Now in CM, but must file USA FBAR. Need serious help.

[chingmai331]

What a joke. I'm doing the online only form but it is faulty and does not accept entry in one box, thus no signature possible and no sending possible. Deadline 30 june.

Any experience with this and did you have any trouble?

[Jingthing]

Which box specifically? Phone number?

Don't panic.

Yes, I used the online form as opposed to the PDF that you can save and resume later.

As far as trouble. No, this was the easiest ever by far.

The only tricky thing is at the end when you have only one chance to save a copy of it. A little nerve wrecking to know if it worked. The resulting PDF file took forever to open, message saying it will still in process but their webpage looked finished. But eventually it did open.

That save a copy step is at the very end AFTER you have online signed the form. The message is very clear ... telling you that you must save a copy now and that this will be your only chance to do that EVER.

Other issues ... make sure your browser is a supported one and recent enough. Specs are given in the greeting page. I used chrome.

Again, there are TWO online methods this year.

The first like in the past with a PDF file you fill in yourself and can save and resume later.

The latter a new option, another kind of online form (not PDF) that you have to be ready to complete in one session.

I did the latter so that's what I might be able to help you with.

If you did the former, probably someone else can help you.

There is also a U.S. phone number you can call during business hours.

You have time.

[neilrob]

If the online form does not work, then try the PDF version. This worked fine for me. It also has the advantage that you can save it and use it again next year, with appropriate changes of course. Then most of the information you will need next year is already there---makes it much easier.

[Jingthing]

If the online form does not work, then try the PDF version. This worked fine for me. It also has the advantage that you can save it and use it again next year, with appropriate changes of course. Then most of the information you will need next year is already there---makes it much easier.

I can use the info in the PDF that I saved from the pure online method easily as well next year.

But not a bad idea of trying that method if the pure online method doesn't work.

I have another idea about his problem.

Is he adding a COMMA to the dollar amount?

That will NOT save! It will just blank out.

So for example do not enter 35,944.

Instead enter 35944

[lopburi3]

I did not have to file this year but last year you needed to use Adobe to get signature to work - but believe others have said that was no longer required. I had to download Adobe Reader and open the PDF in that to get the signature process to complete.

[Jingthing]

I did not have to file this year but last year you needed to use Adobe to get signature to work - but believe others have said that was no longer required. I had to download Adobe Reader and open the PDF in that to get the signature process to complete.

That's right. There are two options of methods this year.

With the pure online method which is done in a one time session in an online form, you don't have to worry about your Reader version at all. You never enter anything into Reader. Later after you're finished, you save a copy to a PDF file which obviously you need Reader to view.

That is a copy of what you filed for your records only ... that PDF is not what you file.

I was amazed at how easy this new pure online form is.

It gets easier every year and I can't imagine that they can make it any easier than it is now.

But there is that issue of not being allowed to use commas for balance amounts. I suspect that's probably the problem.

[little mary sunshine]

What is USA FBAR? Who needs to file? Thanks

[lopburi3]

US persons with a total combined value of US 10k at official yearly exchange rate in accounts outside the US at any time during the previous year.

[Jingthing]

So where did our panicked FBAR filer go?

[lopburi3]

Guess you did not answer fast enough - perhaps he will return later.

[little mary sunshine]

Thanks for the FBAR info. no need to worry now, my funds

Are in The States, I withdraw what I need on a monthly

Basis for living expenses.

[ovenman]

I filed my FBAR form online on Tuesday with no issues. All I had to do to sign the form was click a button at the end when it was filled out to my satisfaction. No actual signature or digital replica was required.

[Jingthing]

Guess you did not answer fast enough - perhaps he will return later.

Yes, I only have myself to blame, of course.

Replying in 3 MINUTES, that's just unacceptable!

If no reply in under 1 MINUTE, then any advice is free.

[bangmai]

http://www.irs.gov/Businesses/Small-Businesses-&-Self-Employed/Report-of-Foreign-Bank-and-Financial-Accounts-FBAR

I thought it was pretty easy, and unlike the healthcare joke, it actually worked proficiently.

[chingmai331]

I'm still here. Tried Adobe style, it never opened. Tried Chrome online form, but the form would not accept my birthdate. I did as instructed 7 times, (02/03/1955) exactly correctly but it never accepted. If no acceptance, no signing.

Some of us criticize China for hacking our (USA) software data, but my god, the apparent incompetence of IRS forms leave me wondering if the problem is basically the arrogance of USA computer experts. It's rather like leaving nice T-bone steaks, just warm off the grill, on the plate which sits on a table a foot off the ground. And the hound dog is feet tall.

I'll keep trying various ways. I have found that closing out, then starting anew does solve some tech issues with 'stuff in the boxes'.

thnx for the ideas. I'm not the gifted geek some guys are and have a low boiling point regarding USGovt, IRS, Google, etc.

[mwbrown]

Thanks for the reminder! I did mine last year but forgot until just now. Took me about 5 minutes. Note that the form doesn't like browser auto-filled fields like name, email address, etc. You have to type them in by hand.

[mwbrown]

I'm still here. Tried Adobe style, it never opened. Tried Chrome online form, but the form would not accept my birthdate. I did as instructed 7 times, (02/03/1955) exactly correctly but it never accepted. If no acceptance, no signing.

Some of us criticize China for hacking our (USA) software data, but my god, the apparent incompetence of IRS forms leave me wondering if the problem is basically the arrogance of USA computer experts. It's rather like leaving nice T-bone steaks, just warm off the grill, on the plate which sits on a table a foot off the ground. And the hound dog is feet tall.

I'll keep trying various ways. I have found that closing out, then starting anew does solve some tech issues with 'stuff in the boxes'.

thnx for the ideas. I'm not the gifted geek some guys are and have a low boiling point regarding USGovt, IRS, Google, etc.

No slashes in the birthdate, just 02031955. I just did it with Chrome. I didn't put an initial zero in the month and the validation said to do as MMDDYYYY.

[Jingthing]

Yep, that's it.

I figured it was a simple formatting thing.

Good luck.

I think you can sort it now.

[Bruce404]

Yes, if you have more than a certain amount in overseas accounts, you must file with the FBAR system. This is sometimes called the FATCA(t) process (I added the "t"), after the law's name, to help catch tax cheats salting millions away in Swiss, Singaporean, Caribbean and other secret accounts.

Since it asks for the maximum amount at any time in the year for each accounts, if you have transferred funds between multiple accounts, the total amount listed on the bottom of the form can be many times larger than the simultaneous balances at any one point in time.

I filed FBAR a couple of weeks ago (not trying or using the "online" system), without serious difficulties, but with one key suggestion: Download and use the FBAR-suggested Adobe Reader software, and of course the secured, downloadable .pdf FBAR reporting form. For some reason, my existing Adobe Acrobat version 9.5 could not handle the form with its more advanced settings.

One easy thing is that one need only use the official US Government exchange rate for baht on 31 December 2014 (32.92/US$, https://www.fiscal.treasury.gov/fsreports/rpt/treasRptRateExch/itin-12-31-2014.pdf). Another is that the form can insert additional pages, as needed for more accounts than the standard form displays.

It is a little tricky at the end when you must sign and verify the form, which generates error messages if you do not sign and validate in the right order. After doing these two steps, the form cannot be changed, but you can save it to your hard-disk. To file, you must open and upload it.

However, I suppose if you discover a mistake, and have not yet uploaded it to FBAR, you can download another virginal form and start over again. If you verified/signed, and uploaded it already, then an amended form will be required.

Next year in June 2016, I will find out if a duplicate, saved copy of the 2014 year's form can somehow be "unsigned" (it has a "Remove Signature" box) and "un-Validated", without losing its field content for bank names, addresses, account numbers, and other unchanging detail, for use for the 2015 report after updating its highest-balance amounts. Indeed, its very first field after "Filing name", on page 2, line 1, is "This report is for calendar year ended 12/31" and then a box to fill in the year.

But I wonder if each year (as with IRS 1040, with its tax-year printed at top) they will have a slightly different (hopefully improved) form to use. In such unfortunate case, perhaps both the last year and current forms could be opened simultaneously, and the content of these unchanging fields tediously copied and posted from old to new.

[chingmai331]

Done.

Yes, Chrome auto-fill is not acceptable. And some boxes cannot be changed if in error. Close the page out and start over. I did the date thing as directed, same as the last 8 times, but this time OK. Who knows? So overall, i opened the same govt page 7 times, used them and closed 6, but only the final one was accepted. Congrats in order. Now can sleep well till next year.

Anyway, in the T-bone story, the hound would be 3 feet tall.

[connda]

I sent mine via PDF and used my Thai phone number without a problem.

Check out the link at http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/802507-tax-filing-for-2014-fbar-and-all-the-other-fun/

[neilrob]

Next year in June 2016, I will find out if a duplicate, saved copy of the 2014 year's form can somehow be "unsigned" (it has a "Remove Signature" box) and "un-Validated", without losing its field content for bank names, addresses, account numbers, and other unchanging detail, for use for the 2015 report after updating its highest-balance amounts. Indeed, its very first field after "Filing name", on page 2, line 1, is "This report is for calendar year ended 12/31" and then a box to fill in the year.

But I wonder if each year (as with IRS 1040, with its tax-year printed at top) they will have a slightly different (hopefully improved) form to use. In such unfortunate case, perhaps both the last year and current forms could be opened simultaneously, and the content of these unchanging fields tediously copied and posted from old to new.

I "unsigned" my 2013 form, amended it for 2014 (including the saved name of the form), signed it again and resubmitted it. This saved a lot of time, and meant I could do it very fast, since bank account numbers etc were mostly the same. I hope to do the same again next year. I wonder why the OP is continuing to struggle with the online version, which he is apparently unable to use, when there is a convenient alternative....

[ggt]

The FBAR (F'ed beyond all repair) is a nice way of saying...even though you have previously paid taxes on this money...you have saved this money and are now ready to enjoy your retirement...we want to know every damn thing you do with your money...any questions? And, we will penalize you severely if you resist...

Some bureaucrat has created hundred of high paying jobs...to watch your overseas banking accounts...

Is it just me...or is something wrong with this picture?

[lopburi3]

The picture is false - it was designed to catch out organized crime figures and has been around for a long time - but now that computers make both reporting and archiving easier it is being asked of all that have such accounts to report them. Looking the other way if not a crime figure is no longer a viable option.

[jjczap]

A reality that most Americans don't realize is that the US Gov is spreading the net in many different ways - for example for those Americans that are on a retirement visa that file to the IRS the 1040 yearly taxes how did you answer the ? " do you have a foreign bank account " yes or no - regardless of the amount -- the next question is " were you required to submit the FBAR " ( over 10k any where in the world at any time during the year ) yes or no the answers under perjury and penalties of the law -- sooo how for those Americans that have 800k in the bank for retirement visa and are required to file a 1040 answer those questions

the US Gov has signed a treaty with most nation in the world that a US citizen cannot open a financial acct unless the person supplies there SS# and the financial institution will report to the IRS - in Thailand it was signed as a 2 phase process - 1 cannot open a new acct if SS# not supplied 2 ( second phase ) all existing accts will be required to submit SS# -- if you use the 800k method how will be able to get the bank letter without supplying your SS# - they will not let you deposit

the penalties for not submitting the FBAR are severer - for willful none submitted 100k per acct not reported regardless of the amount

so for you guys that have no assets in the US maybe in your minds you can get away with some stuff -- with those that do you are quite aware of what they can attach or take -- but for all what can they do to your SS payments

the 1040 is the requirement of the IRS - the FBAR is the Treasury Dept requirement and they share the info and they know everything you send in and out

just a brief note about the net they are spreading

[mesquite]

Evolution of the FBAR:

http://www.hbtlj.org/v07p1/v07p1_sheppard.pdf

"Congress passed legislation decades ago requiring certain U.S. taxpayers to report their foreign accounts by filing a Form TD F 90-22.1 (Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts) each year. In tax circles, this form is commonly known as the Foreign Bank Account Report or 'FBAR.'"

[jjczap]

Evolution of the FBAR:

http://www.hbtlj.org/v07p1/v07p1_sheppard.pdf

"Congress passed legislation decades ago requiring certain U.S. taxpayers to report their foreign accounts by filing a Form TD F 90-22.1 (Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts) each year. In tax circles, this form is commonly known as the Foreign Bank Account Report or 'FBAR.'"

you must be here a long time - you did not get the point at all -- times have changed and new laws haw been established - like FACTA - look it up enacted 5 years ago and has already gone thru an amnesty program for non compliance - YOU speak directly to my point that most US expats don't understand! -- good luck in your compliance

[lopburi3]

Most of us have nothing to report for FACTA even if we do have the simple 10k account reporting requirement - so we do not make it a chicken little subject.

[jjczap]

Most of us have nothing to report for FACTA even if we do have the simple 10k account reporting requirement - so we do not make it a chicken little subject.

again more proof -- reread the post - 1040, fbar , banking requirements - good luck on your journey - like I said typical head in the sand - again good luck

[mesquite]

Evolution of the FBAR:

http://www.hbtlj.org/v07p1/v07p1_sheppard.pdf

"Congress passed legislation decades ago requiring certain U.S. taxpayers to report their foreign accounts by filing a Form TD F 90-22.1 (Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts) each year. In tax circles, this form is commonly known as the Foreign Bank Account Report or 'FBAR.'"

you must be here a long time - you did not get the point at all -- times have changed and new laws haw been established - like FACTA - look it up enacted 5 years ago and has already gone thru an amnesty program for non compliance - YOU speak directly to my point that most US expats don't understand! -- good luck in your compliance

Read the entire report in the file. Also, I was writing my post as yours came up. It was not in reply to your post.

I am aware of FATCA (not FACTA). I am completely knowledgeable in reporting requirements as well as the requirement to capitalize the first word of a sentence.