Description

FBAR compliance often seems straightforward—until real-world complexities arise that challenge even experts. Do entity-owned accounts trigger personal filing? How do community property laws affect married taxpayers? What about foreign pensions, investment accounts, or signature authority? Misunderstanding these can lead to costly penalties. This webinar with international tax expert Virginia La Torre Jeker, J.D., covers everything from basics to complex cases, including willful vs. non-willful violations—a key factor after the Supreme Court’s Bittner decision. Learn how to navigate FBAR rules confidently and reduce penalty risks.

Why you should Attend

• Stop guessing, start protecting. Learn exactly who must file FBAR (FinCEN Form 114), FATCA Form 8938, Form 3520/3520-A, and other international reporting forms—when and for which accounts—so you never leave a client or your firm exposed
• Slash penalty risk. Gain a strategic playbook for abating or avoiding the steep fines the IRS is enforcing more aggressively post-Bittner and under current IRS international compliance initiatives
• Handle tricky edge cases with ease. Community-property spouses, foreign pensions, entity-owned accounts, signature authority-only situations—understand how these affect your filing obligations and protect your clients confidently

Session Highlights

• FBAR vs. FATCA vs. Other International Reporting Requirements: Understand distinctions and overlaps between FinCEN Form 114 (FBAR), IRS Form 8938 (Statement of Specified Foreign Financial Assets), Forms 3520/3520-A (Foreign Trusts), Form 5471 (U.S. Persons with Certain Foreign Corporations), Form 8865 (Foreign Partnerships), and Form 8621 (Passive Foreign Investment Companies) to ensure full compliance without duplication or gaps
• Entity & Structure Traps: When foreign corporate, trust, or partnership accounts create personal FBAR obligations—and how to properly apply exceptions
• Joint Accounts, Community Property & Powers of Attorney: Clear rules for married taxpayers, community property jurisdictions, and signature authority-only reporting
• Willful vs. Non-Willful Violations: Analyze real cases to position clients for the lowest penalties and avoid criminal exposure
• Catch-Up & Voluntary Disclosure Strategies: Current IRS procedures to address delinquent or incorrect filings, including how treaty tie-breaker rules can provide legal “escape hatches"
• Post-Mortem Penalty Exposure: Understand when FBAR penalties can extend to a taxpayer’s estate and effective strategies to mitigate these risk

Who Should Attend

CPAs, EAs, tax attorneys, wealth advisors, family-office executives, CFOs, controllers, and compliance officers responsible for managing or advising on international financial accounts and cross-border asset reporting