News and Events

Each year, taxpayers with offshore accounts are required to file Reports of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FBARs).  Failure to file these reports can have significant consequences, including substantial financial penalties. That said, anyone with money offshore needs to know the rules and comply with them.

The Internal Revenue Service has faced substantial cuts in its budget in recent years, which has brought audit levels down significantly. Many taxpayers have been relieved at the reduced chances of being audited, especially in light of how burdensome Internal Revenue Service audits can be.

President Obama and the United States Treasury Department have been aggressively going after banks and even individual accountholders in connection with undeclared offshore accounts. In recent years, there has been a strong focus on so-called global tax transparency, which forces banks and accountholders to provide extensive information to taxing authorities. This can, in some cases, damage accountholders who have funds in offshore institutions but haven't really done anything wrong.

On December 10, 2015 Corner Banca SA (Cornèr) reached a resolution with the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) under the Swiss Bank Program.  This resolution, along with the Bank Coop AG (Bank Coop) resolution which was entered into on the same day, brings the total number of financial institutions executing non-prosecution agreements under the Swiss Bank Program to total of 61.

Download the full list of 72 banks that have reached an agreement with the IRS.