31 CFR 1010.350 – Reports of foreign financial accounts
(a) In general. Each United States person having a financial interest in, or signature or other authority over, a bank, securities, or other financial account in a foreign country shall report such relationship to the Commissioner of Internal Revenue for each year in which such relationship exists and shall provide such information as shall be specified in a reporting form prescribed under 31 U.S.C. § 5314 to be filed by such persons. The form prescribed under section 5314 is the Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (TD-F 90-22.1), or any successor form. See paragraphs (g)(1) and (g)(2) of this section for a special rule for persons with a financial interest in 25 or more accounts, or signature or other authority over 25 or more accounts.
(b) United States person. For purposes of this section, the term “United States person” means—
(1) A citizen of the United States;
(2) A resident of the United States. A resident of the United States is an individual who is a resident alien under 26 U.S.C. § 7701(b) and the regulations thereunder but using the definition of “United States” provided in 31 CFR 1010.100(hhh) rather than the definition of “United States” in 26 CFR 301.7701(b)-1(c)(2)(ii); and
(3) An entity, including but not limited to, a corporation, partnership, trust, or limited liability company created, organized, or formed under the laws of the United States, any State, the District of Columbia, the Territories and Insular Possessions of the United States, or the Indian Tribes.
(c) Types of reportable accounts. For purposes of this section—
(1) Bank account. The term “bank account” means a savings deposit, demand deposit, checking, or any other account maintained with a person engaged in the business of banking.
(2) Securities account. The term “securities account” means an account with a person engaged in the business of buying, selling, holding or trading stock or other securities.
(3) Other financial account. The term “other financial account” means—
(i) An account with a person that is in the business of accepting deposits as a financial agency;
(ii) An account that is an insurance or annuity policy with a cash value;
(iii) An account with a person that acts as a broker or dealer for futures or options transactions in any commodity on or subject to the rules of a commodity exchange or association; or
(iv) An account with—
(A) Mutual fund or similar pooled fund. A mutual fund or similar pooled fund which issues shares available to the general public that have a regular net asset value determination and regular redemptions; or
(B) Other investment fund. [Reserved]
(4) Exceptions for certain accounts. (i) An account of a department or agency of the United States, an Indian Tribe, or any State or any political subdivision of a State, or a wholly-owned entity, agency or instrumentality of any of the foregoing is not required to be reported. In addition, reporting is not required with respect to an account of an entity established under the laws of the United States, of an Indian Tribe, of any State, or of any political subdivision of any State, or under an intergovernmental compact between two or more States or Indian Tribes, that exercises governmental authority on behalf of the United States, an Indian Tribe, or any such State or political subdivision. For this purpose, an entity generally exercises governmental authority on behalf of the United States, an Indian Tribe, a State, or a political subdivision only if its authorities include one or more of the powers to tax, to exercise the power of eminent domain, or to exercise police powers with respect to matters within its jurisdiction.
(ii) An account of an international financial institution of which the United States government is a member is not required to be reported.
(iii) An account in an institution known as a “United States military banking facility” (or “United States military finance facility”) operated by a United States financial institution designated by the United States Government to serve United States government installations abroad is not required to be reported even though the United States military banking facility is located in a foreign country.
(iv) Correspondent or nostro accounts that are maintained by banks and used solely for bank-to-bank settlements are not required to be reported.
(d) Foreign country. A foreign country includes all geographical areas located outside of the United States as defined in 31 CFR 1010.100(hhh).
(e) Financial interest. A financial interest in a bank, securities or other financial account in a foreign country means an interest described in this paragraph (e):
(1) Owner of record or holder of legal title. A United States person has a financial interest in each bank, securities or other financial account in a foreign country for which he is the owner of record or has legal title whether the account is maintained for his own benefit or for the benefit of others. If an account is maintained in the name of more than one person, each United States person in whose name the account is maintained has a financial interest in that account.
(2) Other financial interest. A United States person has a financial interest in each bank, securities or other financial account in a foreign country for which the owner of record or holder of legal title is—
(i) A person acting as an agent, nominee, attorney or in some other capacity on behalf of the United States person with respect to the account;
(ii) A corporation in which the United States person owns directly or indirectly more than 50 percent of the voting power or the total value of the shares, a partnership in which the United States person owns directly or indirectly more than 50 percent of the interest in profits or capital, or any other entity (other than an entity in paragraphs (e)(2)(iii) through (iv) of this section) in which the United States person owns directly or indirectly more than 50 percent of the voting power, total value of the equity interest or assets, or interest in profits;
(iii) A trust, if the United States person is the trust grantor and has an ownership interest in the trust for United States Federal tax purposes. See 26 U.S.C. §§ 671–679 and the regulations thereunder to determine if a grantor has an ownership interest in the trust for the year; or
(iv) A trust in which the United States person either has a present beneficial interest in more than 50 percent of the assets or from which such person receives more than 50 percent of the current income.
(3) Anti-avoidance rule. A United States person that causes an entity, including but not limited to a corporation, partnership, or trust, to be created for a purpose of evading this section shall have a financial interest in any bank, securities, or other financial account in a foreign country for which the entity is the owner of record or holder of legal title.
(f) Signature or other authority—(1) In general. Signature or other authority means the authority of an individual (alone or in conjunction with another) to control the disposition of money, funds or other assets held in a financial account by direct communication (whether in writing or otherwise) to the person with whom the financial account is maintained.
(2) Exceptions—(i) An officer or employee of a bank that is examined by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Office of Thrift Supervision, or the National Credit Union Administration need not report that he has signature or other authority over a foreign financial account owned or maintained by the bank if the officer or employee has no financial interest in the account.
(ii) An officer or employee of a financial institution that is registered with and examined by the Securities and Exchange Commission or Commodity Futures Trading Commission need not report that he has signature or other authority over a foreign financial account owned or maintained by such financial institution if the officer or employee has no financial interest in the account.
(iii) An officer or employee of an Authorized Service Provider need not report that he has signature or other authority over a foreign financial account owned or maintained by an investment company that is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission if the officer or employee has no financial interest in the account. “Authorized Service Provider” means an entity that is registered with and examined by the Securities and Exchange Commission and that provides services to an investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940.
(iv) An officer or employee of an entity with a class of equity securities listed (or American depository receipts listed) on any United States national securities exchange need not report that he has signature or other authority over a foreign financial account of such entity if the officer or employee has no financial interest in the account. An officer or employee of a United States subsidiary of a United States entity with a class of equity securities listed on a United States national securities exchange need not file a report concerning signature or other authority over a foreign financial account of the subsidiary if he has no financial interest in the account and the United States subsidiary is included in a consolidated report of the parent filed under this section.
(v) An officer or employee of an entity that has a class of equity securities registered (or American depository receipts in respect of equity securities registered) under section 12(g) of the Securities Exchange Act need not report that he has signature or other authority over the foreign financial accounts of such entity or if he has no financial interest in the accounts.
(g) Special rules—(1) Financial interest in 25 or more foreign financial accounts. A United States person having a financial interest in 25 or more foreign financial accounts need only provide the number of financial accounts and certain other basic information on the report, but will be required to provide detailed information concerning each account when so requested by the Secretary or his delegate.
(2) Signature or other authority over 25 or more foreign financial accounts. A United States person having signature or other authority over 25 or more foreign financial accounts need only provide the number of financial accounts and certain other basic information on the report, but will be required to provide detailed information concerning each account when so requested by the Secretary or his delegate.
(3) Consolidated reports. An entity that is a United States person and which owns directly or indirectly more than a 50 percent interest in one or more other entities required to report under this section will be permitted to file a consolidated report on behalf of itself and such other entities.
(4) Participants and beneficiaries in certain retirement plans. Participants and beneficiaries in retirement plans under sections 401(a), 403(a) or 403(b) of the Internal Revenue Code as well as owners and beneficiaries of individual retirement accounts under section 408 of the Internal Revenue Code or Roth IRAs under section 408A of the Internal Revenue Code are not required to file an FBAR with respect to a foreign financial account held by or on behalf of the retirement plan or IRA.
(5) Certain trust beneficiaries. A beneficiary of a trust described in paragraph (e)(2)(iv) of this section is not required to report the trust’s foreign financial accounts if the trust, trustee of the trust, or agent of the trust is a United States person that files a report under this section disclosing the trust’s foreign financial accounts.