FBAR – Who, When, and How

The Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts or FBAR is a requirement by the US Treasury Department. It is required of all US persons and entities, including citizens, residents, partnerships, corporations, LLCs, trust funds, etc., who hold accounts or authority (such as signatory authority) in financial statements outside the United States. An account in a financial institution outside of the United States which has at any time during the calendar year exceeded $10,000 in value qualifies for FBAR filing. Foreign bank accounts, securities, and financial instruments all come under this requirement and must be disclosed.

The FBAR filing is due for the preceding calendar year by April 15^th. The government offers an automatic extension up to the 15th of October, and there is no formal requirement to file for this extension. Other exemptions to the rule can come into play in special situations such as natural disasters. In these cases, an extension is granted, and deadlines are extended. These new deadlines are updated on the relevant national websites like the FinCENs website and can be found under FBAR Relief notices.