Q42: How can the IRS propose adjustments to tax for more than three years without either an agreement from the taxpayer or a statutory exception to the normal three-year statute of limitations for making those adjustments?
A42: Agreeing to assessment of tax and penalties for all voluntary disclosure years is part of the resolution offered by the IRS for resolving offshore voluntary disclosures. The taxpayer must agree to assessment of the liabilities for those years in order to get the benefit of the reduced penalty framework. If the taxpayer does not agree to the tax, interest and penalty proposed by the voluntary disclosure examiner, the case will be referred to the field for a complete examination of all issues. In that examination, normal statute of limitations rules will apply.
If no exception to the normal three-year statute applies, the IRS will only be able to assess tax, penalty and interest for three years. However, if the period of limitations was open because, for example, the IRS can prove a substantial omission of gross income, six years of liability may be assessed. Similarly, if there was a failure to file certain information returns, such as Form 3520 or Form 5471, the statute of limitations will not have begun to run. If the IRS can prove fraud, there is no statute of limitations for assessing tax. In addition, the statute of limitations for asserting FBAR penalties is six years from the date of the violation, which would be the date that an unfiled FBAR was due to have been filed. 31 U.S.C. § 5321(b)(1).
Q43: Will I be required to complete and sign agreements to extend the period of time to assess tax (including tax penalties) and to assess FBAR penalties for any years that are otherwise set to expire while my application is being processed by the IRS?
A43: Yes. Properly completed and signed agreements to extend the period of time to assess tax (including tax penalties) and to assess FBAR penalties are required to be submitted by August 31, 2011 (see FAQ 25).
