Streamlined Filing

Has it been years since you filed a U.S. Tax Return? 

The IRS Streamlined Filing Program may be the best opportunity to come clean! 

You may be eligible to file only 3 years back tax returns without any penalties, no matter how many years you haven’t filed and paid, if you qualify for the IRS Streamlined Filing Program. 

The IRS has recently revised the qualifications for their Streamlined Filing Program.  The initial program required that taxpayers owe $1,500 or less for each delinquent tax year in order to qualify for Streamlined Filing.  The revised Streamlined Filing Program has eliminated this strict dollar amount.  For this reason, it is unclear how long the IRS will continue such a liberal offer, which is similar to a Tax Amnesty Program available in the past for a limited time only. 

The IRS has placed much emphasis on the taxpayer’s signed certification that not filing tax returns was unintentional.  (i.e. you were honestly unaware of the filing requirement for Americans living outside the United States)

Qualifications for this program:

• The IRS has not already contacted you about nonfiling and is not currently auditing you
• Lived outside the United States during the years you didn’t file, and/or
• Did not report foreign income received while living in the U.S.
• You must certify (via official IRS statement) your failure to file was neither intentional nor willful.
• Must file last 3 years of tax returns (printed & mailed, cannot eFile)
• Must eFile 6 years of FBAR (Foreign Bank Account Reporting) forms
• Pay taxes and interest due with your 3 years of delinquent income tax returns