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Courts have been widening the scope of FBAR liability over the past few years. Subjective standards dictate whether you will end up on the hook for severe penalties because of a simple failure to comply with the formula set forth by the IRS.
If the government comes knocking at your door, you will want to be prepared for all eventualities. At the Tax Law Offices of David W. Klasing, we have the international tax knowledge, experience, and expertise to provide you with protection against nasty unintended consequences.
To set up a reduced rate initial consultation with one of our excellent dually licensed California Tax Attorneys and CPAs, call us today at (800) 681-1295 or schedule online here.
The 11th Circuit recently affirmed a district court’s decision to grant summary judgment in favor of the government in a FBAR civil penalty collection case. Rum, who appealed the district court decision, made several arguments, but chief among them was that the district court applied the wrong standard of willfulness with regard to 31 U.S.C. § 5321(a)(5). This section of the U.S. code refers to assessing civil penalties to taxpaying businesses in the United States that are found to have willfully failed to correctly file a Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FBAR).
At the trial level, both Rum and the government moved for their own respective summary judgements. The district court initially referred the case to a magistrate judge. The magistrate judge recommended that the district court grant the government’s motion and deny Rum’s motion. The magistrate judge advised that Rum’s argument about the legal definition of willfulness does not include the concept of recklessness was invalid and recommended that the maximum penalty be imposed.
Rum argued on appeal that the district court and magistrate judge erred when they determined that reckless conduct was enough to satisfy the “willful” element of the statute. Rum argued that the proper standard should be “violation of a known legal duty,” mirroring the standard used in cases under the Bank Secrecy Act. Rum also appealed on several other grounds which the Circuit Court found irrelevant and dispatched quickly.
The 11th Circuit in its opinion cited precedent which dealt with violations from other legislation packages such as the Fair Credit Reporting Act, which contained civil and criminal penalties where willfulness was a standard. The preceding case law held on the key issue that recklessness in civil liability was generally understood to be violative of an objective standard and therefore could rightfully be used to impute willfulness in civil cases.
The 11th Circuit Court’s decision means that the government can cast a wider net in assessing willful FBAR penalties. The governments burden to prove the critical elements of the willful FBAR penalty is substantially lower because of this ruling.
This is an important tool in the pocket of the government. Due to the nature of the elements of most FBAR violations, the IRS has often struggled to prove their case against violators. Penalties for more serious violations such as FBAR civil fraud are much more difficult to prove, and the inclusion of recklessness in the willful FBAR penalty standard gives prosecutors a wider safety net to catch violators where the proof available does not necessarily amount to a finding of intentional fraud.
While the ruling does not affect the difficulty of proving civil fraud or criminal violations in FBAR cases, it does make exposure for mistakes on FBAR filings both more likely and more substantial.
If you are faced with FBAR civil charges, or want to avoid them entirely, you should call the Tax Law Office of David W. Klasing today. Our experienced dually licensed California Tax Attorneys and CPAs can provide the guidance you need to avoid stepping into costly IRS mousetraps. Call (800) 681-1295 to set up your consultation.
Note: As long as a taxpayer that has willfully committed tax crimes (potentially including non-filed domestic or foreign tax and information returns coupled with affirmative evasion of U.S. income tax on domestic or offshore income) self-reports the tax fraud (including a pattern of non-filed returns) through a domestic or offshore voluntary disclosurebefore the IRS has started an audit or criminal tax investigation / prosecution, the taxpayer can ordinarily be successfully brought back into tax compliance and receive a nearly guaranteed pass on criminal tax prosecution and simultaneously often receive a break on the civil penalties that would otherwise apply.
It is imperative that you hire an experienced and reputable criminal tax defense attorney to take you through the voluntary disclosure process. Only an Attorney has the Attorney Client Privilege and Work Product Privileges that will prevent the very professional that you hire from being potentially being forced to become a witness against you, especially where they prepared the returns that need to be amended, in a subsequent criminal tax audit, investigation or prosecution.
Moreover, only an Attorney can enter you into a voluntary disclosure without engaging in the unauthorized practice of law (a crime in itself). Only an Attorney trained in Criminal Tax Defense fully understands the risks and rewards involved in voluntary disclosures and how to protect you if you do not qualify for a voluntary disclosure.
As uniquely qualified and extensively experienced Criminal Tax Defense Tax Attorneys, KovelCPAs and EAs, our firm provides a one stop shop to efficiently achieve the optimal and predictable results that simultaneously protect your liberty and your net worth. See our Testimonials to see what our clients have to say about us!
Regardless of your business or estate needs, the professionals at the Tax Law Offices of David W. Klasing are here for you. We are open for business and our team will help ensure that your business is too. Contact the Law Offices of David W. Klasing today to discuss your business with one of our professionals.
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