What is FBAR and How to Report Your Foreign Income Using FBAR?

5 min readFeb 13, 2023

The Foreign Bank Account Report (FBAR) is a form that U.S. taxpayers who have foreign bank accounts or other foreign financial assets must file with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) annually. The purpose of the FBAR is to help the U.S. government detect and prevent tax evasion, money laundering, and other financial crimes by requiring individuals to report their foreign financial assets. If you are a U.S. taxpayer and you have foreign financial assets that meet certain thresholds, you are required to file an FBAR.

Who Must File an FBAR

You are required to file an FBAR if you are a U.S. taxpayer and have a financial interest in or signature authority over foreign financial accounts with an aggregate value exceeding $10,000 at any time during the calendar year. This includes bank accounts, securities accounts, and other foreign financial assets, such as mutual funds, trusts, and life insurance policies with cash value.

If you are a U.S. taxpayer living abroad, you must also file an FBAR if you have foreign financial assets that meet the above thresholds. Additionally, if you are a U.S. citizen or resident alien and you have foreign financial assets that are owned by your spouse or dependents, you may also be required to file an FBAR.

When to File an FBAR

The FBAR must be filed annually by June 30th of the year following the calendar year for which the report is required. For example, if you had foreign financial assets in 2022, you would be required to file an FBAR by June 30th, 2023.

Penalties for Not Filing an FBAR

If you fail to file an FBAR, you may be subject to substantial penalties. The penalties for failing to file an FBAR can be as high as $10,000 for non-willful violations and $100,000 or 50% of the balance of the foreign account for willful violations. In addition, if the government discovers that you have failed to file an FBAR, they may also initiate a tax audit, which could result in additional taxes, interest, and penalties.

How to File an FBAR

You can file an FBAR online using the BSA E-Filing System. The BSA E-Filing System is a secure online platform provided by the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) that allows you to submit your FBAR electronically. To file an FBAR online, you will need to create an account, provide information about your foreign financial assets, and submit the report electronically.

In order to file an FBAR online, you will need to provide the following information:

Your personal information, including your name, address, Social Security number or taxpayer identification number, and date of birth
Information about each foreign financial account, including the name of the financial institution, the account number, and the maximum value of the account during the year
A certification that the information you have provided is true and accurate to the best of your knowledge.

Also, Learn about File an Income Tax Extension (IRS Form 4868)

FBAR Compliance and Record Keeping

In addition to filing an FBAR, it is important to keep accurate records of your foreign financial assets. This includes keeping track of the value of each account and any transactions that occur during the year. You should also keep any supporting documentation, such as bank statements, account agreements, and other financial records, in case the government requests them.

While the FBAR requires you to report your foreign financial assets, it is important to remember that it is separate from your tax return. The FBAR is not a tax form and does not replace the need to report your foreign income on your U.S. tax return. If you have foreign income, you may also be required to file a Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FBAR) and other forms, such as Form 1116 and Form 8938, to report your foreign income and assets.

Get to know How to Fill Out IRS Form 1065 for Partnership Tax Return?

FBAR and Foreign Assets: What to Report

When you file an FBAR, you are required to report all of your foreign financial assets that meet the $10,000 threshold, including:

Bank accounts, including savings accounts, checking accounts, and certificates of deposit
Securities accounts, including brokerage accounts, mutual funds, and other investment accounts
Foreign real estate, including rental property and vacation homes
Foreign businesses and corporations
Foreign trusts and foundations
Life insurance policies with a cash value

It is important to note that you are only required to report assets in which you have a financial interest or signature authority. If you have a joint account with someone else, you must report your share of the assets on your FBAR.

FBAR and Foreign Assets: What Not to Report

When you file an FBAR, there are certain assets that you are not required to report. These assets include:

Foreign assets held in a qualified retirement plan, such as an IRA or 401(k)
Foreign assets held in a U.S. military banking system
Foreign assets held in a U.S. based account
Foreign assets held in an individual retirement account (IRA) if the IRA is not considered a foreign financial asset

Learn more on IRS Form 8938

Exemptions and Exclusions from FBAR Filing Requirements

There are certain situations where you may be exempt from FBAR filing requirements. Some common exemptions include:

Foreign assets held by U.S. government employees in the performance of their official duties
Foreign assets held by military personnel in the performance of their official duties
Foreign assets held by Peace Corps volunteers
Foreign assets held by employees of international organizations, such as the United Nations, who are exempt from U.S. taxes

Additionally, there are certain situations where you may be excluded from FBAR filing requirements. These exclusions may include:

Foreign assets held in a foreign account if the account is owned by a foreign corporation, foreign partnership, or foreign trust and you are not the owner or beneficiary of the account
Foreign assets held in a foreign account if you are the owner or beneficiary of the account and the assets are not considered foreign financial assets

Final Thoughts

The Foreign Bank Account Report (FBAR) is an important form that U.S. taxpayers with foreign financial assets must file annually. It is important to understand your FBAR filing requirements, as failure to file an FBAR can result in substantial penalties. Additionally, it is important to keep accurate records of your foreign financial assets and to report any foreign income on your U.S. tax return. By staying compliant with FBAR filing requirements, you can avoid potential legal and financial consequences.