 6038D by making the
information readily accessible for use in
IRS enforcement programs. In addition,
using Form 8938 avoids the need to
incur costs disproportionate to expected
benefits from revising existing IRS
forms, IT systems, submission
processing, and enforcement programs.
B. Form 8858, ‘‘Information Return of
U.S. Persons With Respect to Foreign
Disregarded Entities’’
Several comments recommended
revising § 1.6038D–7(a) to add Form
8858, ‘‘Information Return of U.S.
Persons With Respect to Foreign
Disregarded Entities.’’ However, the
Treasury Department and the IRS do not
regard the information furnished on
Form 8858 concerning specified foreign
financial assets held by a disregarded
entity as sufficiently detailed to
consider reporting on Form 8938
duplicative of reporting on Form 8858.
Thus, the final rule does not adopt this
recommendation.
rljohnson on DSK3VPTVN1PROD with RULES
C. Form 8854, ‘‘Initial and Annual
Expatriation Statement’’
Several comments recommended
adding Form 8854, ‘‘Initial and Annual
Expatriation Statement,’’ to the list of
forms in § 1.6038D–7(a) intended to
relieve duplicative reporting. However,
after considering the nature of the
information collected on Form 8854, the
Treasury Department and the IRS have
concluded that requiring Form 8938
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Jkt 235001
D. Form 8891, ‘‘U.S. Information Return
for Beneficiaries of Certain Canadian
Registered Retirement Plans’’
Rev. Proc. 2014–55, 2014–44 IRB 753,
obsoletes Form 8891, ‘‘U.S. Information
Return for Beneficiaries of Certain
Canadian Registered Retirement Plans,’’
on a prospective basis. Thus, the final
rule is modified to describe the taxable
years for which the taxpayer’s reporting
of an asset on Form 8891 will relieve the
taxpayer of reporting that asset on Form
8938 (that is, taxable years beginning
after March 18, 2010, and ending on or
before December 31, 2013).
E. Joint Filers of Forms Listed in
§ 1.6038D–7(a)
A comment requested clarification
that a specified person included as part
of a jointly filed Form 5471,
‘‘Information Return of U.S. Persons
With Respect to Certain Foreign
Corporations,’’ pursuant to § 1.6038–2(j)
or as a joint filer of Form 8865, ‘‘Return
of U.S. Persons With Respect to Certain
Foreign Partnerships,’’ pursuant to
§ 1.6038–3(c) and who notifies the IRS
as required by § 1.6038–2(i) and
§ 1.6038–3(c) will be considered to have
filed such forms for purposes of
§ 1.6038D–7(a). Because a joint filer of
Form 5471 or Form 8865 fully meets the
reporting requirements for such forms,
reporting on the Form 8938 would be
duplicative. Thus, the final rule adopts
this clarification in § 1.6038D–7(a)(3).
F. Interests in Certain Foreign Trusts
A number of comments recommended
revisions to the section 6038D reporting
requirements for specified persons with
an interest in a foreign trust.
One comment recommended that a
foreign trustee of a foreign trust with a
U.S. owner who is required to file Form
3520–A, ‘‘Annual Information Return of
Foreign Trust With a U.S. Owner,’’ be
permitted to satisfy the section 6038D
reporting requirements for all trust
beneficiaries by filing Form 3520–A so
as to consolidate all foreign trust filings
in one place. Another comment
recommended that a foreign trustee of a
foreign trust be permitted to satisfy the
Form 8938 filing requirements on behalf
of the trust’s beneficiaries. Another
comment recommended that trust
beneficiaries should be excused from
filing Form 8938 if a specified person
files a Form 8938 as the owner of the
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73823
trust and discloses the specified foreign
financial assets of the foreign trust.
The final rule does not adopt these
recommendations to allow a
beneficiary’s Form 8938 filing
responsibilities to be satisfied by the
trustee of the trust or to relieve the
beneficiary’s reporting obligation in the
case of a specified person filing Form
8938 as the owner of the trust. The IRS
can best use the information reported on
the Form 8938 to enforce tax
compliance when it is provided in
connection with the filing of an annual
return by the taxpayer who is the
beneficial owner of the interest in the
foreign trust. Thus, the final rule
continues to provide that a beneficiary
of a trust must file Form 8938 with his
or her annual return when there is a
section 6038D filing requirement.
G. Reporting on Both FinCEN Form 114
and Form 8938
A number of comments recommended
that a foreign account reported on
FinCEN Form 114, ‘‘Report of Foreign
Bank and Financial Accounts,’’
(formerly Form TD F 90–22.1, ‘‘Report
of Foreign Bank and Financial
Accounts’’) (an FBAR), should not be
required to be reported on Form 8938.
The final rule does not adopt this
recommendation.
Congress enacted both the Title 31
and the Title 26 provisions regarding
the reporting requirements of the FBAR
and Form 8938. Reporting on the FBAR
is required for law enforcement
purposes under the Bank Secrecy Act,
as well as for purposes of tax
administration. As a consequence,
different policy considerations apply to
Form 8938 and FBAR reporting. These
different policies are reflected in the
different categories of persons required
to file Form 8938 and the FBAR, the
different filing thresholds for Form 8938
and FBAR reporting, and the different
assets (and accompanying information)
required to be reported on each form.
Although certain information may be
reported on both Form 8938 and the
FBAR, the information required by the
forms is not identical in all cases, and
reflects the different rules, key
definitions (for example, ‘‘financial
account’’), and reporting requirements
applicable to Form 8938 and FBAR
reporting.
These differing policy considerations
were recognized by Congress during the
passage of the HIRE Act (Pub. L. 111–
147 (124 Stat. 71)) and the enactment of
Section 6038D. Congress’s intention to
retain FBAR reporting requirements,
notwithstanding the enactment of
section 6038D, was specifically noted in
the Technical Explanation of the
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Revenue Provisions Contained in Senate
Amendment 3310, the ‘‘Hiring
Incentives To Restore Employment Act,’’
Under Consideration by the Senate
(Staff of the Joint Committee on
Taxation, JCX–4–10 (February 23, 2010))
(Technical Explanation) accompanying
the HIRE Act. The Technical
Explanation states that ‘‘[n]othing in
this provision [section 511 of the HIRE
Act enacting new section 6038D] is
intended as a substitute for compliance
with the FBAR reporting requirements,
which are unchanged by this
provision.’’ (Technical Explanation at p.
60) Against this background, reporting
on the Form 8938 and on the FBAR is
not duplicative and both forms must be
filed, if required. The IRS Web site
provides additional guidance comparing
the requirements of both forms (https://
www.irs.gov/Businesses/Comparison-ofForm-8938-and-FBAR-Requirements).
rljohnson on DSK3VPTVN1PROD with RULES
VI. Penalties
A. Reasonable Cause for Failure to
Report
Several comments requested that the
final rule provide additional guidance
concerning the reasonable cause
standard for relief from the section
6038D penalty set forth in section
6038D(g) and § 1.6038D–8(e). For
example, one comment recommended
that the final rule provide objective
examples of when a taxpayer would be
considered to have reasonable cause for
failing to report under section 6083D.
Another comment requested that the
final rule state that a specified person’s
failure to file Form 8938 would be
considered due to reasonable cause and
not subject to penalty if all of that
person’s specified foreign financial
assets were reflected on timely and
properly filed forms described in
§ 1.6038D–7(a)(i). Another comment
recommended that the final rule provide
a presumption that reasonable cause
exists with respect to all Form 8938
filing errors in the first year a taxpayer
is required to file Form 8938. Yet
another comment recommended that a
specified person with a continuing
failure to report for purposes of the
section 6038D(d)(2) ‘‘add on’’
component of the penalty should no
longer be subject to penalty once a
specified person has requested the
information necessary to complete Form
8938, provided the specified person
furnishes the IRS with proof of the
requests to obtain that information.
The final rule does not adopt these
recommendations because the Treasury
Department and the IRS have
determined that the appropriate
standards for determining whether the
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reasonable cause exception to the
penalty applies in a particular case are
the general standards set out in the
Internal Revenue Manual (IRM)
addressing the approach that IRS
employees must take whenever
considering the application of a civil
penalty and whether a reasonable cause
exception applies. The general
reasonable cause standards are set out in
the IRS’s ‘‘Penalty Handbook,’’ which is
included in the IRM at section 20.1. The
Penalty Handbook sets forth general
policy and procedural requirements for
assessing and abating penalties, as well
as the criteria for relief from certain
penalties. For example, IRM 20.1.1.2.2
discusses the need to have a fair and
consistent approach to penalty
administration. Section 20.1.1.3.2 of the
IRM discusses reasonable cause and
what constitutes reasonable cause.
Consistent with § 1.6038D–8(e)(3), the
Penalty Handbook states that all of the
facts and circumstances must be
considered to determine whether or not
there is reasonable cause for penalty
relief in a particular case.
B. Section 6038D Penalty and Other
Potentially Applicable Civil Penalties
Other comments requested the final
rule modify the penalty amount and its
application in the context of other
potentially applicable civil penalties.
One comment recommended that the
final rule provide a range of penalties
corresponding to the range of reporting
errors as opposed to the $10,000 penalty
amount of section 6038D(d). Another
comment requested that the final rule
provide that a specified person’s failure
to report a specified foreign financial
asset on Form 8938 would not be
penalized under section 6038D if the
specified person was also being
penalized for failing to report the asset
on a separate IRS form (for example,
Form 5471).
The final rule does not adopt these
recommendations. The general penalty
administration rules set forth in the IRM
apply in the context of the section
6038D penalty and its interaction with
other potentially applicable penalties. In
addition, section 6038D provides a
specific dollar amount of penalty and
does not permit selection of a penalty
amount from a range of permissible
penalty amounts based on taxpayerspecific considerations.
Special Analyses
It has been determined that this
Treasury decision is not a significant
regulatory action as defined in
Executive Order 12866, as
supplemented by Executive Order
13653. Therefore, a regulatory
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assessment is not required. It also has
been determined that section 553(b) of
the Administrative Procedure Act (5
U.S.C. chapter 5) does not apply to these
regulations, and because the regulations
do not impose a collection of
information on small entities, the
Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C.
chapter 6) does not apply. Pursuant to
section 7805(f) of the Code, the notice
of proposed rulemaking preceding this
regulation was submitted to the Chief
Counsel for Advocacy of the Small
Business Administration for comment
on its impact on small business.
Drafting Information
The principal author of these
regulations is Joseph S. Henderson,
Office of Associate Chief Counsel
(International). However, other
personnel from the Treasury
Department and the IRS participated in
their development.
List of Subjects in 26 CFR Part 1
Income taxes, Reporting and
recordkeeping requirements.
Adoption of Amendments to the
Regulations
Accordingly, 26 CFR part 1 is
amended as follows:
PART 1—INCOME TAXES
Paragraph 1. The authority citation
for part 1 is amended by removing the
entries for §§ 1.6038D–0T, 1.6038D–1T,
1.6038D–2T, 1.6038D–3T, 1.6038D–4T,
1.6038D–5T, 1.6038D–7T, and 1.6038D–
8T and adding entries for §§ 1.6038D–0,
1.6038D–1, 1.6038D–2, 1.6038D–3,
1.6038D–4, 1.6038D–5, 1.6038D–7, and
1.6038D–8 in numerical order to read as
follows:
■
Authority: 26 U.S.C. 7805 * * *
Section 1.6038D–0 also issued under 26
U.S.C. 6038D.
Section 1.6038D–1 also issued under 26
U.S.C. 6038D.
Section 1.6038D–2 also issued under 26
U.S.C. 6038D.
Section 1.6038D–3 also issued under 26
U.S.C. 6038D.
Section 1.6038D–4 also issued under 26
U.S.C. 6038D.
Section 1.6038D–5 also issued under 26
U.S.C. 6038D.
Section 1.6038D–7 also issued under 26
U.S.C. 6038D.
Section 1.6038D–8 also issued under 26
U.S.C. 6038D.
*
*
*
*
*
Par. 2. Section 1.6038D–0 is added to
read as follows:
■
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§ 1.6038D–0
provisions.
Outline of regulation
This section lists the table of contents
for §§ 1.6038D–1 through 1.6038D–8.
§ 1.6038D–1 Reporting with respect to
specified foreign financial assets, definition
of terms.
(a) In general.
(1) Specified person.
(2) Specified individual.
(3) Resident alien.
(4) Bona fide resident of a U.S.
possession.
(5) U.S. possession.
(6) Specified foreign financial asset.
(7) Financial account.
(8) Financial institution.
(9) Foreign financial institution.
(10) Foreign entity.
(11) Annual return.
(12) Specified domestic entity.
[Reserved]
(13) Model 1 IGA and Model 2 IGA.
(b) Effective/applicability dates.
(1) In general.
(2) Financial accounts.
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§ 1.6038D–2 Requirement to report
specified foreign financial assets.
(a) Reporting requirement.
(1) In general.
(2) Special rule for married specified
individuals filing a joint annual return.
(3) Special rule for certain specified
individuals living abroad.
(4) Special rule for married specified
individuals filing a joint annual return
and living abroad.
(5) Assets with no positive value.
(6) Aggregate value calculation in case
of specified foreign financial asset
excluded from reporting.
(7) Form 8938 filed with annual
return.
(i) General rule.
(ii) Consolidated returns.
(8) Reporting required regardless of
tax result.
(9) Reporting period.
(10) Successor forms.
(b) Interest in a specified foreign
financial asset.
(1) In general.
(2) Property transferred in connection
with the performance of services.
(3) Special rule for parent making an
election under section 1(g)(7).
(4) Entities.
(i) In general.
(ii) Specified foreign financial assets
held by certain trusts.
(iii) Specified foreign financial assets
held by a disregarded entity.
(iv) Interest in a foreign trust or
foreign estate.
(c) Special rules for joint interests.
(1) In general.
(i) Determining aggregate value of
assets.
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(ii) Reporting maximum value.
(2) Aggregate asset value for married
specified individuals filing a joint
annual return.
(3) Aggregate asset value for married
specified individuals filing a separate
annual return.
(i) Both spouses are specified
individuals.
(ii) One spouse is not a specified
individual.
(d) Annual return filed by a married
specified individual.
(1) Joint annual return.
(2) Separate annual return.
(e) Special rules for dual resident
taxpayers.
(1) In general.
(2) Dual resident taxpayer filing as a
nonresident alien at end of taxable year.
(3) Dual resident taxpayer filing as a
resident alien at end of taxable year.
(f) Example.
(1) Facts.
(2) Filing requirement.
(i) Married specified individuals filing
separate annual returns.
(ii) Married specified individuals
filing a joint annual return.
(g) Effective/applicability dates.
§ 1.6038D–3
assets.
Specified foreign financial
(a) Financial accounts.
(1) In general.
(2) Financial account in a U.S.
possession.
(3) Excepted financial accounts.
(i) Accounts maintained by U.S.
payors.
(ii) Mark-to-market election under
section 475.
(b) Other specified foreign financial
assets.
(1) In general.
(2) Mark-to-market election under
section 475.
(3) Held for investment.
(4) Trade-or-business test.
(5) Direct relationship between
holding an asset and a trade or business.
(i) In general.
(ii) Presumption of direct
relationship.
(c) Special rule for interests in foreign
trusts and foreign estates.
(d) Examples.
(e) Effective/applicability dates.
§ 1.6038D–4
reported.
Information required to be
(a) Required information.
(b) Effective/applicability dates.
§ 1.6038D–5
Valuation guidelines.
(a) Fair market value.
(b) Valuation of assets.
(1) Maximum value.
(2) U.S. dollars.
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(3) Asset with no positive value.
(c) Foreign currency conversion.
(1) In general.
(2) Other publicly available exchange
rate.
(3) Currency exchange rate.
(4) Determination date.
(d) Financial accounts.
(e) Asset held in a financial account.
(f) Other specified foreign financial
assets.
(1) General rule.
(2) Interests in trusts that are specified
foreign financial assets.
(i) Maximum value.
(ii) Reporting threshold.
(3) Interests in estates, pension plans,
and deferred compensation plans.
(i) Maximum value.
(ii) Reporting threshold.
(g) Effective/applicability dates.
§ 1.6038D–6
[Reserved]
Specified domestic entities.
§ 1.6038D–7 Exceptions from the reporting
of certain assets under section 6038D.
(a) Elimination of duplicative
reporting of assets.
(1) In general.
(2) Foreign grantor trusts.
(3) Joint Form 5471 or Form 8865
filing.
(b) Owner of certain trusts.
(c) Special rules for bona fide
residents of a U.S. possession.
(d) Effective/applicability dates.
§ 1.6038D–8
disclose.
Penalties for failure to
(a) In general.
(b) Married specified individuals
filing a joint annual return.
(c) Increase in penalty.
(d) Presumption of aggregate value.
(e) Reasonable cause exception.
(1) In general.
(2) Affirmative showing required.
(3) Facts and circumstances taken into
account.
(f) Penalties for underpayments
attributable to undisclosed foreign
financial assets.
(1) Accuracy related penalty.
(2) Criminal penalties.
(g) Effective/applicability dates.
§ 1.6038D–0T
[Removed]
Par. 3. Section 1.6038D–0T is
removed.
■ Par. 4. Section 1.6038D–1 is added to
read as follows:
■
§ 1.6038D–1 Reporting with respect to
specified foreign financial assets, definition
of terms.
(a) In general. The following
definitions apply for purposes of section
6038D and the regulations—
(1) Specified person. The term
specified person means a specified
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individual or a specified domestic
entity.
(2) Specified individual. The term
specified individual means an
individual who is a—
(i) U.S. citizen;
(ii) Resident alien of the United States
for any portion of the taxable year;
(iii) Nonresident alien for whom an
election under section 6013(g) or (h) is
in effect; or
(iv) Nonresident alien who is a bona
fide resident of Puerto Rico or a section
931 possession (as defined in § 1.931–
1(c)(1)).
(3) Resident alien. The term resident
alien has the meaning set forth in
section 7701(b) and §§ 301.7701(b)-1
through 301.7701(b)-9 of this chapter.
(4) Bona fide resident of a U.S.
possession. The term bona fide resident
of a U.S. possession means an
individual who is a ‘‘bona fide resident’’
under section 937(a) and § 1.937–1.
(5) U.S. possession. The term U.S.
possession means American Samoa,
Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands,
Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands.
(6) Specified foreign financial asset.
The term specified foreign financial
asset has the meaning set forth in
§ 1.6038D–3.
(7) Financial account. The term
financial account has the meaning set
forth in § 1.1471–5(b), provided,
however, that the exclusions of
retirement and pension accounts and
non-retirement savings accounts under
§ 1.1471–5(b)(2)(i) and retirement and
pension accounts, non-retirement
savings accounts, and accounts
satisfying similar conditions in an
applicable Model 1 IGA or Model 2 IGA
under § 1.1471–5(b)(2)(vi) shall not
apply (see the section 6038D
coordination rule in § 1.1471–
5(b)(2)(i)(D)). See § 1.6038D–3(a)(2)
relating to financial accounts
maintained by a financial institution
that is organized under the laws of a
U.S. possession.
(8) Financial institution. The term
financial institution has the meaning set
forth in section 1471(d)(5) and the
regulations thereunder.
(9) Foreign financial institution. The
term foreign financial institution has the
meaning set forth in § 1.1471–5(d).
(10) Foreign entity. The term foreign
entity has the meaning set forth in
§ 1.1473–1(e).
(11) Annual return. The term annual
return means an annual federal income
tax return of a specified individual or an
annual federal income tax return or
information return of a specified
domestic entity filed with the Internal
Revenue Service under section 876,
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6011, 6012, 6013, 6031, or 6037, and the
regulations.
(12) Specified domestic entity.
[Reserved].
(13) Model 1 IGA and Model 2 IGA.
The terms Model 1 IGA and Model 2
IGA have the meanings set forth in
§ 1.1471–1(b)(78) and (79), respectively.
(b) Effective/applicability dates—(1)
In general. Except as otherwise
provided in this paragraph (b), this
section applies to taxable years ending
after December 19, 2011. Taxpayers may
elect to apply the rules of this section
to taxable years ending prior to
December 19, 2011.
(2) Financial accounts. For purposes
of applying the financial account
definition in § 1.6038D–1(a)(7), the
treatment under § 1.1471–5(b)(2)(vi) of
retirement and pension accounts, nonretirement savings accounts, and
accounts satisfying similar conditions in
an applicable Model 1 IGA or Model 2
IGA (see § 1.1471–1(b)(78) and (79)) as
financial accounts for purposes of the
reporting required under section 6038D
and § 1.6038D–2(a) shall apply to
taxable years beginning after December
12, 2014.
§ 1.6038D–1T
[Removed]
Par. 5. Section 1.6038D–1T is
removed.
■ Par. 6. Section 1.6038D–2 is added to
read as follows:
■
§ 1.6038D–2 Requirement to report
specified foreign financial assets.
(a) Reporting requirement—(1) In
general. Except as otherwise provided, a
specified person that has any interest in
a specified foreign financial asset during
the taxable year must attach Form 8938,
‘‘Statement of Specified Foreign
Financial Assets,’’ to that specified
person’s annual return for the taxable
year to report the information required
by section 6038D and § 1.6038D–4 if the
aggregate value of all such assets
exceeds—
(i) $50,000 on the last day of the
taxable year; or
(ii) $75,000 at any time during the
taxable year.
(2) Special rule for married specified
individuals filing a joint annual return.
Except as provided in paragraph (a)(4)
of this section, married specified
individuals who file a joint annual
return for the taxable year must attach
a single Form 8938 to their joint annual
return for the taxable year to report the
information required by section 6038D
and § 1.6038D–4 if the aggregate value
of all of the specified foreign financial
assets in which either married specified
individual has an interest exceeds—
(i) $100,000 on the last day of the
taxable year; or
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(ii) $150,000 at any time during the
taxable year.
(3) Special rule for certain specified
individuals living abroad. Except as
provided in paragraph (a)(4) of this
section, a specified individual who is a
qualified individual under section
911(d)(1) for the taxable year must
attach a Form 8938 to his or her annual
return for the taxable year to report the
information required by section 6038D
and § 1.6038D–4 if the aggregate value
of the specified foreign financial assets
in which the specified individual has an
interest exceeds—
(i) $200,000 on the last day of the
taxable year; or
(ii) $300,000 at any time during the
taxable year.
(4) Special rule for married specified
individuals filing a joint annual return
and living abroad. A specified
individual who is a qualified individual
under section 911(d)(1) for the taxable
year and the qualified individual’s
spouse who file a joint annual return for
the taxable year must attach a single
Form 8938 to their return for the taxable
year to report the information required
by section 6038D and § 1.6038D–4 if the
aggregate value of the all of the specified
foreign financial assets in which either
married individual has an interest
exceeds—
(i) $400,000 on the last day of the
taxable year; or
(ii) $600,000 at any time during the
taxable year.
(5) Assets with no positive value. A
specified foreign financial asset is
subject to reporting even if the specified
foreign financial asset does not have a
positive value. See § 1.6038D–5(b)(3) to
determine the maximum value of a
specified foreign financial asset that
does not have a positive value during
the taxable year.
(6) Aggregate value calculation in
case of specified foreign financial asset
excluded from reporting. The value of
any specified foreign financial asset in
which a specified individual has an
interest and that is excluded from
reporting on Form 8938 pursuant to
§ 1.6038D–7(a) (concerning certain
assets reported on another form) is
included for purposes of determining
the aggregate value of specified foreign
financial assets. The value of any
specified foreign financial asset in
which a specified individual has an
interest and that is excluded from
reporting under § 1.6038D–7(b)
(concerning assets held by certain
domestic trusts) or § 1.6038D–7(c)
(concerning certain assets owned by a
bona fide resident of a U.S. possession)
is excluded for purposes of determining
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the aggregate value of specified foreign
financial assets.
(7) Form 8938 filed with annual
return—(i) General rule. A specified
person, including a specified individual
who is a bona fide resident of a U.S.
possession, is not required to file Form
8938 with respect to a taxable year if the
specified person is not required to file
an annual return with the Internal
Revenue Service with respect to such
taxable year.
(ii) Consolidated returns. If a specified
domestic entity is a member of an
affiliated group of corporations that files
a consolidated income tax return, the
Form 8938 of the specified domestic
entity must be filed with the affiliated
group’s annual return.
(8) Reporting required regardless of
tax result. The Form 8938 required by
section 6038D and this section must be
furnished by a specified person even if
none of the specified foreign financial
assets that must be reported affect the
specified person’s tax liability under the
Internal Revenue Code for the taxable
year.
(9) Reporting period. The reporting
period covered by Form 8938 is the
specified person’s taxable year, except
the reporting period for a specified
person that is a specified individual for
less than an entire taxable year is the
portion of the taxable year that the
specified person is a specified
individual.
(10) Successor forms. References to
Form 8938 include any successor form.
(b) Interest in a specified foreign
financial asset—(1) In general. A
specified person has an interest in a
specified foreign financial asset if any
income, gains, losses, deductions,
credits, gross proceeds, or distributions
attributable to the holding or disposition
of the specified foreign financial asset
are or would be required to be reported,
included, or otherwise reflected by the
specified person on an annual return. A
specified person has an interest in a
specified foreign financial asset even if
no income, gains, losses, deductions,
credits, gross proceeds, or distributions
are attributable to the holding or
disposition of the specified foreign
financial asset for the taxable year.
(2) Property transferred in connection
with the performance of services. A
specified person that is transferred
property in connection with the
performance of personal services is first
considered to have an interest in the
property for purposes of section 6038D
on the first date that the property is
substantially vested (within the
meaning of § 1.83–3(b)) or, in the case
of property with respect to which a
specified person makes a valid election
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under section 83(b), on the date of
transfer of the property.
(3) Special rule for parent making
election under section 1(g)(7). A parent
who makes an election under section
1(g)(7) to include certain unearned
income of a child in the parent’s gross
income has an interest in any specified
foreign financial asset held by the child
for the purposes of section 6038D and
the regulations.
(4) Entities—(i) In general. Except as
provided in this paragraph (b)(4), a
specified person is not treated as having
an interest in any specified foreign
financial assets held by a corporation,
partnership, trust, or estate solely as a
result of the specified person’s status as
a shareholder, partner, or beneficiary of
such entity.
(ii) Specified foreign financial assets
held by certain trusts. A specified
person that is treated as the owner of a
trust or any portion of a trust under
sections 671 through 679, other than a
domestic liquidating trust under
§ 301.7701–4(d) of this chapter created
pursuant to a court order issued in a
bankruptcy under Chapter 7 (11 U.S.C.
701 et seq.) or a confirmed plan under
Chapter 11 (11 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.) of
the Bankruptcy Code, or a domestic
widely held fixed investment trust
under § 1.671–5, is treated as having an
interest in any specified foreign
financial assets held by the trust or the
portion of the trust.
(iii) Specified foreign financial assets
held by a disregarded entity. A specified
person that owns a foreign or domestic
entity that is disregarded as an entity
separate from its owner as described in
§ 301.7701–2 of this chapter (a
disregarded entity) is treated as having
an interest in any specified foreign
financial assets held by the disregarded
entity.
(iv) Interest in a foreign trust or
foreign estate. See § 1.6038D–3(c) to
determine whether an interest in a
foreign trust or foreign estate is a
specified foreign financial asset. See
§ 1.6038D–5(f) to determine the
maximum value of an interest in a
foreign trust or foreign estate.
(c) Special rules for joint interests—(1)
In general—(i) Determining aggregate
value of assets. Except as otherwise
provided in this paragraph (c), each
specified person that is a joint owner of
a specified foreign financial asset
(whether with a spouse or other person)
must include the entire value of the
specified foreign financial asset (and not
the value of the specified person’s
interest) for purposes of determining
whether the aggregate value of the
specified person’s specified foreign
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financial assets exceeds the reporting
thresholds set forth in § 1.6038D–2(a).
(ii) Reporting maximum value. Except
as provided in paragraph (d) of this
section, a specified person that is a joint
owner of a specified foreign financial
asset must report the entire value of
each jointly owned specified foreign
financial asset on Form 8938.
(2) Aggregate asset value for married
specified individuals filing a joint
annual return. Married specified
individuals who file a joint annual
return must include the value of each
specified foreign financial asset that
they jointly own or in which both have
an interest under paragraph (b)(1) of this
section only once in determining
whether the aggregate value of all of the
specified foreign financial assets in
which either married specified
individual has an interest exceeds the
reporting thresholds set forth in
§ 1.6038D–2(a).
(3) Aggregate asset value for married
specified individual filing a separate
annual return—(i) Both spouses are
specified individuals. If a married
specified individual files a separate
annual return and his or her spouse is
a specified individual, the married
specified individual must include onehalf of the value of a specified foreign
financial asset that the married specified
individual jointly owns with his or her
spouse in determining whether the
married specified individual has an
interest in specified foreign financial
assets the aggregate value of which
exceeds the reporting thresholds set
forth in § 1.6038D–2(a).
(ii) One spouse is not a specified
individual. If a married specified
individual files a separate annual return
and his or her spouse is not a specified
individual, the married specified
individual must include the entire value
of a specified foreign financial asset that
the married specified individual jointly
owns with his or her spouse in
determining whether the married
specified individual has an interest in
specified foreign financial assets the
aggregate value of which exceeds the
reporting thresholds set forth in
§ 1.6038D–2(a).
(d) Annual return filed by a married
specified individual—(1) Joint annual
return. Married specified individuals
who file a joint annual return must file
a single Form 8938 to fulfill their
reporting requirements under section
6038D and § 1.6038D–2(a). The single
Form 8938 must report all of the
specified foreign financial assets in
which either married specified
individual has an interest. If both
married specified individuals jointly
own a specified foreign financial asset
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or if they have an interest in a specified
foreign financial asset under paragraph
(b)(1) of this section, the asset must be
reported only once on the single Form
8938 filed for the taxable year.
(2) Separate annual return. A married
specified individual who files a separate
annual return for the taxable year must
fulfill the reporting requirements under
section 6038D and § 1.6038D–2(a) by
filing a separate Form 8938 with his or
her return that reports all of the
specified foreign financial assets in
which the married specified individual
has an interest, including each of the
assets jointly owned with the married
specified individual’s spouse or with
another person. If both of the spouses
are specified individuals, each specified
individual must report the entire value
of each specified foreign financial asset
that the spouses jointly own on Form
8938, not the value taken into account
under paragraph (c)(3)(i) of this section
for purposes of applying the applicable
reporting thresholds.
(e) Special rules for dual resident
taxpayers—(1) In general. Subject to the
provisions of paragraphs (e)(2) and (3) of
this section, a specified individual is
not required to report specified foreign
financial assets on Form 8938 for a
taxable year or any portion of a taxable
year that the individual is a dual
resident taxpayer (within the meaning
of § 301.7701(b)–7(a)(1) of this chapter)
who is treated as a nonresident alien
pursuant to § 301.7701(b)–7 of this
chapter for purposes of computing his
or her U.S. tax liability with respect to
the portion of the taxable year the
individual is considered a dual resident
taxpayer.
(2) Dual resident taxpayer filing as a
nonresident alien at end of taxable year.
If a specified individual to whom this
paragraph (e) applies computes his or
her U.S. income tax liability as a
nonresident alien on the last day of the
taxable year and complies with the
filing requirements of § 301.7701(b)–7(b)
and (c) of this chapter and, in particular,
such individual timely files with the
Internal Revenue Service Form 1040NR,
‘‘U.S. Nonresident Alien Income Tax
Return,’’ or Form 1040NR–EZ, ‘‘U.S.
Income Tax Return for Certain
Nonresident Aliens With No
Dependents,’’ as applicable, and
attaches thereto Form 8833, ‘‘TreatyBased Return Position Disclosure Under
Section 6114 or 7701(b),’’ such
individual will not be required to report
specified foreign financial assets on
Form 8938 with respect to the portion
of the taxable year covered by Form
1040NR (or Form 1040NR–EZ).
(3) Dual resident taxpayer filing as
resident alien at end of taxable year. If
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a specified individual to whom this
paragraph (e) applies computes his or
her U.S. income tax liability as a
resident alien on the last day of the
taxable year and complies with the
filing requirements of § 1.6012–
1(b)(2)(ii)(a) and, in particular, such
individual timely files with the Internal
Revenue Service Form 1040, ‘‘U.S.
Individual Income Tax Return,’’ or Form
1040EZ, ‘‘Income Tax Return for Single
and Joint Filers With No Dependents,’’
as applicable, and attaches a properly
completed Form 8833 to the schedule
required by § 1.6012–1(b)(2)(ii)(a), such
individual will not be required to report
specified foreign financial assets on
Form 8938 with respect to the portion
of the individual’s taxable year reflected
on the schedule to such Form 1040 or
Form 1040EZ required by § 1.6012–
1(b)(2)(ii)(a).
(f) Example. The following example
illustrates the application of paragraph
(c) of this section:
Example (1) Facts. Two married specified
individuals, H and W, jointly own a specified
foreign financial asset with a value of
$90,000 at all times during the taxable year.
H separately has an interest in a specified
foreign financial asset with a value of
$10,000 at all times during the taxable year.
W separately has an interest in a specified
foreign financial asset with a value of $1,000
at all times during the taxable year.
(2) Filing requirement—(i) Married
specified individuals filing separate annual
returns. If H and W file separate annual
returns, the aggregate value of the specified
foreign financial assets in which H has an
interest at the end of the taxable year is
$55,000, comprising one-half of the value of
the jointly owned asset, $45,000, and the
value of H’s separately owned specified
foreign financial asset, $10,000. The
aggregate value of the specified foreign
financial assets in which W has an interest
at the end of the taxable year is $46,000,
comprising one-half of the value of the
jointly owned asset, $45,000, and the value
of W’s separately owned specified foreign
financial asset, $1,000. H must file Form
8938 with his annual return for the taxable
year because the aggregate value of the
specified foreign financial assets in which H
has an interest exceeds the applicable
reporting threshold ($50,000) set forth in
§ 1.6038D–2(a)(1). H must report the
maximum value of the entire jointly owned
asset, $90,000, and the maximum value of the
separately owned asset, $10,000. See
§ 1.6038D–5(b) regarding the maximum value
of a jointly owned specified foreign financial
asset to be reported by a specified person,
including a married specified individual, that
is a joint owner of an asset. The aggregate
value of the specified foreign financial assets
in which W has an interest, $46,000, does not
exceed the applicable reporting threshold set
forth in § 1.6038D–2(a)(1). W is not required
to file Form 8938 with her separate annual
return.
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(ii) Married specified individuals filing a
joint annual return. If H and W file a joint
annual return, they must file a single Form
8938 with their joint annual return for the
taxable year because the aggregate value of all
of the specified foreign financial assets in
which either H or W have an interest
($90,000 (included only once), $10,000, and
$1000, or $101,000) exceeds the applicable
reporting threshold ($100,000) set forth in
§ 1.6038D–2(a)(2). The single Form 8938
must report the maximum value of the jointly
owned specified foreign financial asset,
$90,000, and the maximum value of the
specified foreign financial assets separately
owned by H and W, $10,000 and $1,000,
respectively.
(g) Effective/applicability dates. This
section applies to taxable years ending
after December 19, 2011. Taxpayers may
elect to apply the rules of this section
to taxable years ending prior to
December 19, 2011.
§ 1.6038D–2T
[Removed]
Par. 7. Section 1.6038D–2T is
removed.
■ Par. 8. Section 1.6038D–3 is added to
read as follows:
■
§ 1.6038D–3
assets.
Specified foreign financial
(a) Financial accounts—(1) In general.
Except as otherwise provided in this
section, a specified foreign financial
asset includes any financial account
maintained by a foreign financial
institution. An asset held in a financial
account maintained by a foreign
financial institution is not required to be
separately reported on Form 8938,
‘‘Statement of Specified Foreign
Financial Assets.’’
(2) Financial account in a U.S.
possession. A specified foreign financial
asset includes a financial account
maintained by a financial institution
that is organized under the laws of a
U.S. possession.
(3) Excepted financial accounts—(i)
Accounts maintained by U.S. payors. A
financial account maintained by a U.S.
payor as defined in § 1.6049–5(c)(5)(i)
(including assets held in such an
account) is not a specified foreign
financial asset for purposes of section
6038D and the regulations.
(ii) Mark-to-market election under
section 475. A financial account is not
a specified foreign financial asset if the
rules of section 475(a) apply to all of the
holdings in the account or an election
under section 475(e) or (f) is made with
respect to all of the holdings in the
account.
(b) Other specified foreign financial
assets—(1) In general. Except as
otherwise provided in this section, a
specified foreign financial asset
includes any of the following assets that
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are not financial accounts and that are
held for investment and not held in an
account maintained by a financial
institution—
(i) Stock or securities issued by a
person other than a United States
person (including stock or securities
issued by a person organized under the
laws of a U.S. possession);
(ii) A financial instrument or contract
that has an issuer or counterparty which
is other than a United States person
(including a financial instrument or
contract issued by a person organized
under the laws of a U.S. possession);
and
(iii) An interest in a foreign entity.
(2) Mark-to-market election under
section 475. An asset is not a specified
foreign financial asset if the rules of
section 475(a) apply to the asset or an
election under section 475(e) or (f) is
made with respect to the asset.
(3) Held for investment. An asset is
held for investment for purposes of
section 6038D and the regulations if that
asset is not used in, or held for use in,
the conduct of a trade or business of a
specified person.
(4) Trade-or-business test. For
purposes of section 6038D and the
regulations, an asset is used in, or held
for use in, the conduct of a trade or
business and not held for investment if
the asset is—
(i) Held for the principal purpose of
promoting the present conduct of the
trade or business;
(ii) Acquired and held in the ordinary
course of the trade or business, as, for
example, in the case of an account or
note receivable arising from that trade or
business; or
(iii) Otherwise held in a direct
relationship to the trade or business as
determined under paragraph (b)(5) of
this section.
(5) Direct relationship between
holding an asset and a trade or
business—(i) In general. In determining
whether an asset is held in a direct
relationship to the conduct of a trade or
business by a specified person,
principal consideration will be given to
whether the asset is needed in the trade
or business of the specified person. An
asset shall be considered needed in the
trade or business, for this purpose, only
if the asset is held to meet the present
needs of that trade or business and not
its anticipated future needs. An asset
shall be considered as needed in the
trade or business if, for example, the
asset is held to meet the operating
expenses of the trade or business.
Conversely, an asset shall be considered
as not needed in the trade or business
if, for example, the asset is held for the
purpose of providing for future
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14:38 Dec 11, 2014
Jkt 235001
diversification into a new trade or
business, future plant replacement, or
future business contingencies. Stock is
never considered used or held for use in
a trade or business for purposes of
applying this test.
(ii) Presumption of direct relationship.
An asset will be treated as held in a
direct relationship to the conduct of a
trade or business of a specified person
if—
(A) The asset was acquired with funds
generated by the trade or business of the
specified person or the affiliated group
of the specified person, if any;
(B) The income from the asset is
retained or reinvested in the trade or
business; and
(C) Personnel who are actively
involved in the conduct of the trade or
business exercise significant
management and control over the
investment of such asset.
(c) Special rule for interests in foreign
trusts and foreign estates. An interest in
a foreign trust or a foreign estate is not
a specified foreign financial asset of a
specified person unless the person
knows, or has reason to know based on
readily accessible information, of the
interest. Receipt of a distribution from
the foreign trust or foreign estate
constitutes actual knowledge for this
purpose.
(d) Examples. Examples of assets
other than financial accounts that may
be considered other specified foreign
financial assets include, but are not
limited to—
(1) Stock issued by a foreign
corporation;
(2) A capital or profits interest in a
foreign partnership;
(3) A note, bond, debenture, or other
form of indebtedness issued by a foreign
person;
(4) An interest in a foreign trust;
(5) An interest rate swap, currency
swap, basis swap, interest rate cap,
interest rate floor, commodity swap,
equity swap, equity index swap, credit
default swap, or similar agreement with
a foreign counterparty; and
(6) Any option or other derivative
instrument with respect to any of the
items listed as examples in this
paragraph or with respect to any
currency or commodity that is entered
into with a foreign counterparty or
issuer.
(e) Effective/applicability dates. This
section applies to taxable years ending
after December 19, 2011. Taxpayers may
elect to apply the rules of this section
to taxable years ending prior to
December 19, 2011.
§ 1.6038D–3T
[Removed]
Par. 9. Section 1.6038D–3T is
removed.
■
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Par. 10. Section 1.6038D–4 is added
to read as follows:
■
§ 1.6038D–4
reported.
Information required to be
(a) Required information. The
following information must be reported
on Form 8938, ‘‘Statement of Specified
Foreign Financial Assets,’’ with respect
to each specified foreign financial asset:
(1) In the case of a financial account,
the name and address of the foreign
financial institution with which the
account is maintained and the account
number of the financial account;
(2) In the case of stock or securities,
the name and address of the issuer, and
information that identifies the class or
issue of which the stock or security is
a part;
(3) In the case of a financial
instrument or contract, information that
identifies the financial instrument or
contract, including the names and
addresses of all issuers and
counterparties;
(4) In the case of an interest in a
foreign entity, information that
identifies the interest, including the
name and address of the foreign entity
in which the interest is held;
(5) The maximum value of the
specified foreign financial asset during
the portion of the taxable year in which
the specified person has an interest in
the asset;
(6) In the case of a financial account
that is a depository account as defined
in § 1.1471–5(b)(3)(i) or a custodial
account as defined in § 1.1471–
5(b)(3)(ii), whether the account was
opened or closed during the taxable
year;
(7) The date, if any, on which the
specified foreign financial asset, other
than a financial account that is a
depository account as defined in
§ 1.1471–5(b)(3)(i) or a custodial
account as defined in § 1.1471–
5(b)(3)(ii), was either acquired or
disposed of (or both) during the taxable
year;
(8) The amount of any income, gain,
loss, deduction, or credit recognized for
the taxable year with respect to the
reported specified foreign financial
asset, and the schedule, form, or return
filed with the Internal Revenue Service
on which the income, gain, loss,
deduction, or credit, if any, is reported
or included by the specified person;
(9) The foreign currency in which the
account is maintained or the asset is
denominated, the foreign currency
exchange rate and, if the source of such
rate is other than as described in
§ 1.6038D–5(c)(1), the source of the rate
used to determine the specified foreign
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financial asset’s U.S. dollar value,
including maximum value;
(10) For any specified foreign
financial asset excepted from reporting
on Form 8938 under § 1.6038D–7(a), the
specified person must report the
number of Forms 3520, ‘‘Annual Return
To Report Transactions With Foreign
Trusts and Receipt of Certain Foreign
Gifts,’’ Forms 3520–A, ‘‘Annual
Information Return of Foreign Trust
With a U.S. Owner,’’ Forms 5471,
‘‘Information Return of U.S. Persons
With Respect To Certain Foreign
Corporations,’’ Forms 8621, ‘‘Return by
a Shareholder of a Passive Foreign
Investment Company or a Qualified
Electing Fund,’’ Forms 8865, ‘‘Return of
U.S. Persons With Respect To Certain
Foreign Partnerships,’’ and, solely for
taxable years beginning after March 18,
2010, and ending on or before December
31, 2013, Forms 8891, ‘‘U.S. Information
Return for Beneficiaries of Certain
Canadian Registered Retirement Plans,’’
or such other form under Title 26 of the
United States Code identified by the
Secretary under § 1.6038D–7(a), timely
filed with the Internal Revenue Service
on which excepted foreign financial
assets are reported or reflected for the
taxable year; and
(11) Such other information as may be
required by Form 8938 or its
instructions or other guidance.
(b) Effective/applicability dates. This
section applies to taxable years ending
after December 19, 2011. Taxpayers may
elect to apply the rules of this section
to taxable years ending prior to
December 19, 2011.
§ 1.6038D–4T
[Removed]
Par. 11. Section 1.6038D–4T is
removed.
■ Par. 12. Section 1.6038D–5 is added
to read as follows:
■
rljohnson on DSK3VPTVN1PROD with RULES
§ 1.6038D–5
Valuation guidelines.
(a) Fair market value. Except as
provided in paragraphs (c) and (e) of
this section, the value of a specified
foreign financial asset for purposes of
determining the aggregate value of
specified foreign financial assets held by
a specified person and the maximum
value of a specified foreign financial
asset required to be reported on Form
8938, ‘‘Statement of Specified Foreign
Financial Assets,’’ is the asset’s fair
market value.
(b) Valuation of assets—(1) Maximum
value. Except as provided in this
section, the maximum value of a
specified foreign financial asset means a
reasonable estimate of the asset’s
maximum fair market value during the
taxable year.
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(2) U.S. dollars. For purposes of
determining the aggregate value of
specified foreign financial assets in
which a specified person has an interest
and determining the maximum value of
a specified foreign financial asset, the
value of a specified foreign financial
asset denominated in a foreign currency
during the taxable year must be
determined in the foreign currency and
then converted to U.S. dollars.
(3) Asset with no positive value. If the
maximum fair market value of a
specified foreign financial asset is zero
or less than zero, then the asset’s value
is treated as zero for purposes of
determining the aggregate value of
specified foreign financial assets in
which a specified person has an
interest, and the maximum value of the
specified foreign financial asset is zero
for purposes of reporting under
§ 1.6038D–4(a)(5).
(c) Foreign currency conversion—(1)
In general. Except as provided in
paragraphs (c)(2) and (d) of this section,
the U.S. Treasury Department’s Bureau
of the Fiscal Service foreign currency
exchange rate is to be used to convert
the value of a specified foreign financial
asset into U.S. dollars for purposes of
determining the aggregate value of
specified foreign financial assets in
which a specified person has an interest
and determining the maximum value of
a specified foreign financial asset.
(2) Other publicly available exchange
rate. If no U.S. Treasury Department
Bureau of the Fiscal Service foreign
currency exchange rate is available for
a particular currency, another publicly
available foreign currency exchange rate
may be used to convert the value of a
specified foreign financial asset into
U.S. dollars. In such case, the source of
the foreign currency exchange rate must
be disclosed on Form 8938.
(3) Currency exchange rate. In
converting the currency of a foreign
country, the foreign currency exchange
rate applicable for converting the
currency into U.S. dollars (that is, to
purchase U.S. dollars) must be used.
(4) Determination date. In converting
the currency of a foreign country into
U.S. dollars for purposes of determining
the maximum value of a specified
foreign financial asset and determining
the aggregate value of specified foreign
financial assets in which a specified
person has an interest, the applicable
foreign currency exchange rate is the
rate on the last day of the taxable year
of the specified person, even if the
specified person sold or otherwise
disposed of a specified foreign financial
asset prior to the last day of such year.
(d) Financial accounts. A specified
person may rely upon periodic account
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statements that are provided at least
annually by or on behalf of a financial
institution maintaining an account,
including the foreign currency
conversion reflected in those
statements, to determine the financial
account’s maximum value unless the
specified person has actual knowledge,
or reason to know based on readily
accessible information, that the
statements do not reflect a reasonable
estimate of the maximum account value
during the taxable year.
(e) Asset held in a financial account.
The value of an asset held in a financial
account maintained by a foreign
financial institution is included in
determining the value of that financial
account for purposes of § 1.6038D–5(a).
(f) Other specified foreign financial
assets—(1) General rule. Except as
provided in paragraphs (f)(2) and (3) of
this section, for specified foreign
financial assets that are not financial
accounts and that are held for
investment and not held in an account
maintained by a financial institution, a
specified person may use the value of
the asset as of the last day of the taxable
year on which the specified person has
an interest in the asset as the maximum
value of that asset, unless the specified
person has actual knowledge, or reason
to know based on readily accessible
information, that the value does not
reflect a reasonable estimate of the
maximum value of the asset during the
taxable year.
(2) Interests in trusts that are specified
foreign financial assets—(i) Maximum
value. If a specified person is a
beneficiary of a foreign trust, the
maximum value of the specified
person’s interest in the trust is the sum
of—
(A) The fair market value, determined
as of the last day of the taxable year, of
all of the currency or other property
distributed from the foreign trust during
the taxable year to the specified person
as a beneficiary; and
(B) The value, determined as of the
last day of the taxable year, of the
specified person’s right as a beneficiary
to receive mandatory distributions from
the foreign trust as determined under
section 7520.
(ii) Reporting threshold. For purposes
of determining the aggregate value of
specified foreign financial assets in
which a specified person has an
interest, if the specified person does not
know, or have reason to know based on
readily accessible information, the fair
market value of the person’s interest in
a foreign trust during the taxable year,
the value to be included in determining
the aggregate value of the specified
foreign financial assets is the maximum
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value of the specified person’s interest
in the foreign trust under paragraph
(f)(2)(i) of this section.
(3) Interests in estates, pension plans,
and deferred compensation plans—(i)
Maximum value. The maximum value
of a specified person’s interest in a
foreign estate, foreign pension plan, or
foreign deferred compensation plan is
the fair market value, determined as of
the last day of the taxable year, of the
specified person’s beneficial interest in
the assets of the foreign estate, foreign
pension plan, or foreign deferred
compensation plan. If the specified
person does not know, or have reason to
know based on readily accessible
information, such fair market value, the
maximum value to be reported is the
fair market value, determined as of the
last day of the taxable year, of the
currency and other property distributed
during the taxable year to the specified
person as a beneficiary or participant.
(ii) Reporting threshold. For purposes
of determining the aggregate value of
specified foreign financial assets in
which a specified person has an
interest, if the specified person does not
know, or have reason to know based on
readily accessible information, the fair
market value of the person’s interest in
a foreign estate, foreign pension plan, or
foreign deferred compensation plan
during the taxable year, the value to be
included in determining the aggregate
value of the specified foreign financial
assets is the fair market value,
determined as of the last day of the
taxable year, of the currency and other
property distributed during the taxable
year to the specified person as a
beneficiary or participant.
(g) Effective/applicability dates. This
section applies to taxable years ending
after December 19, 2011. Taxpayers may
elect to apply the rules of this section
to taxable years ending prior to
December 19, 2011.
§ 1.6038D–5T
[Removed]
Par. 13. Section 1.6038D–5T is
removed.
■ Par. 14. Section 1.6038D–6 is added
to read as follows:
■
§ 1.6038D–6
[Reserved]
§ 1.6038D–6T
Specified domestic entities.
[Removed]
Par. 15. Section 1.6038D–6T is
removed.
■ Par. 16. Section 1.6038D–7 is added
to read as follows:
rljohnson on DSK3VPTVN1PROD with RULES
■
§ 1.6038D–7 Exceptions from the reporting
of certain assets under section 6038D.
(a) Elimination of duplicative
reporting of assets—(1) In general. A
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specified person is not required to
report a specified foreign financial asset
on Form 8938, ‘‘Statement of Specified
Foreign Financial Assets,’’ if the
specified person—
(i) Reports the asset on at least one of
the following forms timely filed with
the Internal Revenue Service for the
taxable year—
(A) Form 3520, ‘‘Annual Return To
Report Transactions With Foreign
Trusts and Receipt of Certain Foreign
Gifts’’ (in the case of a specified person
that is the beneficiary of a foreign trust);
(B) Form 5471, ‘‘Information Return of
U.S. Persons With Respect To Certain
Foreign Corporations’’;
(C) Form 8621, ‘‘Return by a
Shareholder of a Passive Foreign
Investment Company or Qualified
Electing Fund’’;
(D) Form 8865, ‘‘Return of U.S.
Persons With Respect To Certain
Foreign Partnerships’’;
(E) For taxable years beginning after
March 18, 2010, and ending on or before
December 31, 2013, Form 8891, ‘‘U.S.
Information Return for Beneficiaries of
Certain Canadian Registered Retirement
Plans’’; or
(F) Any other form under Title 26 of
the United States Code timely filed with
the Internal Revenue Service and
identified for this purpose by the
Secretary in regulations or other
guidance; and
(ii) Reports on Form 8938 the filing of
the form on which the asset is reported.
(2) Foreign grantor trusts. A specified
person that is treated as an owner of a
foreign trust or any portion of a foreign
trust under sections 671 through 679 is
not required to report any specified
foreign financial assets held by the
foreign trust on Form 8938, provided—
(i) The specified person reports the
trust on a Form 3520 timely filed with
the Internal Revenue Service for the
taxable year;
(ii) The trust timely files Form 3520–
A, ‘‘Annual Information Return of
Foreign Trust With a U.S. Owner,’’ with
the Internal Revenue Service for the
taxable year; and
(iii) The Form 8938 filed by the
specified person for the taxable year
reports the filing of the Form 3520 and
Form 3520–A.
(3) Joint Form 5471 or Form 8865
filing. A specified person that is
included as part of a joint Form 5471
filing pursuant to § 1.6038–2(j) or a joint
Form 8865 filing pursuant to § 1.6038–
3(c) and who notifies the Internal
Revenue Service as required by
§ 1.6038–2(i) or § 1.6038D–(3)(c) will be
considered to have filed a Form 5471 or
Form 8865 for purposes of paragraph
(a)(1) of this section.
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(b) Owner of certain trusts. A
specified person that is treated as an
owner of any portion of a domestic trust
under sections 671 through 678 is not
required to file Form 8938 to report any
specified foreign financial asset held by
the trust if the trust is—
(1) A widely-held fixed investment
trust under § 1.671–5; or
(2) A liquidating trust within the
meaning of § 301.7701–4(d) of this
chapter that is created pursuant to a
court order issued in a bankruptcy
under Chapter 7 (11 U.S.C. 701 et seq.)
or a confirmed plan under Chapter 11
(11 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.) of the
Bankruptcy Code.
(c) Special rules for bona fide
residents of a U.S. possession. A
specified individual who is a bona fide
resident of a U.S. possession is not
required to include the following
specified foreign financial assets in the
determination of the aggregate value of
his or her specified foreign financial
assets and, if required to file Form 8938
with the Internal Revenue Service, is
not required to report the following
specified foreign financial assets:
(1) A financial account maintained by
a financial institution organized under
the laws of the U.S. possession of which
the specified individual is a bona fide
resident;
(2) A financial account maintained by
a branch of a financial institution not
organized under the laws of the U.S.
possession of which the specified
individual is a bona fide resident, if the
branch is subject to the same tax and
information reporting requirements
applicable to a financial institution
organized under the laws of the U.S.
possession;
(3) Stock or securities issued by an
entity organized under the laws of the
U.S. possession of which the specified
individual is a bona fide resident;
(4) An interest in an entity organized
under the laws of the U.S. possession of
which the specified individual is a bona
fide resident; and
(5) A financial instrument or contract
held for investment, provided each
issuer or counterparty that is not a
United States person is—
(i) An entity organized under the laws
of the U.S. possession of which the
specified individual is a bona fide
resident; or
(ii) A bona fide resident of the U.S.
possession of which the specified
individual is a bona fide resident.
(d) Effective/applicability dates. This
section applies to taxable years ending
after December 19, 2011. Taxpayers may
elect to apply the rules of this section
to taxable years ending prior to
December 19, 2011.
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§ 1.6038D–7T
[Removed]
Par. 17. Section 1.6038D–7T is
removed.
■ Par. 18. Section 1.6038D–8 is added
to read as follows:
■
rljohnson on DSK3VPTVN1PROD with RULES
§ 1.6038D–8
disclose.
Penalties for failure to
(a) In general. If a specified person
fails to file a Form 8938, ‘‘Statement of
Specified Foreign Financial Assets,’’
that includes the information required
by section 6038D(c) and § 1.6038D–4
with respect to any taxable year at the
time and in the manner described in
section 6038D(a) and § 1.6038D–2, a
penalty of $10,000 will apply to that
specified person.
(b) Married specified individuals
filing a joint annual return. Married
specified individuals who file a joint
annual return and fail to file a required
Form 8938 that includes the information
required by section 6038D(c) and
§ 1.6038D–4 with respect to any taxable
year at the time and in the manner
described in section 6038D(a) and
§ 1.6038D–2 are subject to penalties
under this section as if the married
specified individuals are a single
specified individual. The liability of
married specified individuals who file a
joint annual return with respect to any
penalties under this section is joint and
several.
(c) Increase in penalty. If any failure
to comply with the applicable reporting
requirement of section 6038D and the
regulations continues for more than 90
days after the day on which the
Commissioner or his delegate mails a
notice of the failure to the specified
person required to file the Form 8938,
the specified person is required to pay
an additional penalty of $10,000 for
each 30-day period (or fraction thereof)
during which the failure continues after
the 90-day period has expired. The
additional penalty imposed by section
6038D(d)(2) and this paragraph (c) is
limited to a maximum of $50,000 for
each such failure.
(d) Presumption of aggregate value.
For the purpose of assessing penalties
imposed under section 6038D(d), if the
Commissioner or his delegate
determines that a specified person has
an interest in one or more specified
foreign financial assets and the specified
person does not provide sufficient
information to demonstrate the
aggregate value of the assets upon
request by the Commissioner or his
delegate, then the aggregate value of the
assets is treated as being in excess of the
applicable reporting threshold set forth
in § 1.6038D–2(a).
(e) Reasonable cause exception—(1)
In general. If the failure to report the
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information required in section
6038D(c) and § 1.6038D–4 is shown to
be due to reasonable cause and not due
to willful neglect, no penalty will be
imposed under section 6038D(d) or this
section.
(2) Affirmative showing required. In
order to show that the failure to report
the information required in section
6038D(c) and § 1.6038D–4 is due to
reasonable cause and not due to willful
neglect for purposes of section 6038D(g)
and this section, the specified person
must make an affirmative showing of all
the facts alleged as reasonable cause for
the failure to disclose.
(3) Facts and circumstances taken
into account. The determination of
whether a failure to disclose a specified
foreign financial asset on Form 8938
was due to reasonable cause and not
due to willful neglect is made on a caseby-case basis, taking into account all
pertinent facts and circumstances. The
fact that a foreign jurisdiction would
impose a civil or criminal penalty on
the specified person (or any other
person) for disclosing the required
information is not reasonable cause.
(f) Penalties for underpayments
attributable to undisclosed foreign
financial assets—(1) Accuracy-related
penalty. For application of the accuracyrelated penalty in the case of any
portion of an underpayment attributable
to any undisclosed foreign financial
asset understatement, see section
6662(j).
(2) Criminal penalties. In addition to
other penalties, failure to comply with
the reporting requirements of section
6038D and the regulations, or any
underpayment related to such failure,
may result in criminal penalties under
sections 7201, 7203, 7206, et seq., or
other provisions of Federal law.
(g) Effective/applicability dates. This
section applies to taxable years ending
after December 19, 2011. Taxpayers may
elect to apply the rules of this section
to taxable years ending prior to
December 19, 2011.
§ 1.6038D–8T
[Removed]
Par. 19. Section 1.6038D–8T is
removed.
■
John Dalrymple,
Deputy Commissioner for Services and
Enforcement.
Approved: December 4, 2014.
Mark J. Mazur,
Assistant Secretary of the Treasury (Tax
Policy).
[FR Doc. 2014–29125 Filed 12–11–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4830–01–P
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
30 CFR Part 553
[Docket ID: BOEM–2012–0076]
RIN 1010–AD87
Consumer Price Index Adjustments of
the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 Limit of
Liability for Offshore Facilities
Bureau of Ocean Energy
Management (BOEM), Interior.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
Final rule.
The Oil Pollution Act of 1990
(OPA) establishes a comprehensive
regime for addressing the consequences
of oil spills, ranging from spill response
to compensation for damages to injured
parties. Other than deepwater ports
subject to the Deepwater Port Act of
1974, the Bureau of Ocean Energy
Management (BOEM) is authorized to
adjust the limit of liability in OPA for
offshore facilities, including pipelines.
This rule amends BOEM’s regulations to
add to the regulations on Oil Spill
Financial Responsibility (OSFR) for
offshore facilities in order to increase
the limit of liability for damages caused
by the responsible party for an offshore
facility from which oil is discharged, or
which poses the substantial threat of an
oil discharge, as described in OPA. This
rule adjusts the limit of liability to
reflect the significant increase in the
Consumer Price Index (CPI) that has
taken place since 1990. It also
establishes a methodology for BOEM to
use to periodically adjust the OPA
offshore facility limit of liability for
inflation. BOEM is hereby increasing the
limit of liability for damages under OPA
from $75 million to $133.65 million.
SUMMARY:
This final rule is effective
January 12, 2015.
DATES:
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Peter Meffert, Office of Policy,
Regulations and Analysis (OPRA),
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management,
Department of the Interior, at 381 Elden
Street, MS–4050 Herndon, Virginia
20170–4817 at (703) 787–1610, or email
at peter.meffert@boem.gov. Questions
related to the limit of liability or the
adjustment process should be directed
to Dr. Marshall Rose, Chief, Economics
Division, Office of Strategic Resources,
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, at
381 Elden Street, MS–4050 Herndon,
Virginia 20170–4817 at (703) 787–1538,
or email at marshall.rose@boem.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
E:\FR\FM\12DER1.SGM
12DER1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 239 (Friday, December 12, 2014)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 73817-73832]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-29125]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
Internal Revenue Service
26 CFR Part 1
[TD 9706]
RIN 1545-BJ69
Reporting of Specified Foreign Financial Assets
AGENCY: Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Treasury.
ACTION: Final regulations and removal of temporary regulations.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This document contains final regulations providing guidance
relating to the provisions of the Hiring Incentives to Restore
Employment (HIRE) Act that require specified foreign financial assets
to be reported to the Internal Revenue Service for taxable years
beginning after March 18, 2010. In particular, the final regulations
provide guidance relating to the requirement that individuals attach a
statement to their income tax return to provide required information
regarding specified foreign financial assets in which they have an
interest. The final regulations affect individuals required to file
Form 1040, ``U.S. Individual Income Tax Return,'' or Form 1040-EZ,
``Income Tax Return for Single and Joint Filers With No Dependents,''
and certain individuals required to file Form 1040-NR, ``Nonresident
Alien Income Tax Return,'' or Form 1040NR-EZ, ``U.S. Income Tax Return
for Certain Nonresident Aliens with No Dependents.''
DATES: Effective Date: These regulations are effective on December 12,
2014.
Applicability Date: For dates of applicability, see Sec. Sec.
1.6038D-1(b), 1.6038D-2(g), 1.6038D-3(e), 1.6038D-4(b), 1.6038D-5(g),
1.6038D-7(d), and 1.6038D-8(g).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joseph S. Henderson or Michael
Kaercher, (202) 317-6942 (not a toll-free number).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Paperwork Reduction Act
An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required
to
[[Page 73818]]
respond to, a collection of information unless the collection of
information displays a valid control number. The collection of
information contained in these regulations has been submitted to the
Office of Management and Budget for review in accordance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3507(d)). The collection of
information is satisfied by filing Form 8938, ``Statement of Specified
Foreign Financial Assets,'' OMB No. 1545-2195, with the respondent's
income tax return.
Books and records relating to a collection of information must be
retained as long as their contents may become material in the
administration of any internal revenue law. Generally, tax returns and
tax return information are confidential, as required by 26 U.S.C. 6103.
Background
On December 19, 2011, the Department of the Treasury (Treasury
Department) and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) published temporary
regulations (TD 9567) (the ``2011 temporary regulations'') and a notice
of proposed rulemaking by cross-reference to the 2011 temporary
regulations in the Federal Register addressing the reporting
requirements under section 6038D (76 FR 78553, TD 9567, 2012-1 IRB
395); (76 FR 75894; REG-130302-10, 2012-1 IRB 412). The notice of
proposed rulemaking also included Prop. Reg. Sec. 1.6038D-6, setting
out the conditions under which a domestic entity will be considered a
specified domestic entity and, therefore, required to report specified
foreign financial assets in which it holds an interest. Corrections to
the 2011 temporary regulations were published on February 21, 2012, in
the Federal Register (77 FR 9845). Corrections to Prop. Reg. Sec.
1.6038D-6 were published in the Federal Register on February 21, 2012
(77 FR 9877) and February 22, 2012 (77 FR 10422).
The Treasury Department and the IRS received written comments on
the 2011 temporary regulations and Prop. Reg. Sec. 1.6038D-6. All
comments are available at www.regulations.gov or upon request. Because
no requests to speak were received, no public hearing was held. After
consideration of the comments received, the Treasury Department and the
IRS adopt the 2011 temporary regulations as final regulations with the
modifications described herein. The Treasury Department and the IRS are
not adopting Prop. Reg. Sec. 1.6038D-6 as a final regulation at this
time. Prop. Reg. Sec. 1.6038D-6 (REG-144339-14) will be adopted as a
final regulation at a later date.
Summary of Comments and Explanation of Revisions
I. Requirement To Report Specified Foreign Financial Assets (Sec.
1.6038D-2)
A. Individuals Required To Report (Sec. 1.6038D-2(a))
A number of comments were received requesting that additional
categories of individuals be relieved of the requirement to report
specified foreign financial assets under section 6038D.
1. Dual Resident Taxpayers
A comment recommended an exemption from the section 6038D reporting
requirements be included for an individual who is a dual resident
taxpayer and who, pursuant to a provision of a treaty that provides for
resolution of conflicting claims of residence by the United States and
the treaty partner, claims to be treated as a resident of the treaty
partner. In such a case, a dual resident taxpayer may claim a treaty
benefit as a resident of the treaty partner and will be taxed as a
nonresident for U.S. tax purposes for the taxable year (or portion of
the taxable year) that the individual is treated as a nonresident. The
final rule adopts this recommendation for a dual resident taxpayer who
determines his or her U.S. tax liability as if he or she were a
nonresident alien and claims a treaty benefit as a nonresident of the
United States as provided in Sec. 301.7701(b)-7 by timely filing a
Form 1040NR, ``Nonresident Alien Income Tax Return,'' (or such other
appropriate form under that section) and attaching a Form 8833,
``Treaty-Based Return Position Disclosure Under Section 6114 or
7701(b).'' The Treasury Department and the IRS have concluded that
reporting under section 6038D is closely associated with the
determination of an individual's income tax liability. Because the
taxpayer's filing of a Form 8833 with his or her Form 1040NR (or other
appropriate form) will permit the IRS to identify individuals in this
category and take follow-up tax enforcement actions when considered
appropriate, reporting on Form 8938, ``Statement of Specified Foreign
Financial Assets,'' is not essential to effective IRS tax enforcement
efforts relating to this category of U.S. residents.
2. Individuals Resident in the United States Under Non-Immigrant Visas
A number of comments requested an exemption from the section 6038D
reporting requirements for foreign executives and employees resident in
the United States under non-immigrant H, L, or E visas. The final rule
does not adopt this recommendation. Section 6038D is intended to
provide the IRS with information concerning the specified foreign
financial assets of U.S. taxpayers to aid the IRS in enforcing tax laws
fairly and uniformly. Because all U.S. residents are taxable on
worldwide income, excluding categories of residents from the scope of
section 6038D reporting is not consistent with the purposes for which
the provision was enacted. Individuals in the United States under non-
immigrant visas often stay in the United States for years, making it
difficult to justify treating them more favorably than other U.S.
residents. For stays in the United States of a shorter duration, the
Treasury Department and the IRS have determined that the distinctions
drawn in the definition of a U.S. resident in Sec. 1.6038D-1(a)(3)
(which cross-references section 7701(b)) best carry out the purposes of
section 6038D.
3. Persons That Do Not Owe U.S. Tax for the Taxable Year
Another comment requested revising Sec. 1.6038D-2(a)(7) to exempt
from the section 6038D reporting requirements specified persons that do
not owe U.S. taxes for the taxable year. The final rule does not adopt
this comment. As provided in the 2011 temporary regulations, the final
rule states that a specified person that does not have to file a tax
return for the year does not have to file a Form 8938. See Sec.
1.6038D-2(a)(7)(i). If the law requires the filing of a tax return,
however, information reported on a Form 8938 concerning the taxpayer's
specified foreign financial assets is an important component of that
return, even if no tax liability is shown. Requiring this filing will
aid the IRS in devising effective enforcement programs with respect to
such returns.
B. Applicable Reporting Thresholds (Sec. 1.6038D-2(a))
Several comments requested increases to the reporting thresholds
provided in Sec. 1.6038D-2(a) for certain types of assets or for
certain classes of individuals. Other comments recommended that the
increased thresholds in the 2011 temporary regulations applicable to
certain specified individuals living abroad be extended to additional
categories of taxpayers.
1. Assets Received in Connection With the Performance of Personal
Services
Some comments requested increased reporting thresholds, or a
complete exemption from reporting, for specified
[[Page 73819]]
foreign financial assets received in connection with an individual's
performance of personal services as an employee of a foreign employer.
The concerns raised in these comment letters primarily relate to the
difficulty of valuing these types of assets. However, the 2011
temporary regulations already broadly address valuation concerns
relating to these assets by providing a simplified valuation rule for
interests in foreign pension plans or foreign deferred compensation
plans if the beneficiary does not know, or have reason to know based on
readily accessible information, the value of the interest. In such
cases, the value of the individual's interest in the plan is limited to
the value of the distributions received from the plan during the year
for purposes of both calculating the applicable reporting thresholds
and reporting the maximum value of the interest. See Sec. 1.6038D-
5(f)(3).
These comments are further addressed by clarifying in the final
rule that nonvested interests in property received in connection with
the performance of personal services are not required to be reported.
See section I.C.1 in this preamble, which describes this clarification
incorporated in the final rule.
Because the Treasury Department and the IRS have determined that
the concerns underlying these comments are best addressed by these
rules and that the method of acquisition of a specified foreign
financial asset should not determine an individual's section 6038D
reporting obligations, the final rule does not adopt this request.
2. Employees Seconded to the United States
Comments requested that higher reporting thresholds (or a reporting
exemption) should apply in the case of certain employees seconded to
the United States by foreign employers. For the reasons set forth in
section I.A.2 (relating to individuals resident in the United States
under non-immigrant visas) and in section I.B.3 (addressing U.S.
residents who do not qualify for section 911 benefits), the final rule
does not adopt this recommendation.
3. Non-Citizen U.S. Residents Who Do Not Qualify for Section 911
Benefits
A comment was received requesting that higher reporting thresholds
apply in the case of a non-citizen resident of the United States who
would qualify for benefits under section 911(d)(1)(A) if he or she were
a U.S. citizen. This request has not been adopted in the final rule for
administrability reasons. The 2011 temporary regulations tie the
increased reporting thresholds in Sec. 1.6038D-2(a) to an individual's
status as a qualified individual under section 911(d)(1) in order to
allow the IRS to use the taxpayer's filing of the return required to
claim section 911 benefits (Form 2555, ``Foreign Earned Income'', or
Form 2555-EZ, ``Foreign Earned Income Exclusion'') as a marker to
indicate that higher reporting thresholds may apply to the taxpayer.
The ability to easily identify taxpayers who may be eligible for the
increased thresholds is essential to permit the IRS to target
appropriate enforcement programs to taxpayers subject to different
reporting thresholds in a cost effective manner.
C. Interest in a Specified Foreign Financial Asset (Sec. 1.6038D-2(b))
A number of comments requested that the final regulations clarify
the reporting requirements with respect to certain interests in assets
under Sec. 1.6038D-2(b). These clarifications have been incorporated
in the final rule.
1. Nonvested Property Under Section 83
A comment requested clarification regarding whether an individual
is considered to have an interest in property transferred in connection
with the performance of personal services during any period that the
individual's interest in the property is not vested. The final rule in
Sec. 1.6038D-2(b)(2) clarifies that a specified person that is
transferred property in connection with the performance of personal
services is first considered to have an interest in the property for
purposes of section 6038D on the first date that the property is
substantially vested (within the meaning of Sec. 1.83-3(b)) or, in the
case of property with respect to which a specified person makes a valid
election under section 83(b), on the date of transfer of the property.
2. Assets Held by a Disregarded Entity
A number of comments requested clarification of the section 6038D
reporting requirements with respect to specified foreign financial
assets held by an entity disregarded as an entity separate from its
owner under Sec. 301.7701-2 of this chapter (a disregarded entity). In
response to these requests, and consistent with instructions to Form
8938, the final rule provides in Sec. 1.6038D-2(b)(4)(iii) that a
specified person that owns a foreign or domestic entity that is a
disregarded entity is treated as having an interest in any specified
foreign financial assets held by the disregarded entity. As a result, a
specified person that owns a disregarded entity (whether domestic or
foreign) that, in turn, owns specified foreign financial assets must
include the value of those assets in determining whether the specified
person meets the reporting thresholds in Sec. 1.6038D-2(a) and, if so,
must report such assets on Form 8938.
D. Jointly Owned Assets (Sec. 1.6038D-2(c))
A number of comments requested clarification of aspects of the
rules in Sec. 1.6038D-2(c) and (d) relating to joint owners of a
specified foreign financial asset. These comments have been adopted.
Specifically, the final rule clarifies that each of the joint owners of
a specified foreign financial asset who are not married to each other
must include the full value of the asset (rather than only the value of
the specified person's interest in the asset) in determining whether
the aggregate value of such specified individual's specified foreign
financial assets exceeds the applicable reporting thresholds, and each
joint owner must report the full value of the asset on his or her Form
8938. See Sec. 1.6038D-2(c)(1)(i) and (c)(1)(ii). In addition, the
final rule clarifies that, in the case of joint owners who are married
to each other and file separate returns, each joint owner of a
specified foreign financial asset must report the full value of the
asset (rather than only the value of the specified person's interest in
the asset) on the individual's Form 8938, even if both spouses are
specified individuals and only one-half of the value of the asset is
considered in determining the applicable reporting thresholds under
Sec. 1.6038D-2(c)(3)(i). See Sec. 1.6038D-2(d)(2).
II. Specified Foreign Financial Assets (Sec. 1.6038D-3)
A. Financial Account (Sec. 1.6038D-3(a))
1. Retirement and Pension Accounts and Certain Non-Retirement Savings
Accounts
The definition of a financial account in the 2011 temporary
regulations is based on the definition of a financial account for
chapter 4 purposes, subject to an exception for certain retirement and
pension accounts and non-retirement savings accounts that are financial
accounts for section 6038D purposes but that are not treated as
financial accounts for purposes of chapter 4. See Sec. Sec. 1.6038D-
1(a)(7), 1.1471-1(b)(49), and 1.1471-5(b). These final regulations
modify the definition of a financial account for purposes of section
6038D in order to require consistent reporting under section 6038D with
respect to retirement and pension accounts and certain non-
[[Page 73820]]
retirement savings accounts regardless of whether the account is
maintained in a jurisdiction treated as having in effect a Model 1 IGA
or Model 2 IGA. For financial accounts that are maintained by a foreign
financial institution that is not located in a jurisdiction treated as
having in effect a Model 1 IGA or Model 2 IGA, the definition of a
financial account in the final rule continues to include the retirement
and pension accounts and non-retirement savings accounts described in
Sec. 1.1471-5(b)(2)(i), consistent with the section 6038D coordination
rule in that section. See Sec. 1.1471-5(b)(2)(i)(D). For taxable years
beginning after December 12, 2014, these final regulations also provide
that retirement and pension accounts, non-retirement savings accounts,
and accounts satisfying conditions similar to those described in Sec.
1.1471-5(b)(2)(i) and that are excluded from the definition of a
financial account under an applicable Model 1 IGA or Model 2 IGA (as
provided in Sec. 1.1471-5(b)(2)(vi)) are included in the definition of
a financial account for purposes of section 6038D. The Treasury
Department and the IRS intend to amend the chapter 4 regulations to add
a section 6038D coordination rule to Sec. 1.1471-5(b)(2)(vi) providing
that such accounts are included in the definition of a financial
account for purposes of section 6038D.
2. Short-Term Accounts
One comment recommended the addition of an exception to the
definition of a financial account for an account in which funds are
held for less than 15 days, provided the income generated from the
account does not exceed $1,000. The final rule does not incorporate
this comment. The 2011 temporary regulations already provide relief for
many short-term accounts through a broad exception to the definition of
financial account for escrow accounts. See Sec. Sec. 1.6038D-1(a)(7)
and 1.1471-5(b)(2)(iv). This exception is administrable because these
accounts are of a type that is distinguishable from other accounts. A
broader exception for short-term accounts could significantly
complicate IRS efforts to devise effective enforcement programs based
on comprehensive account reporting under section 6038D.
3. Assets Held in an Account Maintained by a Foreign Financial
Institution
Another comment requested clarification that specified foreign
financial assets held in a financial account are excluded from the
definition of specified foreign financial assets. The 2011 temporary
regulations already provide that the foreign financial account itself,
and not the assets held in such an account, must be reported for
section 6038D purposes. See Sec. 1.6038D-3(a)(1). Accordingly, no
change has been adopted in response to this comment.
4. Life Insurance With a Cash Surrender Value
A comment requested clarification of the section 6038D reporting
requirements applicable to a life insurance policy with a cash
surrender value. Because the definition of financial account for
section 6038D purposes is based on the definition of a financial
account for chapter 4 purposes, which includes these contracts, the
2011 temporary regulations already provide clear rules requiring a
taxpayer to report these contracts on Form 8938. Accordingly, the final
rule is not modified to further address this issue. See Sec. Sec.
1.6038D-1(a)(7), 1.1471-5(b)(1)(iv), and 1.1471-5(b)(3)(vii).
5. Request for Examples of Foreign Financial Assets Not To Be Reported
A number of comments requested examples of the types of financial
assets that are not required to be reported under section 6038D. The
Treasury Department and the IRS have not provided these examples in the
final rule because the 2011 temporary regulations, as well as the
relevant portions of the regulations under chapters 4 and 61, already
include detailed rules to support taxpayer determinations as to whether
an asset is a specified foreign financial asset that must be reported.
For example, Sec. 1.6038D-3(d) includes examples of assets other than
financial accounts that are included within the definition of specified
foreign financial asset, and the rules in Sec. 1.6049-5(b)(5)(i)
provide detail concerning which financial institutions are U.S. payors
for purposes of determining that an account is maintained by such an
institution and therefore is not required to be reported under section
6038D.
The Treasury Department and the IRS will continue to consider
comments and whether additional guidance is warranted to address
particular types of assets under section 6038D.
B. Other Specified Foreign Financial Assets (Sec. 1.6038D-3(b))
1. Assets Held for Investment and Not Used in, or Held for Use in, the
Conduct of the Taxpayer's Trade or Business
A number of comment letters recommended changes to the approach set
forth in the 2011 temporary regulations for determining whether an
asset other than a financial account is held for investment (and
therefore may be reportable under section 6038D) or is instead excepted
from the definition of a specified foreign financial asset because it
is used in, or held for use in, the conduct of a trade or business
under Sec. 1.6038D-3(b)(3), (b)(4), and (b)(5).
Several comments requested a bright line test for distinguishing
between non-financial account assets subject to reporting and those not
subject to reporting. For example, one such comment recommended looking
to whether an asset was acquired in the taxpayer's trade or business
rather than whether the asset was used in, or held for use in, the
conduct of the taxpayer's trade or business. Another comment suggested
providing that contracts issued in the ordinary course of the issuer's
(rather than the taxpayer's) trade or business should not be reportable
by the taxpayer. The final rule does not change the definition of a
specified foreign financial asset as suggested in these comments. The
Treasury Department and the IRS have determined that the reporting rule
under the 2011 temporary regulations strikes an appropriate balance
under section 6038D by focusing on whether an asset is held for
investment. Distinguishing assets held for investment from assets with
a close nexus to the taxpayer's trade or business is an inherently
factual determination that is not susceptible to a bright line test.
The Treasury Department and the IRS have concluded that the 2011
temporary regulations provide reasonable rules that will yield
appropriate reporting results in a wide variety of fact patterns
involving the taxpayer's trade or business.
Another comment requested a rule specifying that an asset
inadvertently acquired as a result of a corporate reorganization or an
in-kind asset distribution not be treated as held for investment, so
long as the asset is held by the taxpayer for only a short period of
time. The Treasury Department and the IRS have concluded that this type
of exception is not warranted because the general test set forth in the
2011 temporary regulations is fair, should be uniformly applied, and
should not be unduly burdensome to apply under these fact patterns.
[[Page 73821]]
2. Certain Hedging Transactions
One comment recommended modifying Sec. 1.6038D-3(b) to provide
that certain hedging transactions described in section 1221(a)(7) are
not specified foreign financial assets. The final rule does not adopt
the requested change. The Treasury Department and the IRS have
concluded that taxpayers engaging in hedging transactions should
determine whether such transactions are specified foreign financial
assets by applying the same general test applied by other taxpayers,
that is, by determining whether the hedging transaction is ``used in,
or held for use in, the conduct of a trade or business and not held for
investment.''
3. Employment Contracts
Another comment requested that the final rule provide that
employment contracts are not specified foreign financial assets. The
comment did not, however, suggest a definition of an employment
contract for this purpose. Moreover, the scope of property that could
be covered by such a contract may vary widely among taxpayers depending
on the industry and the location in which the taxpayer works. The
Treasury Department and the IRS have determined that the trade or
business test of Sec. 1.6038D-3(b)(3), (b)(4), and (b)(5) should apply
broadly to a wide range of financial assets in order to achieve uniform
reporting results for taxpayers with aggregate specified foreign
financial assets of similar value, and that a broad exclusion for
employment contracts should not be provided. Accordingly, the final
rule does not adopt this recommendation.
4. Shares of Foreign Corporations Traded on Public Stock Exchange
Some comments recommended that the definition of a specified
foreign financial asset exclude stock of a foreign corporation that is
traded on a public stock exchange (whether or not the exchange is
located in the United States). The Treasury Department and the IRS have
concluded that it is not appropriate to exclude stock or securities
issued by a person other than a U.S. person from section 6038D
reporting. If such stock or securities are held in a financial account,
the financial account would be reported for section 6038D purposes, and
if such stock or securities are held directly by a specified person and
not in a financial account, based on section 6038D(b)(2), it is
appropriate to require reporting of such stock or securities for
section 6038D purposes. Thus, this comment is not adopted.
5. Interest in a Social Security, Social Insurance, or Similar Program
Several comments recommended amending Sec. 1.6038D-3(b) to specify
that an interest in a social security, social insurance, or similar
program of a foreign government is not considered a specified foreign
financial asset. As a general matter, the definition of a specified
foreign financial asset already excludes these interests because they
are not assets described in Sec. 1.6038D-3(b)(1). In addition, the
preamble to the 2011 temporary regulations and the instructions to Form
8938 already illustrate the application of this rule to these
interests, stating that ``an interest in a social security, social
insurance, or other similar program of a foreign government'' is not a
specified foreign financial asset. A chart comparing the Form 8938
reporting requirements to the FBAR reporting requirements, available at
www.irs.gov/Businesses/Comparison-of-Form-8938-and-FBAR-Requirements,
also addresses these programs. Because the Treasury Department and the
IRS already have addressed this issue, the final rule does not adopt
the recommendation.
6. Financial Assets Issued by a Person Organized Under the Laws of a
U.S. Possession
The final rule clarifies that specified foreign financial assets
include stock, securities, financial instruments, and contracts that
are held for investment and not held in an account maintained by a
financial institution and are issued by a person organized under the
laws of a U.S. possession. See Sec. 1.6038D-3(b)(1). For special rules
applicable to bona fide residents of the U.S. possessions, see Sec.
1.6038D-7(c).
C. Interest in a Foreign Trust or Foreign Estate (Sec. 1.6038D-3(c))
A number of comments expressed concern that the reason to know
standard of knowledge to report an interest in a foreign trust or
estate could result in compliance difficulties for specified
individuals who are aware that they have a beneficial interest in a
trust or estate but who have not received a distribution from the trust
or estate and do not know the value of the interest. These comments
recommended that the final rule provide that a beneficiary of a foreign
trust or estate should not be required to report the interest on Form
8938 for any year in which the beneficiary did not receive a
distribution.
The Treasury Department and the IRS have concluded that the
concerns expressed in these comments have already been addressed
comprehensively in the 2011 temporary regulations, including by the
adoption of simple valuation rules that substantially ease the
reporting burdens of beneficiaries. In the case of a foreign trust, for
a year in which the beneficiary does not know, or have reason to know
based on readily accessible information, the fair market value of the
beneficiary's interest and the beneficiary does not receive a
distribution, the value of the beneficiary's interest in the trust,
both for purposes of determining whether the beneficiary meets the
reporting thresholds in Sec. 1.6038D-2(a) and, if so, for reporting
the maximum value of that beneficial interest, is considered to be
zero. See Sec. 1.6038D-5(f)(2). Similar rules apply with respect to a
foreign estate. See Sec. 1.6038D-5(f)(3). Thus, a specified individual
who is such a beneficiary of a foreign trust or estate but has not
received a distribution generally is only required to report the
beneficial interest if the beneficiary otherwise is required to file
Form 8938. If a Form 8938 filing is required, the taxpayer's reporting
burdens are minimal with respect to the beneficial interest. The
Treasury Department and the IRS have determined that these rules
achieve a reasonable and appropriate balance between the government's
tax administration interests and the beneficiary's compliance burden.
D. Request for Comments on the Treatment of Virtual Currency
The Treasury Department and the IRS are considering the proper
treatment of virtual currency under section 6038D and welcome comments
on this topic.
III. Information Required To Be Reported (Sec. 1.6038D-4)
A. Reporting With Respect to Stock or Other Securities of a Foreign
Corporation
A comment requested clarification regarding whether to report on
Form 8938 the foreign office address of a foreign corporation in which
the taxpayer has an interest or the address of the U.S. payor reported
on Form 1099 with respect to dividends paid by the foreign corporation.
Because the rules set forth in the 2011 temporary regulations are
clear, the final rule is not changed to reflect these comments. If
stock of a foreign corporation is held by a taxpayer outside of a
financial account, Sec. 1.6038D-4(a)(2) provides that the
corporation's address must be reported. If stock of a foreign
corporation is held through a financial account other than one
maintained by a financial institution that is a U.S. payor,
[[Page 73822]]
the financial account is reported, and Sec. 1.6038D-4(a)(1) provides
that the address of the financial institution with which the account is
maintained must be reported. However, if stock of a foreign corporation
is held by a taxpayer in a financial account maintained by a financial
institution that is a U.S. payor, Sec. 1.6038D-3(a)(3)(i) provides
that neither the financial account nor the foreign stock held in that
account must be reported on Form 8938.
B. Scope of Information Required To Be Reported With Respect to an
Asset
Another comment recommended that taxpayers not be required to
report the items listed in Sec. 1.6038D-4(a)(6), (a)(7) and (a)(8)
(that is, whether a financial account was opened or closed during the
year, the date on which a specified foreign financial asset (other than
a financial account) was acquired or disposed of during the year, and
details regarding income, gain, loss, deduction or credit items
recognized during the year and where those items are reported by the
taxpayer, respectively). This comment has not been adopted in the final
rule. The Treasury Department and the IRS have determined that
collection of this information is necessary for effective tax
enforcement actions and is consistent with congressional intent in
enacting section 6038D.
IV. Valuation Guidelines (Sec. 1.6038D-5)
The Treasury Department and the IRS received a number of comments
requesting changes and clarifications to the applicable valuation
guidelines under the regulations.
A. Asset With No Positive Value During the Year
Several comments requested that the final rule clarify the
valuation and reporting rules applicable to specified foreign financial
assets with no positive value during the year. Under Sec. 1.6038D-
2(a)(5), a specified foreign financial asset is subject to reporting
even if the asset does not have a positive value during the year,
although reporting on Form 8938 is required only if the aggregate fair
market value of a taxpayer's specified foreign financial assets exceeds
the applicable reporting thresholds in Sec. 1.6038D-2(a). The final
rule clarifies in Sec. 1.6038D-5(b)(3) that the maximum fair market
value for a specified foreign financial asset with no positive value
during the year is treated as zero. The final rule also is revised to
include in Sec. 1.6038D-2(a)(5) a cross-reference to the valuation
rules in Sec. 1.6038D-5(b)(3).
B. Appraisals
One comment recommended revising Sec. 1.6038D-5 to provide that a
specified person is not required to obtain an appraisal from a third
party to establish a reasonable estimate of an asset's fair market
value. For the reasons set forth in section IV.C. of this preamble
(relating to a reasonable estimate of fair market value), the guidance
provided with respect to the reasonable estimate standard adequately
addresses this comment. In addition, the preamble to the 2011 temporary
regulations and the instructions to Form 8938 already note that a
taxpayer need not obtain a third-party appraisal to establish a
reasonable estimate of a specified foreign financial asset's fair
market value for purposes of section 6038D. Accordingly, the final rule
does not adopt the requested change.
C. Reasonable Estimate of Fair Market Value
Several comments requested that the final rule clarify what
constitutes a reasonable estimate of an asset's fair market value for
purposes of reporting under section 6038D. Some comments also
recommended including examples in the final rule addressing when a
taxpayer would be considered to know, or have reason to know based on
readily accessible information, that a valuation in a periodic account
statement was not a reasonable estimate for purposes of reporting.
The final rule does not provide additional guidance on what
constitutes a reasonable estimate of fair market value under section
6038D. The Treasury Department and the IRS have concluded that the
``reasonable estimate'' standard is an appropriately flexible one that
will result in helpful information for the IRS with respect to a wide
range of assets, while not proving unduly burdensome for taxpayers.
Further, valuation is an inherently factual inquiry, and it is not
feasible to devise detailed rules that clearly describe outcomes that
are appropriate for a broad range of factual situations. The 2011
temporary regulations and final rule incorporate valuation rules
designed to reduce taxpayer reporting burdens in specific
circumstances, such as the rule permitting reliance on periodic account
statements from a financial institution to determine a financial
account's fair market value (see Sec. 1.6038D-5(d)) and the rule
permitting the use of a year-end value to determine a reasonable
estimate of maximum value for certain specified foreign financial
assets held outside of a financial account (see Sec. 1.6038D-5(f)(1)).
D. Hard-to-Value Assets
A comment requested that the final rule establish a presumptive
standard to be applied to determine the fair market value of certain
illiquid assets such as contractual rights and interests in non-
publicly traded entities. The Treasury Department and the IRS recognize
that the reporting burdens under section 6038D can be significant with
respect to hard-to-value assets. However, the Treasury Department and
the IRS have concluded that the requirement under the 2011 temporary
regulations to make a reasonable estimate strikes an appropriate
balance between the usefulness of the information reported on Form 8938
and the taxpayer burdens associated with complying with the standard.
For these reasons, the final rule does not adopt valuation presumptions
for particular types of assets that are hard to value.
E. Interests in Pension Plans and Deferred Compensation Plans
Another comment recommended that the value of interests in pension
plans and deferred compensation plans should not be considered to be
readily ascertainable if the taxpayer has no current rights to withdraw
plan assets without penalty. Adopting this recommendation would result
in a taxpayer's interest in a pension or deferred compensation plan
being valued at zero if the taxpayer has no right to withdraw, even if
the taxpayer regularly receives statements providing the fair market
value of the interest in the pension or deferred compensation plan.
This result is not consistent with the purpose for requiring reporting
of the maximum value of a specified foreign financial asset and is not
adopted in the final rule.
F. Foreign Currency
The final rule adopts two modifications to the valuation rules
relating to foreign currency. First, in response to a comment, the
final rule states that a foreign currency conversion shown on a
periodic financial account statement is among the aspects of the
statement that a taxpayer may rely upon to the extent provided in Sec.
1.6038D-5(d). Second, Sec. 1.6038D-5(c) of the 2011 temporary
regulations provides that, except as otherwise provided, a specified
person must use the foreign currency exchange rate issued by the U.S.
Treasury Department's Financial Management Service for purposes of
section 6038D. The final rule is updated to reflect the fact that
foreign currency
[[Page 73823]]
exchange rates are now issued by the Treasury Department's Bureau of
the Fiscal Service.
V. Exceptions From the Reporting of Certain Assets Under Section 6038D
(Sec. 1.6038D-6)
A. General Alternatives To Reporting on Form 8938
Several comments recommended that the Treasury Department and the
IRS adopt an alternative approach to Form 8938 reporting. One comment
suggested consolidating all foreign asset reporting for U.S. tax
purposes on one form and eliminating Form 8938. Another comment
recommended a revision to Schedule B of Form 1040 to permit specified
individuals to indicate on that schedule that all of their specified
foreign financial assets were reported on the IRS forms specified in
Sec. 1.6038D-7(a) such that no Form 8938 is required.
The final rule does not adopt these recommendations. The Treasury
Department and the IRS have determined that consolidating a taxpayer's
information concerning his or her specified foreign financial assets on
Form 8938 best carries out the purposes of section 6038D by making the
information readily accessible for use in IRS enforcement programs. In
addition, using Form 8938 avoids the need to incur costs
disproportionate to expected benefits from revising existing IRS forms,
IT systems, submission processing, and enforcement programs.
B. Form 8858, ``Information Return of U.S. Persons With Respect to
Foreign Disregarded Entities''
Several comments recommended revising Sec. 1.6038D-7(a) to add
Form 8858, ``Information Return of U.S. Persons With Respect to Foreign
Disregarded Entities.'' However, the Treasury Department and the IRS do
not regard the information furnished on Form 8858 concerning specified
foreign financial assets held by a disregarded entity as sufficiently
detailed to consider reporting on Form 8938 duplicative of reporting on
Form 8858. Thus, the final rule does not adopt this recommendation.
C. Form 8854, ``Initial and Annual Expatriation Statement''
Several comments recommended adding Form 8854, ``Initial and Annual
Expatriation Statement,'' to the list of forms in Sec. 1.6038D-7(a)
intended to relieve duplicative reporting. However, after considering
the nature of the information collected on Form 8854, the Treasury
Department and the IRS have concluded that requiring Form 8938 would
not duplicate the information currently being reported on Form 8854.
Further, filing of Form 8938 is expected to substantially enhance IRS
compliance programs with respect to Form 8854 filers. Thus, the final
rule does not adopt this recommendation.
D. Form 8891, ``U.S. Information Return for Beneficiaries of Certain
Canadian Registered Retirement Plans''
Rev. Proc. 2014-55, 2014-44 IRB 753, obsoletes Form 8891, ``U.S.
Information Return for Beneficiaries of Certain Canadian Registered
Retirement Plans,'' on a prospective basis. Thus, the final rule is
modified to describe the taxable years for which the taxpayer's
reporting of an asset on Form 8891 will relieve the taxpayer of
reporting that asset on Form 8938 (that is, taxable years beginning
after March 18, 2010, and ending on or before December 31, 2013).
E. Joint Filers of Forms Listed in Sec. 1.6038D-7(a)
A comment requested clarification that a specified person included
as part of a jointly filed Form 5471, ``Information Return of U.S.
Persons With Respect to Certain Foreign Corporations,'' pursuant to
Sec. 1.6038-2(j) or as a joint filer of Form 8865, ``Return of U.S.
Persons With Respect to Certain Foreign Partnerships,'' pursuant to
Sec. 1.6038-3(c) and who notifies the IRS as required by Sec. 1.6038-
2(i) and Sec. 1.6038-3(c) will be considered to have filed such forms
for purposes of Sec. 1.6038D-7(a). Because a joint filer of Form 5471
or Form 8865 fully meets the reporting requirements for such forms,
reporting on the Form 8938 would be duplicative. Thus, the final rule
adopts this clarification in Sec. 1.6038D-7(a)(3).
F. Interests in Certain Foreign Trusts
A number of comments recommended revisions to the section 6038D
reporting requirements for specified persons with an interest in a
foreign trust.
One comment recommended that a foreign trustee of a foreign trust
with a U.S. owner who is required to file Form 3520-A, ``Annual
Information Return of Foreign Trust With a U.S. Owner,'' be permitted
to satisfy the section 6038D reporting requirements for all trust
beneficiaries by filing Form 3520-A so as to consolidate all foreign
trust filings in one place. Another comment recommended that a foreign
trustee of a foreign trust be permitted to satisfy the Form 8938 filing
requirements on behalf of the trust's beneficiaries. Another comment
recommended that trust beneficiaries should be excused from filing Form
8938 if a specified person files a Form 8938 as the owner of the trust
and discloses the specified foreign financial assets of the foreign
trust.
The final rule does not adopt these recommendations to allow a
beneficiary's Form 8938 filing responsibilities to be satisfied by the
trustee of the trust or to relieve the beneficiary's reporting
obligation in the case of a specified person filing Form 8938 as the
owner of the trust. The IRS can best use the information reported on
the Form 8938 to enforce tax compliance when it is provided in
connection with the filing of an annual return by the taxpayer who is
the beneficial owner of the interest in the foreign trust. Thus, the
final rule continues to provide that a beneficiary of a trust must file
Form 8938 with his or her annual return when there is a section 6038D
filing requirement.
G. Reporting on Both FinCEN Form 114 and Form 8938
A number of comments recommended that a foreign account reported on
FinCEN Form 114, ``Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts,''
(formerly Form TD F 90-22.1, ``Report of Foreign Bank and Financial
Accounts'') (an FBAR), should not be required to be reported on Form
8938. The final rule does not adopt this recommendation.
Congress enacted both the Title 31 and the Title 26 provisions
regarding the reporting requirements of the FBAR and Form 8938.
Reporting on the FBAR is required for law enforcement purposes under
the Bank Secrecy Act, as well as for purposes of tax administration. As
a consequence, different policy considerations apply to Form 8938 and
FBAR reporting. These different policies are reflected in the different
categories of persons required to file Form 8938 and the FBAR, the
different filing thresholds for Form 8938 and FBAR reporting, and the
different assets (and accompanying information) required to be reported
on each form. Although certain information may be reported on both Form
8938 and the FBAR, the information required by the forms is not
identical in all cases, and reflects the different rules, key
definitions (for example, ``financial account''), and reporting
requirements applicable to Form 8938 and FBAR reporting.
These differing policy considerations were recognized by Congress
during the passage of the HIRE Act (Pub. L. 111-147 (124 Stat. 71)) and
the enactment of Section 6038D. Congress's intention to retain FBAR
reporting requirements, notwithstanding the enactment of section 6038D,
was specifically noted in the Technical Explanation of the
[[Page 73824]]
Revenue Provisions Contained in Senate Amendment 3310, the ``Hiring
Incentives To Restore Employment Act,'' Under Consideration by the
Senate (Staff of the Joint Committee on Taxation, JCX-4-10 (February
23, 2010)) (Technical Explanation) accompanying the HIRE Act. The
Technical Explanation states that ``[n]othing in this provision
[section 511 of the HIRE Act enacting new section 6038D] is intended as
a substitute for compliance with the FBAR reporting requirements, which
are unchanged by this provision.'' (Technical Explanation at p. 60)
Against this background, reporting on the Form 8938 and on the FBAR is
not duplicative and both forms must be filed, if required. The IRS Web
site provides additional guidance comparing the requirements of both
forms (https://www.irs.gov/Businesses/Comparison-of-Form-8938-and-FBAR-Requirements).
VI. Penalties
A. Reasonable Cause for Failure to Report
Several comments requested that the final rule provide additional
guidance concerning the reasonable cause standard for relief from the
section 6038D penalty set forth in section 6038D(g) and Sec. 1.6038D-
8(e). For example, one comment recommended that the final rule provide
objective examples of when a taxpayer would be considered to have
reasonable cause for failing to report under section 6083D. Another
comment requested that the final rule state that a specified person's
failure to file Form 8938 would be considered due to reasonable cause
and not subject to penalty if all of that person's specified foreign
financial assets were reflected on timely and properly filed forms
described in Sec. 1.6038D-7(a)(i). Another comment recommended that
the final rule provide a presumption that reasonable cause exists with
respect to all Form 8938 filing errors in the first year a taxpayer is
required to file Form 8938. Yet another comment recommended that a
specified person with a continuing failure to report for purposes of
the section 6038D(d)(2) ``add on'' component of the penalty should no
longer be subject to penalty once a specified person has requested the
information necessary to complete Form 8938, provided the specified
person furnishes the IRS with proof of the requests to obtain that
information.
The final rule does not adopt these recommendations because the
Treasury Department and the IRS have determined that the appropriate
standards for determining whether the reasonable cause exception to the
penalty applies in a particular case are the general standards set out
in the Internal Revenue Manual (IRM) addressing the approach that IRS
employees must take whenever considering the application of a civil
penalty and whether a reasonable cause exception applies. The general
reasonable cause standards are set out in the IRS's ``Penalty
Handbook,'' which is included in the IRM at section 20.1. The Penalty
Handbook sets forth general policy and procedural requirements for
assessing and abating penalties, as well as the criteria for relief
from certain penalties. For example, IRM 20.1.1.2.2 discusses the need
to have a fair and consistent approach to penalty administration.
Section 20.1.1.3.2 of the IRM discusses reasonable cause and what
constitutes reasonable cause. Consistent with Sec. 1.6038D-8(e)(3),
the Penalty Handbook states that all of the facts and circumstances
must be considered to determine whether or not there is reasonable
cause for penalty relief in a particular case.
B. Section 6038D Penalty and Other Potentially Applicable Civil
Penalties
Other comments requested the final rule modify the penalty amount
and its application in the context of other potentially applicable
civil penalties. One comment recommended that the final rule provide a
range of penalties corresponding to the range of reporting errors as
opposed to the $10,000 penalty amount of section 6038D(d). Another
comment requested that the final rule provide that a specified person's
failure to report a specified foreign financial asset on Form 8938
would not be penalized under section 6038D if the specified person was
also being penalized for failing to report the asset on a separate IRS
form (for example, Form 5471).
The final rule does not adopt these recommendations. The general
penalty administration rules set forth in the IRM apply in the context
of the section 6038D penalty and its interaction with other potentially
applicable penalties. In addition, section 6038D provides a specific
dollar amount of penalty and does not permit selection of a penalty
amount from a range of permissible penalty amounts based on taxpayer-
specific considerations.
Special Analyses
It has been determined that this Treasury decision is not a
significant regulatory action as defined in Executive Order 12866, as
supplemented by Executive Order 13653. Therefore, a regulatory
assessment is not required. It also has been determined that section
553(b) of the Administrative Procedure Act (5 U.S.C. chapter 5) does
not apply to these regulations, and because the regulations do not
impose a collection of information on small entities, the Regulatory
Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. chapter 6) does not apply. Pursuant to
section 7805(f) of the Code, the notice of proposed rulemaking
preceding this regulation was submitted to the Chief Counsel for
Advocacy of the Small Business Administration for comment on its impact
on small business.
Drafting Information
The principal author of these regulations is Joseph S. Henderson,
Office of Associate Chief Counsel (International). However, other
personnel from the Treasury Department and the IRS participated in
their development.
List of Subjects in 26 CFR Part 1
Income taxes, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.
Adoption of Amendments to the Regulations
Accordingly, 26 CFR part 1 is amended as follows:
PART 1--INCOME TAXES
0
Paragraph 1. The authority citation for part 1 is amended by removing
the entries for Sec. Sec. 1.6038D-0T, 1.6038D-1T, 1.6038D-2T, 1.6038D-
3T, 1.6038D-4T, 1.6038D-5T, 1.6038D-7T, and 1.6038D-8T and adding
entries for Sec. Sec. 1.6038D-0, 1.6038D-1, 1.6038D-2, 1.6038D-3,
1.6038D-4, 1.6038D-5, 1.6038D-7, and 1.6038D-8 in numerical order to
read as follows:
Authority: 26 U.S.C. 7805 * * *
Section 1.6038D-0 also issued under 26 U.S.C. 6038D.
Section 1.6038D-1 also issued under 26 U.S.C. 6038D.
Section 1.6038D-2 also issued under 26 U.S.C. 6038D.
Section 1.6038D-3 also issued under 26 U.S.C. 6038D.
Section 1.6038D-4 also issued under 26 U.S.C. 6038D.
Section 1.6038D-5 also issued under 26 U.S.C. 6038D.
Section 1.6038D-7 also issued under 26 U.S.C. 6038D.
Section 1.6038D-8 also issued under 26 U.S.C. 6038D.
* * * * *
0
Par. 2. Section 1.6038D-0 is added to read as follows:
[[Page 73825]]
Sec. 1.6038D-0 Outline of regulation provisions.
This section lists the table of contents for Sec. Sec. 1.6038D-1
through 1.6038D-8.
Sec. 1.6038D-1 Reporting with respect to specified foreign financial
assets, definition of terms.
(a) In general.
(1) Specified person.
(2) Specified individual.
(3) Resident alien.
(4) Bona fide resident of a U.S. possession.
(5) U.S. possession.
(6) Specified foreign financial asset.
(7) Financial account.
(8) Financial institution.
(9) Foreign financial institution.
(10) Foreign entity.
(11) Annual return.
(12) Specified domestic entity. [Reserved]
(13) Model 1 IGA and Model 2 IGA.
(b) Effective/applicability dates.
(1) In general.
(2) Financial accounts.
Sec. 1.6038D-2 Requirement to report specified foreign financial
assets.
(a) Reporting requirement.
(1) In general.
(2) Special rule for married specified individuals filing a joint
annual return.
(3) Special rule for certain specified individuals living abroad.
(4) Special rule for married specified individuals filing a joint
annual return and living abroad.
(5) Assets with no positive value.
(6) Aggregate value calculation in case of specified foreign
financial asset excluded from reporting.
(7) Form 8938 filed with annual return.
(i) General rule.
(ii) Consolidated returns.
(8) Reporting required regardless of tax result.
(9) Reporting period.
(10) Successor forms.
(b) Interest in a specified foreign financial asset.
(1) In general.
(2) Property transferred in connection with the performance of
services.
(3) Special rule for parent making an election under section
1(g)(7).
(4) Entities.
(i) In general.
(ii) Specified foreign financial assets held by certain trusts.
(iii) Specified foreign financial assets held by a disregarded
entity.
(iv) Interest in a foreign trust or foreign estate.
(c) Special rules for joint interests.
(1) In general.
(i) Determining aggregate value of assets.
(ii) Reporting maximum value.
(2) Aggregate asset value for married specified individuals filing
a joint annual return.
(3) Aggregate asset value for married specified individuals filing
a separate annual return.
(i) Both spouses are specified individuals.
(ii) One spouse is not a specified individual.
(d) Annual return filed by a married specified individual.
(1) Joint annual return.
(2) Separate annual return.
(e) Special rules for dual resident taxpayers.
(1) In general.
(2) Dual resident taxpayer filing as a nonresident alien at end of
taxable year.
(3) Dual resident taxpayer filing as a resident alien at end of
taxable year.
(f) Example.
(1) Facts.
(2) Filing requirement.
(i) Married specified individuals filing separate annual returns.
(ii) Married specified individuals filing a joint annual return.
(g) Effective/applicability dates.
Sec. 1.6038D-3 Specified foreign financial assets.
(a) Financial accounts.
(1) In general.
(2) Financial account in a U.S. possession.
(3) Excepted financial accounts.
(i) Accounts maintained by U.S. payors.
(ii) Mark-to-market election under section 475.
(b) Other specified foreign financial assets.
(1) In general.
(2) Mark-to-market election under section 475.
(3) Held for investment.
(4) Trade-or-business test.
(5) Direct relationship between holding an asset and a trade or
business.
(i) In general.
(ii) Presumption of direct relationship.
(c) Special rule for interests in foreign trusts and foreign
estates.
(d) Examples.
(e) Effective/applicability dates.
Sec. 1.6038D-4 Information required to be reported.
(a) Required information.
(b) Effective/applicability dates.
Sec. 1.6038D-5 Valuation guidelines.
(a) Fair market value.
(b) Valuation of assets.
(1) Maximum value.
(2) U.S. dollars.
(3) Asset with no positive value.
(c) Foreign currency conversion.
(1) In general.
(2) Other publicly available exchange rate.
(3) Currency exchange rate.
(4) Determination date.
(d) Financial accounts.
(e) Asset held in a financial account.
(f) Other specified foreign financial assets.
(1) General rule.
(2) Interests in trusts that are specified foreign financial
assets.
(i) Maximum value.
(ii) Reporting threshold.
(3) Interests in estates, pension plans, and deferred compensation
plans.
(i) Maximum value.
(ii) Reporting threshold.
(g) Effective/applicability dates.
Sec. 1.6038D-6 Specified domestic entities. [Reserved]
Sec. 1.6038D-7 Exceptions from the reporting of certain assets under
section 6038D.
(a) Elimination of duplicative reporting of assets.
(1) In general.
(2) Foreign grantor trusts.
(3) Joint Form 5471 or Form 8865 filing.
(b) Owner of certain trusts.
(c) Special rules for bona fide residents of a U.S. possession.
(d) Effective/applicability dates.
Sec. 1.6038D-8 Penalties for failure to disclose.
(a) In general.
(b) Married specified individuals filing a joint annual return.
(c) Increase in penalty.
(d) Presumption of aggregate value.
(e) Reasonable cause exception.
(1) In general.
(2) Affirmative showing required.
(3) Facts and circumstances taken into account.
(f) Penalties for underpayments attributable to undisclosed foreign
financial assets.
(1) Accuracy related penalty.
(2) Criminal penalties.
(g) Effective/applicability dates.
Sec. 1.6038D-0T [Removed]
0
Par. 3. Section 1.6038D-0T is removed.
0
Par. 4. Section 1.6038D-1 is added to read as follows:
Sec. 1.6038D-1 Reporting with respect to specified foreign financial
assets, definition of terms.
(a) In general. The following definitions apply for purposes of
section 6038D and the regulations--
(1) Specified person. The term specified person means a specified
[[Page 73826]]
individual or a specified domestic entity.
(2) Specified individual. The term specified individual means an
individual who is a--
(i) U.S. citizen;
(ii) Resident alien of the United States for any portion of the
taxable year;
(iii) Nonresident alien for whom an election under section 6013(g)
or (h) is in effect; or
(iv) Nonresident alien who is a bona fide resident of Puerto Rico
or a section 931 possession (as defined in Sec. 1.931-1(c)(1)).
(3) Resident alien. The term resident alien has the meaning set
forth in section 7701(b) and Sec. Sec. 301.7701(b)-1 through
301.7701(b)-9 of this chapter.
(4) Bona fide resident of a U.S. possession. The term bona fide
resident of a U.S. possession means an individual who is a ``bona fide
resident'' under section 937(a) and Sec. 1.937-1.
(5) U.S. possession. The term U.S. possession means American Samoa,
Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin
Islands.
(6) Specified foreign financial asset. The term specified foreign
financial asset has the meaning set forth in Sec. 1.6038D-3.
(7) Financial account. The term financial account has the meaning
set forth in Sec. 1.1471-5(b), provided, however, that the exclusions
of retirement and pension accounts and non-retirement savings accounts
under Sec. 1.1471-5(b)(2)(i) and retirement and pension accounts, non-
retirement savings accounts, and accounts satisfying similar conditions
in an applicable Model 1 IGA or Model 2 IGA under Sec. 1.1471-
5(b)(2)(vi) shall not apply (see the section 6038D coordination rule in
Sec. 1.1471-5(b)(2)(i)(D)). See Sec. 1.6038D-3(a)(2) relating to
financial accounts maintained by a financial institution that is
organized under the laws of a U.S. possession.
(8) Financial institution. The term financial institution has the
meaning set forth in section 1471(d)(5) and the regulations thereunder.
(9) Foreign financial institution. The term foreign financial
institution has the meaning set forth in Sec. 1.1471-5(d).
(10) Foreign entity. The term foreign entity has the meaning set
forth in Sec. 1.1473-1(e).
(11) Annual return. The term annual return means an annual federal
income tax return of a specified individual or an annual federal income
tax return or information return of a specified domestic entity filed
with the Internal Revenue Service under section 876, 6011, 6012, 6013,
6031, or 6037, and the regulations.
(12) Specified domestic entity. [Reserved].
(13) Model 1 IGA and Model 2 IGA. The terms Model 1 IGA and Model 2
IGA have the meanings set forth in Sec. 1.1471-1(b)(78) and (79),
respectively.
(b) Effective/applicability dates--(1) In general. Except as
otherwise provided in this paragraph (b), this section applies to
taxable years ending after December 19, 2011. Taxpayers may elect to
apply the rules of this section to taxable years ending prior to
December 19, 2011.
(2) Financial accounts. For purposes of applying the financial
account definition in Sec. 1.6038D-1(a)(7), the treatment under Sec.
1.1471-5(b)(2)(vi) of retirement and pension accounts, non-retirement
savings accounts, and accounts satisfying similar conditions in an
applicable Model 1 IGA or Model 2 IGA (see Sec. 1.1471-1(b)(78) and
(79)) as financial accounts for purposes of the reporting required
under section 6038D and Sec. 1.6038D-2(a) shall apply to taxable years
beginning after December 12, 2014.
Sec. 1.6038D-1T [Removed]
0
Par. 5. Section 1.6038D-1T is removed.
0
Par. 6. Section 1.6038D-2 is added to read as follows:
Sec. 1.6038D-2 Requirement to report specified foreign financial
assets.
(a) Reporting requirement--(1) In general. Except as otherwise
provided, a specified person that has any interest in a specified
foreign financial asset during the taxable year must attach Form 8938,
``Statement of Specified Foreign Financial Assets,'' to that specified
person's annual return for the taxable year to report the information
required by section 6038D and Sec. 1.6038D-4 if the aggregate value of
all such assets exceeds--
(i) $50,000 on the last day of the taxable year; or
(ii) $75,000 at any time during the taxable year.
(2) Special rule for married specified individuals filing a joint
annual return. Except as provided in paragraph (a)(4) of this section,
married specified individuals who file a joint annual return for the
taxable year must attach a single Form 8938 to their joint annual
return for the taxable year to report the information required by
section 6038D and Sec. 1.6038D-4 if the aggregate value of all of the
specified foreign financial assets in which either married specified
individual has an interest exceeds--
(i) $100,000 on the last day of the taxable year; or
(ii) $150,000 at any time during the taxable year.
(3) Special rule for certain specified individuals living abroad.
Except as provided in paragraph (a)(4) of this section, a specified
individual who is a qualified individual under section 911(d)(1) for
the taxable year must attach a Form 8938 to his or her annual return
for the taxable year to report the information required by section
6038D and Sec. 1.6038D-4 if the aggregate value of the specified
foreign financial assets in which the specified individual has an
interest exceeds--
(i) $200,000 on the last day of the taxable year; or
(ii) $300,000 at any time during the taxable year.
(4) Special rule for married specified individuals filing a joint
annual return and living abroad. A specified individual who is a
qualified individual under section 911(d)(1) for the taxable year and
the qualified individual's spouse who file a joint annual return for
the taxable year must attach a single Form 8938 to their return for the
taxable year to report the information required by section 6038D and
Sec. 1.6038D-4 if the aggregate value of the all of the specified
foreign financial assets in which either married individual has an
interest exceeds--
(i) $400,000 on the last day of the taxable year; or
(ii) $600,000 at any time during the taxable year.
(5) Assets with no positive value. A specified foreign financial
asset is subject to reporting even if the specified foreign financial
asset does not have a positive value. See Sec. 1.6038D-5(b)(3) to
determine the maximum value of a specified foreign financial asset that
does not have a positive value during the taxable year.
(6) Aggregate value calculation in case of specified foreign
financial asset excluded from reporting. The value of any specified
foreign financial asset in which a specified individual has an interest
and that is excluded from reporting on Form 8938 pursuant to Sec.
1.6038D-7(a) (concerning certain assets reported on another form) is
included for purposes of determining the aggregate value of specified
foreign financial assets. The value of any specified foreign financial
asset in which a specified individual has an interest and that is
excluded from reporting under Sec. 1.6038D-7(b) (concerning assets
held by certain domestic trusts) or Sec. 1.6038D-7(c) (concerning
certain assets owned by a bona fide resident of a U.S. possession) is
excluded for purposes of determining
[[Page 73827]]
the aggregate value of specified foreign financial assets.
(7) Form 8938 filed with annual return--(i) General rule. A
specified person, including a specified individual who is a bona fide
resident of a U.S. possession, is not required to file Form 8938 with
respect to a taxable year if the specified person is not required to
file an annual return with the Internal Revenue Service with respect to
such taxable year.
(ii) Consolidated returns. If a specified domestic entity is a
member of an affiliated group of corporations that files a consolidated
income tax return, the Form 8938 of the specified domestic entity must
be filed with the affiliated group's annual return.
(8) Reporting required regardless of tax result. The Form 8938
required by section 6038D and this section must be furnished by a
specified person even if none of the specified foreign financial assets
that must be reported affect the specified person's tax liability under
the Internal Revenue Code for the taxable year.
(9) Reporting period. The reporting period covered by Form 8938 is
the specified person's taxable year, except the reporting period for a
specified person that is a specified individual for less than an entire
taxable year is the portion of the taxable year that the specified
person is a specified individual.
(10) Successor forms. References to Form 8938 include any successor
form.
(b) Interest in a specified foreign financial asset--(1) In
general. A specified person has an interest in a specified foreign
financial asset if any income, gains, losses, deductions, credits,
gross proceeds, or distributions attributable to the holding or
disposition of the specified foreign financial asset are or would be
required to be reported, included, or otherwise reflected by the
specified person on an annual return. A specified person has an
interest in a specified foreign financial asset even if no income,
gains, losses, deductions, credits, gross proceeds, or distributions
are attributable to the holding or disposition of the specified foreign
financial asset for the taxable year.
(2) Property transferred in connection with the performance of
services. A specified person that is transferred property in connection
with the performance of personal services is first considered to have
an interest in the property for purposes of section 6038D on the first
date that the property is substantially vested (within the meaning of
Sec. 1.83-3(b)) or, in the case of property with respect to which a
specified person makes a valid election under section 83(b), on the
date of transfer of the property.
(3) Special rule for parent making election under section 1(g)(7).
A parent who makes an election under section 1(g)(7) to include certain
unearned income of a child in the parent's gross income has an interest
in any specified foreign financial asset held by the child for the
purposes of section 6038D and the regulations.
(4) Entities--(i) In general. Except as provided in this paragraph
(b)(4), a specified person is not treated as having an interest in any
specified foreign financial assets held by a corporation, partnership,
trust, or estate solely as a result of the specified person's status as
a shareholder, partner, or beneficiary of such entity.
(ii) Specified foreign financial assets held by certain trusts. A
specified person that is treated as the owner of a trust or any portion
of a trust under sections 671 through 679, other than a domestic
liquidating trust under Sec. 301.7701-4(d) of this chapter created
pursuant to a court order issued in a bankruptcy under Chapter 7 (11
U.S.C. 701 et seq.) or a confirmed plan under Chapter 11 (11 U.S.C.
1101 et seq.) of the Bankruptcy Code, or a domestic widely held fixed
investment trust under Sec. 1.671-5, is treated as having an interest
in any specified foreign financial assets held by the trust or the
portion of the trust.
(iii) Specified foreign financial assets held by a disregarded
entity. A specified person that owns a foreign or domestic entity that
is disregarded as an entity separate from its owner as described in
Sec. 301.7701-2 of this chapter (a disregarded entity) is treated as
having an interest in any specified foreign financial assets held by
the disregarded entity.
(iv) Interest in a foreign trust or foreign estate. See Sec.
1.6038D-3(c) to determine whether an interest in a foreign trust or
foreign estate is a specified foreign financial asset. See Sec.
1.6038D-5(f) to determine the maximum value of an interest in a foreign
trust or foreign estate.
(c) Special rules for joint interests--(1) In general--(i)
Determining aggregate value of assets. Except as otherwise provided in
this paragraph (c), each specified person that is a joint owner of a
specified foreign financial asset (whether with a spouse or other
person) must include the entire value of the specified foreign
financial asset (and not the value of the specified person's interest)
for purposes of determining whether the aggregate value of the
specified person's specified foreign financial assets exceeds the
reporting thresholds set forth in Sec. 1.6038D-2(a).
(ii) Reporting maximum value. Except as provided in paragraph (d)
of this section, a specified person that is a joint owner of a
specified foreign financial asset must report the entire value of each
jointly owned specified foreign financial asset on Form 8938.
(2) Aggregate asset value for married specified individuals filing
a joint annual return. Married specified individuals who file a joint
annual return must include the value of each specified foreign
financial asset that they jointly own or in which both have an interest
under paragraph (b)(1) of this section only once in determining whether
the aggregate value of all of the specified foreign financial assets in
which either married specified individual has an interest exceeds the
reporting thresholds set forth in Sec. 1.6038D-2(a).
(3) Aggregate asset value for married specified individual filing a
separate annual return--(i) Both spouses are specified individuals. If
a married specified individual files a separate annual return and his
or her spouse is a specified individual, the married specified
individual must include one-half of the value of a specified foreign
financial asset that the married specified individual jointly owns with
his or her spouse in determining whether the married specified
individual has an interest in specified foreign financial assets the
aggregate value of which exceeds the reporting thresholds set forth in
Sec. 1.6038D-2(a).
(ii) One spouse is not a specified individual. If a married
specified individual files a separate annual return and his or her
spouse is not a specified individual, the married specified individual
must include the entire value of a specified foreign financial asset
that the married specified individual jointly owns with his or her
spouse in determining whether the married specified individual has an
interest in specified foreign financial assets the aggregate value of
which exceeds the reporting thresholds set forth in Sec. 1.6038D-2(a).
(d) Annual return filed by a married specified individual--(1)
Joint annual return. Married specified individuals who file a joint
annual return must file a single Form 8938 to fulfill their reporting
requirements under section 6038D and Sec. 1.6038D-2(a). The single
Form 8938 must report all of the specified foreign financial assets in
which either married specified individual has an interest. If both
married specified individuals jointly own a specified foreign financial
asset
[[Page 73828]]
or if they have an interest in a specified foreign financial asset
under paragraph (b)(1) of this section, the asset must be reported only
once on the single Form 8938 filed for the taxable year.
(2) Separate annual return. A married specified individual who
files a separate annual return for the taxable year must fulfill the
reporting requirements under section 6038D and Sec. 1.6038D-2(a) by
filing a separate Form 8938 with his or her return that reports all of
the specified foreign financial assets in which the married specified
individual has an interest, including each of the assets jointly owned
with the married specified individual's spouse or with another person.
If both of the spouses are specified individuals, each specified
individual must report the entire value of each specified foreign
financial asset that the spouses jointly own on Form 8938, not the
value taken into account under paragraph (c)(3)(i) of this section for
purposes of applying the applicable reporting thresholds.
(e) Special rules for dual resident taxpayers--(1) In general.
Subject to the provisions of paragraphs (e)(2) and (3) of this section,
a specified individual is not required to report specified foreign
financial assets on Form 8938 for a taxable year or any portion of a
taxable year that the individual is a dual resident taxpayer (within
the meaning of Sec. 301.7701(b)-7(a)(1) of this chapter) who is
treated as a nonresident alien pursuant to Sec. 301.7701(b)-7 of this
chapter for purposes of computing his or her U.S. tax liability with
respect to the portion of the taxable year the individual is considered
a dual resident taxpayer.
(2) Dual resident taxpayer filing as a nonresident alien at end of
taxable year. If a specified individual to whom this paragraph (e)
applies computes his or her U.S. income tax liability as a nonresident
alien on the last day of the taxable year and complies with the filing
requirements of Sec. 301.7701(b)-7(b) and (c) of this chapter and, in
particular, such individual timely files with the Internal Revenue
Service Form 1040NR, ``U.S. Nonresident Alien Income Tax Return,'' or
Form 1040NR-EZ, ``U.S. Income Tax Return for Certain Nonresident Aliens
With No Dependents,'' as applicable, and attaches thereto Form 8833,
``Treaty-Based Return Position Disclosure Under Section 6114 or
7701(b),'' such individual will not be required to report specified
foreign financial assets on Form 8938 with respect to the portion of
the taxable year covered by Form 1040NR (or Form 1040NR-EZ).
(3) Dual resident taxpayer filing as resident alien at end of
taxable year. If a specified individual to whom this paragraph (e)
applies computes his or her U.S. income tax liability as a resident
alien on the last day of the taxable year and complies with the filing
requirements of Sec. 1.6012-1(b)(2)(ii)(a) and, in particular, such
individual timely files with the Internal Revenue Service Form 1040,
``U.S. Individual Income Tax Return,'' or Form 1040EZ, ``Income Tax
Return for Single and Joint Filers With No Dependents,'' as applicable,
and attaches a properly completed Form 8833 to the schedule required by
Sec. 1.6012-1(b)(2)(ii)(a), such individual will not be required to
report specified foreign financial assets on Form 8938 with respect to
the portion of the individual's taxable year reflected on the schedule
to such Form 1040 or Form 1040EZ required by Sec. 1.6012-
1(b)(2)(ii)(a).
(f) Example. The following example illustrates the application of
paragraph (c) of this section:
Example (1) Facts. Two married specified individuals, H and W,
jointly own a specified foreign financial asset with a value of
$90,000 at all times during the taxable year. H separately has an
interest in a specified foreign financial asset with a value of
$10,000 at all times during the taxable year. W separately has an
interest in a specified foreign financial asset with a value of
$1,000 at all times during the taxable year.
(2) Filing requirement--(i) Married specified individuals filing
separate annual returns. If H and W file separate annual returns,
the aggregate value of the specified foreign financial assets in
which H has an interest at the end of the taxable year is $55,000,
comprising one-half of the value of the jointly owned asset,
$45,000, and the value of H's separately owned specified foreign
financial asset, $10,000. The aggregate value of the specified
foreign financial assets in which W has an interest at the end of
the taxable year is $46,000, comprising one-half of the value of the
jointly owned asset, $45,000, and the value of W's separately owned
specified foreign financial asset, $1,000. H must file Form 8938
with his annual return for the taxable year because the aggregate
value of the specified foreign financial assets in which H has an
interest exceeds the applicable reporting threshold ($50,000) set
forth in Sec. 1.6038D-2(a)(1). H must report the maximum value of
the entire jointly owned asset, $90,000, and the maximum value of
the separately owned asset, $10,000. See Sec. 1.6038D-5(b)
regarding the maximum value of a jointly owned specified foreign
financial asset to be reported by a specified person, including a
married specified individual, that is a joint owner of an asset. The
aggregate value of the specified foreign financial assets in which W
has an interest, $46,000, does not exceed the applicable reporting
threshold set forth in Sec. 1.6038D-2(a)(1). W is not required to
file Form 8938 with her separate annual return.
(ii) Married specified individuals filing a joint annual return.
If H and W file a joint annual return, they must file a single Form
8938 with their joint annual return for the taxable year because the
aggregate value of all of the specified foreign financial assets in
which either H or W have an interest ($90,000 (included only once),
$10,000, and $1000, or $101,000) exceeds the applicable reporting
threshold ($100,000) set forth in Sec. 1.6038D-2(a)(2). The single
Form 8938 must report the maximum value of the jointly owned
specified foreign financial asset, $90,000, and the maximum value of
the specified foreign financial assets separately owned by H and W,
$10,000 and $1,000, respectively.
(g) Effective/applicability dates. This section applies to taxable
years ending after December 19, 2011. Taxpayers may elect to apply the
rules of this section to taxable years ending prior to December 19,
2011.
Sec. 1.6038D-2T [Removed]
0
Par. 7. Section 1.6038D-2T is removed.
0
Par. 8. Section 1.6038D-3 is added to read as follows:
Sec. 1.6038D-3 Specified foreign financial assets.
(a) Financial accounts--(1) In general. Except as otherwise
provided in this section, a specified foreign financial asset includes
any financial account maintained by a foreign financial institution. An
asset held in a financial account maintained by a foreign financial
institution is not required to be separately reported on Form 8938,
``Statement of Specified Foreign Financial Assets.''
(2) Financial account in a U.S. possession. A specified foreign
financial asset includes a financial account maintained by a financial
institution that is organized under the laws of a U.S. possession.
(3) Excepted financial accounts--(i) Accounts maintained by U.S.
payors. A financial account maintained by a U.S. payor as defined in
Sec. 1.6049-5(c)(5)(i) (including assets held in such an account) is
not a specified foreign financial asset for purposes of section 6038D
and the regulations.
(ii) Mark-to-market election under section 475. A financial account
is not a specified foreign financial asset if the rules of section
475(a) apply to all of the holdings in the account or an election under
section 475(e) or (f) is made with respect to all of the holdings in
the account.
(b) Other specified foreign financial assets--(1) In general.
Except as otherwise provided in this section, a specified foreign
financial asset includes any of the following assets that
[[Page 73829]]
are not financial accounts and that are held for investment and not
held in an account maintained by a financial institution--
(i) Stock or securities issued by a person other than a United
States person (including stock or securities issued by a person
organized under the laws of a U.S. possession);
(ii) A financial instrument or contract that has an issuer or
counterparty which is other than a United States person (including a
financial instrument or contract issued by a person organized under the
laws of a U.S. possession); and
(iii) An interest in a foreign entity.
(2) Mark-to-market election under section 475. An asset is not a
specified foreign financial asset if the rules of section 475(a) apply
to the asset or an election under section 475(e) or (f) is made with
respect to the asset.
(3) Held for investment. An asset is held for investment for
purposes of section 6038D and the regulations if that asset is not used
in, or held for use in, the conduct of a trade or business of a
specified person.
(4) Trade-or-business test. For purposes of section 6038D and the
regulations, an asset is used in, or held for use in, the conduct of a
trade or business and not held for investment if the asset is--
(i) Held for the principal purpose of promoting the present conduct
of the trade or business;
(ii) Acquired and held in the ordinary course of the trade or
business, as, for example, in the case of an account or note receivable
arising from that trade or business; or
(iii) Otherwise held in a direct relationship to the trade or
business as determined under paragraph (b)(5) of this section.
(5) Direct relationship between holding an asset and a trade or
business--(i) In general. In determining whether an asset is held in a
direct relationship to the conduct of a trade or business by a
specified person, principal consideration will be given to whether the
asset is needed in the trade or business of the specified person. An
asset shall be considered needed in the trade or business, for this
purpose, only if the asset is held to meet the present needs of that
trade or business and not its anticipated future needs. An asset shall
be considered as needed in the trade or business if, for example, the
asset is held to meet the operating expenses of the trade or business.
Conversely, an asset shall be considered as not needed in the trade or
business if, for example, the asset is held for the purpose of
providing for future diversification into a new trade or business,
future plant replacement, or future business contingencies. Stock is
never considered used or held for use in a trade or business for
purposes of applying this test.
(ii) Presumption of direct relationship. An asset will be treated
as held in a direct relationship to the conduct of a trade or business
of a specified person if--
(A) The asset was acquired with funds generated by the trade or
business of the specified person or the affiliated group of the
specified person, if any;
(B) The income from the asset is retained or reinvested in the
trade or business; and
(C) Personnel who are actively involved in the conduct of the trade
or business exercise significant management and control over the
investment of such asset.
(c) Special rule for interests in foreign trusts and foreign
estates. An interest in a foreign trust or a foreign estate is not a
specified foreign financial asset of a specified person unless the
person knows, or has reason to know based on readily accessible
information, of the interest. Receipt of a distribution from the
foreign trust or foreign estate constitutes actual knowledge for this
purpose.
(d) Examples. Examples of assets other than financial accounts that
may be considered other specified foreign financial assets include, but
are not limited to--
(1) Stock issued by a foreign corporation;
(2) A capital or profits interest in a foreign partnership;
(3) A note, bond, debenture, or other form of indebtedness issued
by a foreign person;
(4) An interest in a foreign trust;
(5) An interest rate swap, currency swap, basis swap, interest rate
cap, interest rate floor, commodity swap, equity swap, equity index
swap, credit default swap, or similar agreement with a foreign
counterparty; and
(6) Any option or other derivative instrument with respect to any
of the items listed as examples in this paragraph or with respect to
any currency or commodity that is entered into with a foreign
counterparty or issuer.
(e) Effective/applicability dates. This section applies to taxable
years ending after December 19, 2011. Taxpayers may elect to apply the
rules of this section to taxable years ending prior to December 19,
2011.
Sec. 1.6038D-3T [Removed]
0
Par. 9. Section 1.6038D-3T is removed.
0
Par. 10. Section 1.6038D-4 is added to read as follows:
Sec. 1.6038D-4 Information required to be reported.
(a) Required information. The following information must be
reported on Form 8938, ``Statement of Specified Foreign Financial
Assets,'' with respect to each specified foreign financial asset:
(1) In the case of a financial account, the name and address of the
foreign financial institution with which the account is maintained and
the account number of the financial account;
(2) In the case of stock or securities, the name and address of the
issuer, and information that identifies the class or issue of which the
stock or security is a part;
(3) In the case of a financial instrument or contract, information
that identifies the financial instrument or contract, including the
names and addresses of all issuers and counterparties;
(4) In the case of an interest in a foreign entity, information
that identifies the interest, including the name and address of the
foreign entity in which the interest is held;
(5) The maximum value of the specified foreign financial asset
during the portion of the taxable year in which the specified person
has an interest in the asset;
(6) In the case of a financial account that is a depository account
as defined in Sec. 1.1471-5(b)(3)(i) or a custodial account as defined
in Sec. 1.1471-5(b)(3)(ii), whether the account was opened or closed
during the taxable year;
(7) The date, if any, on which the specified foreign financial
asset, other than a financial account that is a depository account as
defined in Sec. 1.1471-5(b)(3)(i) or a custodial account as defined in
Sec. 1.1471-5(b)(3)(ii), was either acquired or disposed of (or both)
during the taxable year;
(8) The amount of any income, gain, loss, deduction, or credit
recognized for the taxable year with respect to the reported specified
foreign financial asset, and the schedule, form, or return filed with
the Internal Revenue Service on which the income, gain, loss,
deduction, or credit, if any, is reported or included by the specified
person;
(9) The foreign currency in which the account is maintained or the
asset is denominated, the foreign currency exchange rate and, if the
source of such rate is other than as described in Sec. 1.6038D-
5(c)(1), the source of the rate used to determine the specified foreign
[[Page 73830]]
financial asset's U.S. dollar value, including maximum value;
(10) For any specified foreign financial asset excepted from
reporting on Form 8938 under Sec. 1.6038D-7(a), the specified person
must report the number of Forms 3520, ``Annual Return To Report
Transactions With Foreign Trusts and Receipt of Certain Foreign
Gifts,'' Forms 3520-A, ``Annual Information Return of Foreign Trust
With a U.S. Owner,'' Forms 5471, ``Information Return of U.S. Persons
With Respect To Certain Foreign Corporations,'' Forms 8621, ``Return by
a Shareholder of a Passive Foreign Investment Company or a Qualified
Electing Fund,'' Forms 8865, ``Return of U.S. Persons With Respect To
Certain Foreign Partnerships,'' and, solely for taxable years beginning
after March 18, 2010, and ending on or before December 31, 2013, Forms
8891, ``U.S. Information Return for Beneficiaries of Certain Canadian
Registered Retirement Plans,'' or such other form under Title 26 of the
United States Code identified by the Secretary under Sec. 1.6038D-
7(a), timely filed with the Internal Revenue Service on which excepted
foreign financial assets are reported or reflected for the taxable
year; and
(11) Such other information as may be required by Form 8938 or its
instructions or other guidance.
(b) Effective/applicability dates. This section applies to taxable
years ending after December 19, 2011. Taxpayers may elect to apply the
rules of this section to taxable years ending prior to December 19,
2011.
Sec. 1.6038D-4T [Removed]
0
Par. 11. Section 1.6038D-4T is removed.
0
Par. 12. Section 1.6038D-5 is added to read as follows:
Sec. 1.6038D-5 Valuation guidelines.
(a) Fair market value. Except as provided in paragraphs (c) and (e)
of this section, the value of a specified foreign financial asset for
purposes of determining the aggregate value of specified foreign
financial assets held by a specified person and the maximum value of a
specified foreign financial asset required to be reported on Form 8938,
``Statement of Specified Foreign Financial Assets,'' is the asset's
fair market value.
(b) Valuation of assets--(1) Maximum value. Except as provided in
this section, the maximum value of a specified foreign financial asset
means a reasonable estimate of the asset's maximum fair market value
during the taxable year.
(2) U.S. dollars. For purposes of determining the aggregate value
of specified foreign financial assets in which a specified person has
an interest and determining the maximum value of a specified foreign
financial asset, the value of a specified foreign financial asset
denominated in a foreign currency during the taxable year must be
determined in the foreign currency and then converted to U.S. dollars.
(3) Asset with no positive value. If the maximum fair market value
of a specified foreign financial asset is zero or less than zero, then
the asset's value is treated as zero for purposes of determining the
aggregate value of specified foreign financial assets in which a
specified person has an interest, and the maximum value of the
specified foreign financial asset is zero for purposes of reporting
under Sec. 1.6038D-4(a)(5).
(c) Foreign currency conversion--(1) In general. Except as provided
in paragraphs (c)(2) and (d) of this section, the U.S. Treasury
Department's Bureau of the Fiscal Service foreign currency exchange
rate is to be used to convert the value of a specified foreign
financial asset into U.S. dollars for purposes of determining the
aggregate value of specified foreign financial assets in which a
specified person has an interest and determining the maximum value of a
specified foreign financial asset.
(2) Other publicly available exchange rate. If no U.S. Treasury
Department Bureau of the Fiscal Service foreign currency exchange rate
is available for a particular currency, another publicly available
foreign currency exchange rate may be used to convert the value of a
specified foreign financial asset into U.S. dollars. In such case, the
source of the foreign currency exchange rate must be disclosed on Form
8938.
(3) Currency exchange rate. In converting the currency of a foreign
country, the foreign currency exchange rate applicable for converting
the currency into U.S. dollars (that is, to purchase U.S. dollars) must
be used.
(4) Determination date. In converting the currency of a foreign
country into U.S. dollars for purposes of determining the maximum value
of a specified foreign financial asset and determining the aggregate
value of specified foreign financial assets in which a specified person
has an interest, the applicable foreign currency exchange rate is the
rate on the last day of the taxable year of the specified person, even
if the specified person sold or otherwise disposed of a specified
foreign financial asset prior to the last day of such year.
(d) Financial accounts. A specified person may rely upon periodic
account statements that are provided at least annually by or on behalf
of a financial institution maintaining an account, including the
foreign currency conversion reflected in those statements, to determine
the financial account's maximum value unless the specified person has
actual knowledge, or reason to know based on readily accessible
information, that the statements do not reflect a reasonable estimate
of the maximum account value during the taxable year.
(e) Asset held in a financial account. The value of an asset held
in a financial account maintained by a foreign financial institution is
included in determining the value of that financial account for
purposes of Sec. 1.6038D-5(a).
(f) Other specified foreign financial assets--(1) General rule.
Except as provided in paragraphs (f)(2) and (3) of this section, for
specified foreign financial assets that are not financial accounts and
that are held for investment and not held in an account maintained by a
financial institution, a specified person may use the value of the
asset as of the last day of the taxable year on which the specified
person has an interest in the asset as the maximum value of that asset,
unless the specified person has actual knowledge, or reason to know
based on readily accessible information, that the value does not
reflect a reasonable estimate of the maximum value of the asset during
the taxable year.
(2) Interests in trusts that are specified foreign financial
assets--(i) Maximum value. If a specified person is a beneficiary of a
foreign trust, the maximum value of the specified person's interest in
the trust is the sum of--
(A) The fair market value, determined as of the last day of the
taxable year, of all of the currency or other property distributed from
the foreign trust during the taxable year to the specified person as a
beneficiary; and
(B) The value, determined as of the last day of the taxable year,
of the specified person's right as a beneficiary to receive mandatory
distributions from the foreign trust as determined under section 7520.
(ii) Reporting threshold. For purposes of determining the aggregate
value of specified foreign financial assets in which a specified person
has an interest, if the specified person does not know, or have reason
to know based on readily accessible information, the fair market value
of the person's interest in a foreign trust during the taxable year,
the value to be included in determining the aggregate value of the
specified foreign financial assets is the maximum
[[Page 73831]]
value of the specified person's interest in the foreign trust under
paragraph (f)(2)(i) of this section.
(3) Interests in estates, pension plans, and deferred compensation
plans--(i) Maximum value. The maximum value of a specified person's
interest in a foreign estate, foreign pension plan, or foreign deferred
compensation plan is the fair market value, determined as of the last
day of the taxable year, of the specified person's beneficial interest
in the assets of the foreign estate, foreign pension plan, or foreign
deferred compensation plan. If the specified person does not know, or
have reason to know based on readily accessible information, such fair
market value, the maximum value to be reported is the fair market
value, determined as of the last day of the taxable year, of the
currency and other property distributed during the taxable year to the
specified person as a beneficiary or participant.
(ii) Reporting threshold. For purposes of determining the aggregate
value of specified foreign financial assets in which a specified person
has an interest, if the specified person does not know, or have reason
to know based on readily accessible information, the fair market value
of the person's interest in a foreign estate, foreign pension plan, or
foreign deferred compensation plan during the taxable year, the value
to be included in determining the aggregate value of the specified
foreign financial assets is the fair market value, determined as of the
last day of the taxable year, of the currency and other property
distributed during the taxable year to the specified person as a
beneficiary or participant.
(g) Effective/applicability dates. This section applies to taxable
years ending after December 19, 2011. Taxpayers may elect to apply the
rules of this section to taxable years ending prior to December 19,
2011.
Sec. 1.6038D-5T [Removed]
0
Par. 13. Section 1.6038D-5T is removed.
0
Par. 14. Section 1.6038D-6 is added to read as follows:
Sec. 1.6038D-6 Specified domestic entities. [Reserved]
Sec. 1.6038D-6T [Removed]
0
Par. 15. Section 1.6038D-6T is removed.
0
Par. 16. Section 1.6038D-7 is added to read as follows:
Sec. 1.6038D-7 Exceptions from the reporting of certain assets under
section 6038D.
(a) Elimination of duplicative reporting of assets--(1) In general.
A specified person is not required to report a specified foreign
financial asset on Form 8938, ``Statement of Specified Foreign
Financial Assets,'' if the specified person--
(i) Reports the asset on at least one of the following forms timely
filed with the Internal Revenue Service for the taxable year--
(A) Form 3520, ``Annual Return To Report Transactions With Foreign
Trusts and Receipt of Certain Foreign Gifts'' (in the case of a
specified person that is the beneficiary of a foreign trust);
(B) Form 5471, ``Information Return of U.S. Persons With Respect To
Certain Foreign Corporations'';
(C) Form 8621, ``Return by a Shareholder of a Passive Foreign
Investment Company or Qualified Electing Fund'';
(D) Form 8865, ``Return of U.S. Persons With Respect To Certain
Foreign Partnerships'';
(E) For taxable years beginning after March 18, 2010, and ending on
or before December 31, 2013, Form 8891, ``U.S. Information Return for
Beneficiaries of Certain Canadian Registered Retirement Plans''; or
(F) Any other form under Title 26 of the United States Code timely
filed with the Internal Revenue Service and identified for this purpose
by the Secretary in regulations or other guidance; and
(ii) Reports on Form 8938 the filing of the form on which the asset
is reported.
(2) Foreign grantor trusts. A specified person that is treated as
an owner of a foreign trust or any portion of a foreign trust under
sections 671 through 679 is not required to report any specified
foreign financial assets held by the foreign trust on Form 8938,
provided--
(i) The specified person reports the trust on a Form 3520 timely
filed with the Internal Revenue Service for the taxable year;
(ii) The trust timely files Form 3520-A, ``Annual Information
Return of Foreign Trust With a U.S. Owner,'' with the Internal Revenue
Service for the taxable year; and
(iii) The Form 8938 filed by the specified person for the taxable
year reports the filing of the Form 3520 and Form 3520-A.
(3) Joint Form 5471 or Form 8865 filing. A specified person that is
included as part of a joint Form 5471 filing pursuant to Sec. 1.6038-
2(j) or a joint Form 8865 filing pursuant to Sec. 1.6038-3(c) and who
notifies the Internal Revenue Service as required by Sec. 1.6038-2(i)
or Sec. 1.6038D-(3)(c) will be considered to have filed a Form 5471 or
Form 8865 for purposes of paragraph (a)(1) of this section.
(b) Owner of certain trusts. A specified person that is treated as
an owner of any portion of a domestic trust under sections 671 through
678 is not required to file Form 8938 to report any specified foreign
financial asset held by the trust if the trust is--
(1) A widely-held fixed investment trust under Sec. 1.671-5; or
(2) A liquidating trust within the meaning of Sec. 301.7701-4(d)
of this chapter that is created pursuant to a court order issued in a
bankruptcy under Chapter 7 (11 U.S.C. 701 et seq.) or a confirmed plan
under Chapter 11 (11 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.) of the Bankruptcy Code.
(c) Special rules for bona fide residents of a U.S. possession. A
specified individual who is a bona fide resident of a U.S. possession
is not required to include the following specified foreign financial
assets in the determination of the aggregate value of his or her
specified foreign financial assets and, if required to file Form 8938
with the Internal Revenue Service, is not required to report the
following specified foreign financial assets:
(1) A financial account maintained by a financial institution
organized under the laws of the U.S. possession of which the specified
individual is a bona fide resident;
(2) A financial account maintained by a branch of a financial
institution not organized under the laws of the U.S. possession of
which the specified individual is a bona fide resident, if the branch
is subject to the same tax and information reporting requirements
applicable to a financial institution organized under the laws of the
U.S. possession;
(3) Stock or securities issued by an entity organized under the
laws of the U.S. possession of which the specified individual is a bona
fide resident;
(4) An interest in an entity organized under the laws of the U.S.
possession of which the specified individual is a bona fide resident;
and
(5) A financial instrument or contract held for investment,
provided each issuer or counterparty that is not a United States person
is--
(i) An entity organized under the laws of the U.S. possession of
which the specified individual is a bona fide resident; or
(ii) A bona fide resident of the U.S. possession of which the
specified individual is a bona fide resident.
(d) Effective/applicability dates. This section applies to taxable
years ending after December 19, 2011. Taxpayers may elect to apply the
rules of this section to taxable years ending prior to December 19,
2011.
[[Page 73832]]
Sec. 1.6038D-7T [Removed]
0
Par. 17. Section 1.6038D-7T is removed.
0
Par. 18. Section 1.6038D-8 is added to read as follows:
Sec. 1.6038D-8 Penalties for failure to disclose.
(a) In general. If a specified person fails to file a Form 8938,
``Statement of Specified Foreign Financial Assets,'' that includes the
information required by section 6038D(c) and Sec. 1.6038D-4 with
respect to any taxable year at the time and in the manner described in
section 6038D(a) and Sec. 1.6038D-2, a penalty of $10,000 will apply
to that specified person.
(b) Married specified individuals filing a joint annual return.
Married specified individuals who file a joint annual return and fail
to file a required Form 8938 that includes the information required by
section 6038D(c) and Sec. 1.6038D-4 with respect to any taxable year
at the time and in the manner described in section 6038D(a) and Sec.
1.6038D-2 are subject to penalties under this section as if the married
specified individuals are a single specified individual. The liability
of married specified individuals who file a joint annual return with
respect to any penalties under this section is joint and several.
(c) Increase in penalty. If any failure to comply with the
applicable reporting requirement of section 6038D and the regulations
continues for more than 90 days after the day on which the Commissioner
or his delegate mails a notice of the failure to the specified person
required to file the Form 8938, the specified person is required to pay
an additional penalty of $10,000 for each 30-day period (or fraction
thereof) during which the failure continues after the 90-day period has
expired. The additional penalty imposed by section 6038D(d)(2) and this
paragraph (c) is limited to a maximum of $50,000 for each such failure.
(d) Presumption of aggregate value. For the purpose of assessing
penalties imposed under section 6038D(d), if the Commissioner or his
delegate determines that a specified person has an interest in one or
more specified foreign financial assets and the specified person does
not provide sufficient information to demonstrate the aggregate value
of the assets upon request by the Commissioner or his delegate, then
the aggregate value of the assets is treated as being in excess of the
applicable reporting threshold set forth in Sec. 1.6038D-2(a).
(e) Reasonable cause exception--(1) In general. If the failure to
report the information required in section 6038D(c) and Sec. 1.6038D-4
is shown to be due to reasonable cause and not due to willful neglect,
no penalty will be imposed under section 6038D(d) or this section.
(2) Affirmative showing required. In order to show that the failure
to report the information required in section 6038D(c) and Sec.
1.6038D-4 is due to reasonable cause and not due to willful neglect for
purposes of section 6038D(g) and this section, the specified person
must make an affirmative showing of all the facts alleged as reasonable
cause for the failure to disclose.
(3) Facts and circumstances taken into account. The determination
of whether a failure to disclose a specified foreign financial asset on
Form 8938 was due to reasonable cause and not due to willful neglect is
made on a case-by-case basis, taking into account all pertinent facts
and circumstances. The fact that a foreign jurisdiction would impose a
civil or criminal penalty on the specified person (or any other person)
for disclosing the required information is not reasonable cause.
(f) Penalties for underpayments attributable to undisclosed foreign
financial assets--(1) Accuracy-related penalty. For application of the
accuracy-related penalty in the case of any portion of an underpayment
attributable to any undisclosed foreign financial asset understatement,
see section 6662(j).
(2) Criminal penalties. In addition to other penalties, failure to
comply with the reporting requirements of section 6038D and the
regulations, or any underpayment related to such failure, may result in
criminal penalties under sections 7201, 7203, 7206, et seq., or other
provisions of Federal law.
(g) Effective/applicability dates. This section applies to taxable
years ending after December 19, 2011. Taxpayers may elect to apply the
rules of this section to taxable years ending prior to December 19,
2011.
Sec. 1.6038D-8T [Removed]
0
Par. 19. Section 1.6038D-8T is removed.
John Dalrymple,
Deputy Commissioner for Services and Enforcement.
Approved: December 4, 2014.
Mark J. Mazur,
Assistant Secretary of the Treasury (Tax Policy).
[FR Doc. 2014-29125 Filed 12-11-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4830-01-P