US Taxes: FBAR filing online

Finance, Taxes, Banking, Insurance and Retirement
21
Let it go. Well, I would.

22
I'd let it go, but if it keeps you awake at night, amend it. I did something similar with mine, but I just let it go. They have the account info and the balance info they demand, nothing was reported incorrectly or hidden.

23
Past year I wrote expanded bank name and this year using short form of the name (as a mistake). I just hope they don't think something fishy is going on.

24
Btw, a big thanks to edot and evilshell for responding to my queries in a timely manner! I was panicking so bad.

I was also able to get hold of their rep Ryan at 10:30 AM EST (even though it was weekend!) who was very friendly and told me that user id would be coming in a few hours.

25
I just filed my FBAR online. Apparently they are mandating that starting in July 1, 2013, all FBARs must be filed electronically. Read the bottom of this link:

http://www.irs.gov/Businesses/Small-...ccounts-(FBAR))

That means that this is the last year that you can file by paper since this thing is due June 30th.

I couldn't get the efiling to work with Chrome or Firefox on a Mac. I had to run IE from a Windows XP machine to get the PDF file to open inside IE and be able to submit the file successfully.

If there's a way to get Chrome or Firefox to open a PDF using Acrobat Reader INSIDE the browser, you might be able to get the submission to work. But I could not get that to work even after disabling chrome's built in PDF viewer and reinstalling Acrobat Reader. Maybe somebody more technically savvy can post the instructions for doing this.

DavidSJC

26
So ... after reading this:

Exceptions to the Reporting Requirement

Exceptions to the FBAR reporting requirements can be found in the FBAR instructions. There are filing exceptions for the following United States persons or foreign financial accounts: Certain foreign financial accounts jointly owned by spouses; United States persons included in a consolidated FBAR; Correspondent/nostro accounts; Foreign financial accounts owned by a governmental entity; Foreign financial accounts owned by an international financial institution; IRA owners and beneficiaries; Participants in and beneficiaries of tax-qualified retirement plans; Certain individuals with signature authority over but no financial interest in a foreign financial account; Trust beneficiaries; and 0. Foreign financial accounts maintained on a United States military banking facility.

from: http://www.irs.gov/Businesses/Small-...Accounts-(FBAR )

I am still not clear:

Is a vested benefit account exempted of reporting requirement on the FBAR form?

What about the 8938 (FATCA) form?

I thought that the accounts related to pension where exempted of reporting duty?

27
Depends on what type of pension you are talking about? swiss pillar 1, pillar 2, or pillar 3?

Pillar one as a state pension, exempt from reporting.

Pillar two, reportable on 8938, plus contributions on 1040. On FBAR, search the EF, there are different opinons on this.

Pillar 3, somewhat of a US tax nightmare.

28
I got mine to work eventually on the Mac. I had to download a new Adobe reader version, install, restart the Mac and close and restart the browser (was either Safari or Firefox). The big issue for me was the Reader version. Until I got that sorted, it would open outside the browser in Adobe Professional.

29
thanks for the info. I am on my way to getting an account set up. Fun...

30
I did mine online last year (a PC with Firefox), but this year I have a Mac and couldn't be troubled to figure out what was wrong with opening PDFs. Also dumb that you have to submit two of the exact same ones if you're submitting a joint one.

31

luckily my husband is German so I don't need to submit one for him.

I have had problems others mentioned - the PDF won't display correctly in the (firefox) browser. I then completed the file in Adobe "offline" but then when I went to upload it to the browser, it still wasn't displayed properly. I then tried to login using IE and I couldn't even get to the login page without an error. I have sent an email to their help department, which may or may not be any help - but I don't feel like dealing with it any more yet. I may just print the sucker out and send it in the old fashioned way.

I figure I am way good, sucker isn't due for several months

I will let you know if I get any useful info back from them!

32
I'm going to do the paper form this year. I screwed around for ages with it last year. I think if you are married, and both required to submit one, you each have to do it seperately as there is no way for both of you to sign the same form.

33
But my husband has no us tax liability anymore, he doesn't need to send one in, does he?

34
I got the online submission to work. I had to use IE and I had to enable a setting, TLS 1.0 or something like that... I am good for another year, phew.

Attached is the PDF that the e-filing people sent me. HTH!

35
Does anyone know how far back we are to report, as long as we have lived here?

36

Probably as long as you have lived here. How far out are you?

Just to confirm, this is the last year for paper filing. It goes electronic only from 1st July 2013. Well, sort of - because if you still file paper there’s a $500 penalty for doing so. Given that the system sounds like it’s crap, I’m glad I’m not going to have to do it.

37
Does anyone have the actual link where you go to get this filed?

38
Here is the one that I used. Naturally, you have to pay.

http://www.fbaronline.com/

39
If you've never filed before, then 8 years not including the current one: http://http://www.irs.gov/Individual...ns-and-Answers

40
I ended up filing here .....

The header on the website really bothers me...."Financial Crimes Enforcement Network". Makes me feel like I'm checking in with my parole officer