The Tax Times: IRS Simplifies Entering The New Streamline Program By Issuing New Forms 14653 & 14654!

We previously posted on Wednesday, June 18, 2014, "IRS Makes Changes to Offshore Programs; Revisions Ease Burden and Help More Taxpayers Come into Compliance" where we discussed that the IRS released IR-2014-73, which provides major changes in its offshore voluntary compliance programs, providing new options to help both taxpayers residing overseas and those residing in the United States.

The modified streamlined filing compliance procedures are designed for only individual taxpayers, including estates of individual taxpayers. The streamlined procedures are available to both U.S. individual taxpayers residing outside the United States and U.S. individual taxpayers residing in the United States.

Descriptions of the specific eligibility requirements for the streamlined procedures for both non-U.S. residents (the "Streamlined Foreign Offshore Procedures") and U.S. residents (the "Streamlined Domestic Offshore Procedures") are set forth on the IRS' Streamlined Filing Compliance Procedures web page; which originally required Taxpayers using either the Streamlined Foreign Offshore Procedures or the Streamlined Domestic Offshore Procedures to certify, that the failure to report all income, pay all tax, and submit all required information returns, including FBARs (FinCEN Form 114, previously Form TD F 90-22.1), was due to non-willful conduct.　

Now, the IRS has made this
Certification Process even Easier

by creating the following forms:

Form 14653 –Certification by U.S. Person Residing Outside　of the United States for Streamlined Foreign Offshore Procedures and

Form 14654 –Certification by U.S. Person Residing in the United States for Streamlined Foreign Offshore Procedures.

Specific Instructions for the

Streamlined Foreign Offshore Procedures

For each of the most recent 3 years for which the U.S. tax return due date (or properly applied for extended due date) has passed:
- if a U.S. tax return has not been filed previously, submit a complete and accurate delinquent tax return using Form 1040, U.S. Individual Income Tax Return, together with the required information returns (e.g., Forms 3520, 5471, and 8938) even if these information returns would normally be filed separately from the Form 1040 had the taxpayer filed on time, or
- if a U.S. tax return has been filed previously, submit a complete and accurate amended tax return using Form 1040X, Amended U.S. Individual Income Tax Return, together with the required information returns (e.g., Forms 3520, 5471, and 8938) even if these information returns would normally be filed separately from the Form 1040 had the taxpayer filed a complete and accurate original return.
Include at the top of the first page of each delinquent or amended tax return and at the top of each information return "Streamlined Foreign Offshore" written in red to indicate that the returns are being submitted under these procedures. This is critical to ensure that your returns are processed through these special procedures.
Complete and sign a statement on the Certification by U.S. Person Residing Outside of the U.S. certifying (1) that you are eligible for the Streamlined Foreign Offshore Procedures; (2) that all required FBARs have now been filed (see instruction 8 below); and (3) that the failure to file tax returns, report all income, pay all tax, and submit all required information returns, including FBARs, resulted from non-willful conduct. You must submit the original signed statement and you must attach copies of the statement to each tax return and information return being submitted through these procedures. You should not attach copies of the statement to FBARs. Failure to submit this statement, or submission of an incomplete or otherwise deficient statement, will result in returns being processed in the normal course without the benefit of the favorable terms of these procedures.
Submit payment of all tax due as reflected on the tax returns and all applicable statutory interest with respect to each of the late payment amounts. Your taxpayer identification number must be included on your check.
If you are not eligible to have a Social Security Number and do not already have an ITIN, submit an application for an ITIN along with the required tax returns, information returns, and other documents filed under these streamlined procedures. See the ITIN page on www.irs.gov for more information.
If you seek relief for failure to timely elect deferral of income from certain retirement or savings plans where deferral is permitted by an applicable treaty, submit:
- a statement requesting an extension of time to make an election to defer income tax and identifying the applicable treaty provision;
- a dated statement signed by you under penalties of perjury describing:
  - the events that led to the failure to make the election,
  - the events that led to the discovery of the failure, and
  - if you relied on a professional advisor, the nature of the advisor’s engagement and responsibilities; and
- for relevant Canadian plans, a Form 8891 for each tax year and each plan and a description of the type of plan covered by the submission.
The documents listed above, together with the payments described above, must be sent in paper form (electronic submissions will not be accepted) to:

Internal Revenue Service
3651 South I-H 35
Stop 6063 AUSC
Attn: Streamlined Foreign Offshore
Austin, TX 78741

This address may only be used for returns filed under these procedures. For all future filings, you must file according to regular filing procedures.

For each of the most recent 6 years for which the FBAR due date has passed, file delinquent FBARs according to the FBAR instructions and include a statement explaining that the FBARs are being filed as part of the Streamlined Filing Compliance Procedures. You are required to file these delinquent FBARs electronically at FinCen. On the cover page of the electronic form, select “Other” as the reason for filing late. An explanation box will appear. In the explanation box, enter “Streamlined Filing Compliance Procedures.” If you are unable to file electronically, you may contact FinCEN's Regulatory Helpline at 1-800-949-2732 or 1-703-905-3975 (if calling from outside the United States) to determine possible alternatives to electronic filing.

Specific Instructions for the

Streamlined Domestic Offshore Procedures

For each of the most recent 3 years for which the U.S. tax return due date (or properly applied for extended due date) has passed, submit a complete and accurate amended tax return using Form 1040X, Amended U.S. Individual Income Tax Return, together with any required information returns (e.g., Forms 3520, 3520-A, 5471, 5472, 8938, 926, and 8621) even if these information returns would normally not be submitted with the Form 1040 had the taxpayer filed a complete and accurate original return. 　You may not file delinquent income tax returns (including Form 1040, U.S. Individual Income Tax Return) using these procedures.

Include at the top of the first page of each amended tax return "Streamlined Domestic Offshore" written in red to indicate that the returns are being submitted under these procedures. This is critical to ensure that your returns are processed through these special procedures.

Complete and sign a statement on the Certification by U.S. Person Residing in the U.S. certifying: 　(1) that you are eligible for the Streamlined Domestic Offshore Procedures; (2) that all required FBARs have now been filed (see instruction 9 below); (3) that the failure to report all income, pay all tax, and submit all required information returns, including FBARs, resulted from non-willful conduct; and (4) that the miscellaneous offshore penalty amount is accurate (see instruction 5 below). 　You must maintain your foreign financial asset information supporting the self-certified miscellaneous offshore penalty computation and be prepared to provide it upon request. 　You must submit an original signed statement and attach copies of the statement to each tax return and information return being submitted through these procedures. 　You should not attach copies of the statement to FBARs. 　Failure to submit this statement, or submission of an incomplete or otherwise deficient statement, will result in returns being processed in the normal course without the benefit of the favorable terms of these procedures.

Submit payment of all tax due as reflected on the tax returns and all applicable statutory interest with respect to each of the late payment amounts. 　Your taxpayer identification number must be included on your check. 　You may receive a balance due notice or a refund if the tax or interest is not calculated correctly.

Submit payment of the Title 26 miscellaneous offshore penalty as defined above. 　

If you seek relief for failure to timely elect deferral of income from certain retirement or savings plans where deferral is permitted by an applicable treaty, submit:

a statement requesting an extension of time to make an election to defer income tax and identifying the applicable treaty provision;

a dated statement signed by you under penalties of perjury describing:

the events that led to the failure to make the election,

the events that led to the discovery of the failure, and

if you relied on a professional advisor, the nature of the advisor’s engagement and responsibilities; and

for relevant Canadian plans, a Form 8891 for each tax year and each plan and a description of the type of plan covered by the submission.

The documents listed above, together with the payments described above, must be sent in paper form (electronic submissions will not be accepted) to:

Internal Revenue Service
3651 South I-H 35Stop 6063 AUSC
Attn: 　Streamlined Domestic Offshore
Austin, TX 78741

This address may only be used for returns filed under these procedures. 　For all future filings, you must file according to regular filing procedures. 　

For each of the most recent 6 years for which the FBAR due date has passed, file delinquent FBARs according to the FBAR instructions and include a statement explaining that the FBARs are being filed as part of the Streamlined Filing Compliance Procedures. 　You are required to file these delinquent FBARs electronically at FinCen. 　On the cover page of the electronic form, select "Other" as the reason for filing late. 　An explanation box will appear. 　In the explanation box, enter "Streamlined Filing Compliance Procedures." 　If you are unable to file electronically, you may contact FinCEN's Regulatory Helpline at 1-800-949-2732 or 1-703-905-3975 (if calling from outside the United States) to determine possible alternatives to electronic filing.

Remember that for either of these streamlined programs, the taxpayer MUST be able to prove Non-Willfulness as e described in our post IRS OVDP vs. New Streamlined?

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