Certain individuals having only signature authority over foreign financial accounts now have until June 30, 2014, to file the Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts.
On December 26, 2012, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) released Notice 2012-2,[1] which states that certain persons who are obligated to file Form TD F 90-22.1, Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FBAR), now have until June 30, 2014, to file the form.[2] This extended filing deadline applies to certain individuals with signature authority over, but no financial interest in, one or more foreign financial accounts and also applies to certain employees or officers of investment advisers registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) who have signature authority over, but no financial interest in, certain foreign financial accounts. FinCEN cites "ongoing consideration of questions regarding the filing requirement and its application to individuals with signature authority over but no financial interest in certain types of accounts" as the basis for this latest extension. This is the third filing extension applicable to such persons. It covers not only the reporting of signature authority held by such persons for 2012, but also for all other years for which filing was previously extended to June 30, 2012, under FinCEN Notices 2011-1 and 2011-2. All others who are required to file an FBAR must still do so by June 30, 2013.
Generally, FinCEN Notice 2012-2 further extends the FBAR filing deadline for the following employees and officers of certain "excepted entities" (as defined in the final regulations released by FinCEN on February 24, 2011[3]):
As noted, the above-described employees or officers now have until June 30, 2014, to file FBARs if FinCEN ultimately decides that such filings are required. Our "Ultimate FBAR Due Date Chart" has been updated to reflect these extended deadlines and is available here.
Contacts
If you have any questions or would like more information on the issues discussed in this LawFlash, please contact any of the following Morgan Lewis Tax Practice attorneys:
London
Charles G. Lubar
New York
Richard S. Zarin
Philadelphia
William P. Zimmerman
Washington, D.C.
Richard C. LaFalce
[2]. The prior deadline for such persons was June 30, 2013. For further details on the FBAR, see our previous LawFlashes on the subject: "Important New Development Regarding Reporting of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts: What Corporations and Individuals Need to Know" (Jan. 27, 2009), available here; "FinCEN and IRS Issue Guidance on FBAR Filing Requirements for Certain U.S. Persons" (Feb. 26, 2010), available here; "FinCEN Issues Final FBAR Regulations for Certain U.S. Persons Holding Foreign Financial Accounts" (Mar. 11, 2011), available here; "FinCEN Issues Extension for Certain FBAR Filers" (June 3, 2011), available here; "Two More Extensions: IRS and FinCEN Issue Extensions for Certain FBAR Filers in IRS Notice 2011-54 and FinCEN Notice 2011-2" (June 20, 2011), available here; and "FinCEN Issues Additional Extension for Certain FBAR Filers" (March 1, 2012), available here.
[3]. For further details, see our June 3, 2011, LawFlash, "FinCEN Issues Extension for Certain FBAR Filers," available here.
[4]. For further details, see our June 20, 2011, LawFlash, "Two More Extensions: IRS and FinCEN Issue Extensions for Certain FBAR Filers in IRS Notice 2011-54 and FinCEN Notice 2011-2," available here.