The Top Form 8938 Issues

If you are required to file Form 8938, you must report your financial accounts maintained by a foreign financial institution. Examples of financial accounts include Savings, deposits, checking, and brokerage accounts held with a bank or broker-dealer. And, to the extent held for investment and not held in a financial account, you must report stock or securities issued by someone who is not a U.S. person, any other interest in a foreign entity, and any financial instrument or contract held for investment with an issuer or counterparty that is not a U.S. person. Examples of these assets that must be reported if not held in an account include:

  • Stock or securities issued by a foreign corporation;
  • A partnership interest in a foreign partnership;
  • An interest in a foreign retirement plan or deferred compensation plan;
  • An interest in a foreign estate;
  • Any interest in a foreign-issued insurance contract or annuity with a cash surrender value.
  • A note, bond, or IOU issued by a foreign person;
  • An interest rate swap, currency swap, basis swap, interest rate cap, interest rate floor, commodity swap, equity swap, equity index swap, credit default swap, or similar agreement with a foreign counterparty; An option or other derivative instrument for any of these examples or for any currency or commodity that is entered into with a foreign counterparty or issuer;

2. I am a U.S. taxpayer but am not required to file an income tax return. Do I need to file Form 8938?

Taxpayers who are not required to file an income tax return are not required to file Form 8938. You may need to file an FBAR.

3. Does foreign real estate need to be reported on Form 8938?

No. Foreign real estate is not a specified foreign financial asset required to be reported on Form 8938. For example, a personal residence or a rental property must not be reported.

If the real estate is held through a foreign entity, such as a corporation, partnership, trust, or estate, then the interest in the entity is a specified foreign financial asset that is reported on Form 8938 if the total value of all your specified foreign financial assets exceeds the reporting threshold that applies to you.

The value of the real estate held by the entity is taken into account in determining the value of the interest in the entity to be reported on Form 8938, but the real estate itself is not separately reported on Form 8938.

4. I directly hold foreign currency (which isn’t in a financial account). Do I need to report this on Form 8938?

No. Foreign currency is not a specified foreign financial asset and is not reportable on Form 8938.

5. I am a beneficiary of a foreign estate. Do I need to report my interest in a foreign estate on Form 8938?

Yes, an interest in a foreign estate is a specified foreign financial asset that is likely reportable on Form 8938 if the total value of your specified foreign financial assets is greater than the reporting threshold that applies to you.

6. I acquired or inherited foreign stock or securities, such as bonds. Do I need to report these on Form 8938?

 If you hold foreign stock or securities outside of a financial account, they must be reported on Form 8938, provided the value of your specified foreign financial assets is greater than the reporting threshold that applies to you. If you hold foreign stock or securities inside a financial account, you do not report the stock or securities on Form 8938.

7. I directly hold shares of a U.S. mutual fund that owns foreign stocks and securities. Do I need to report the shares of the U.S. mutual fund or the stocks and securities held by the mutual fund on Form 8938?

If you directly hold shares of a U.S. mutual fund, you do not need to report the mutual fund or the holdings of the mutual fund.

8. I have a financial account maintained by a U.S. financial institution that holds foreign stocks and securities. Do I need to report the financial account or its holdings?

You do not need to report a financial account maintained by a U.S. financial institution or its holdings. Examples of financial accounts maintained by U.S. financial institutions include:

  • U.S. Mutual fund accounts
  • IRAs (traditional or Roth)
  • 401 (k) retirement plans
  • Qualified U.S. retirement plans
  • Brokerage accounts maintained by U.S. financial institutions

9. I have a financial account maintained by a foreign financial institution that holds investment assets. Do I need to report the financial account if all or any of the investment assets in the account are stock, securities, or mutual funds issued by a U.S. person?

If you have a financial account maintained by a foreign financial institution and the value of your specified foreign financial assets is greater than the reporting threshold that applies to you, you need to report the account on Form 8938. You may also need to file an FBAR.

A foreign account is a specified foreign financial asset, even if its contents include, in whole or part, investment assets issued by a U.S. person. You do not need to separately report the assets of a financial account on Form 8938, whether or not the assets are issued by a U.S. person or non-U.S. person.

10. I have an interest in a foreign pension or deferred compensation plan. Do I need to report it on Form 8938?

If you have an interest in a foreign pension or deferred compensation plan, you have to report this interest on Form 8938 if the value of your specified foreign financial assets is greater than the reporting threshold that applies to you. Some certain qualifying retirement accounts may not be required to be reported. You may also need to file an FBAR.