A Boston international tax attorney can provide assistance to any individual or company with investments offshore who is concerned about the possibility that noncompliance with tax laws could be made public.  While there are many legitimate reasons for investing offshore, offshore accounts are inherently treated with suspicion — and if undeclared offshore accounts come to the attention of the IRS, the consequences could include financial penalties and even criminal prosecution if it is determined the accountholder failed to follow the rules.

Swiss banks have not fared well since the crackdown on financial institutions that allegedly helped to facilitate tax evasion. The crackdown occurred after the great recession, ensnaring many respected financial institutions and causing serious problems for offshore investors who found themselves under investigation or reaching out to a Boston international tax attorney to explore options for voluntary disclosure.

Recent studies have shown that the use of offshore investing increases as wealth increases. In other words, wealthier people are more likely to invest some of their money in foreign financial institutions.  Many taxing authorities believe that this is motivated by a desire to evade taxes, but a close look at where people are keeping more of their money offshore suggests there may be other motivating factors for making the decision to move money out of your home country.

 If you have any funds invested with foreign financial institutions, it is imperative you ensure you are in compliance now, and have complied in the past, with FATCA, with mandated annual FBAR filings, and with all other tax rules and requirements. If you have not been in full compliance with tax obligations, you should speak with a Boston tax law firm as soon as possible to explore your options for resolving your unresolved tax issues through participation in amnesty programs such as the Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Program.

If you did not file all of your required Reports of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts and you did not otherwise comply with U.S. tax rules in connection with offshore accounts, you face a substantial risk of civil penalties and even criminal prosecution. The IRS is aggressively fighting offshore tax evasion, and many foreign banks are helping the IRS by providing them with accountholder information in exchange for avoiding criminal penalties for helping American to evade their taxes.