The reporting requirement for Form 8938 is separate from the reporting requirement for the FinCen Form TD 90-22.1, FBAR. An individual may have to file both forms and separate penalties may apply for failure to file each form. See the Comparison of filing requirements for further information.
Third-party reporting:
Foreign financial institutions may provide to the IRS third-party information reporting about financial accounts, including the identity and certain financial information associated with the account, which they maintain offshore on behalf of U.S. individual account holders.
Application to domestic entities:
The U.S. Internal Revenue Service, IRS, anticipates issuing regulations that will require a domestic entity to file Form 8938 if the entity is formed or used to hold specified foreign financial assets and the total asset value exceeds the appropriate reporting threshold.
Until the IRS issues such regulations, only individuals must file Form 8938.
Timelines:
Timeline for Implementing New Account Opening Procedures and the Definition of Preexisting Obligations. Withholding agents generally will be required to implement new account opening procedures by July 1, 2014, or, in the case of a PFFI, by the later of July 1, 2014 or the effective date of its FFI agreement. Accordingly, the definition of the term “preexisting obligation” will be modified to mean:
ï With respect to a withholding agent other than a PFFI or a registered deemed- compliant FFI: any account, instrument, or contract maintained, executed, or issued by the withholding agent that is outstanding on June 30, 2014;
ï With respect to a PFFI: any account, instrument, or contract maintained, executed, or issued by the PFFI that is outstanding on the effective date of the FFI agreement; and
ï With respect to a registered deemed-compliant FFI: any account, instrument, or contract maintained, executed or issued by the FFI prior to the later of July 1, 2014, or the date on which the FFI registers as a deemed-compliant FFI and receives a GIIN
The U.S. Treasury intends to include a similar change to the definition of the term “Preexisting Account” in both model IGAs. Thus, it is expected that future IGAs will define the term “Preexisting Account” to mean a Financial Account maintained as of June 30, 2014. For IGAs in force that contain the previous definition of the term “Preexisting Account,” the partner jurisdiction will be permitted under the coordination provision of the IGA to permit its FFIs to substitute the definition of the term “preexisting account” from the amended final regulations for the definition of the term “Preexisting Account” in the IGA. For IGAs concluded before the coordination provision was added, the coordination provision will apply through the operation of the most- favored nation provision once an IGA containing the coordination provision is in force.
