Offshore Voluntary Disclosures - Switzerland

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U.S. OFFSHORE VOLUNTARY DISCLOSURES Overview of the 2012 U.S. IRS OVDP and Switzerland Update GENEVA | HONG KONG | SEATTLE | SHANGHAI International Accounting & Compliance COUNTRY FOCUS: SWITZERLAND

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Gray's summary of the IRS Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Program with a focus on Switzerland. Gray International (Gray) is an international network of public accounting and consulting firms based in the U.S., Hong Kong, China and Europe. Gray was started over 10 years ago in the U.S. (via its predecessor) and took the form of Gray International in 2013 as the result of the networking of multiple independent practices and professionals. Gray provides international accounting and compliance solutions in the U.S., Americas, Asia and Europe. Gray focuses on U.S. accounting, tax, and governmental compliance for multinational companies, investors, U.S. persons living overseas and foreign investors and companies investing in or moving to the U.S. Gray also consults on compliance with U.S. laws for businesses and financial institutions overseas such as the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA), the IRS Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Program, and the Program for Non-Prosecution Agreements or Non-Target letters for Swiss Banks. Grays principals, partners, and employees have served clients worldwide. Gray has offices in Geneva, Hong Kong, Seattle, Shanghai and plans to open an office in Singapore in late 2013. Grays U.S. public accounting firm (Gray CPA, PC) is registered with the U.S. Public Company Accounting Oversight Board and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Center for Audit Quality. For more information about us, please visit us at: www.grayintl.com

Transcript of Offshore Voluntary Disclosures - Switzerland

Page 1: Offshore Voluntary Disclosures - Switzerland

U.S. OFFSHORE VOLUNTARY DISCLOSURES

Overview of the 2012 U.S. IRS OVDP and Switzerland Update

GENEVA          |          HONG  KONG        |          SEATTLE        |          SHANGHAI        

International

Accounting &

Compliance

COUNTRY FOCUS: SWITZERLAND

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International  Accounting &  Compliance  

IMPORTANT LEGAL INFORMATION PLEASE READ

LEGAL NOTICE This  presentation  is  prepared  for  general  guidance  only,  and  does  not  constitute  the  provision  of  accounting,    legal  or  tax  advice  in  any  manner,  written  tax  advice  under  U.S.  Internal  Revenue  Service  Circular  230,  or  any  professional  advice  of  any  kind.  “Gray  International”  or  “Gray”  refers  to  Gray  CPA,  PC  (a  U.S.  CertiIied  Public  Accounting  Iirm)  and  Gray  International  Ltd  (a  Hong  Kong  Limited  Company).    The  information  provided  in  this  presentation  should  not  be  a  substitute  for  consultation  with  qualiIied  professionals  who  understand  your  situation,  as  it  will  differ  from  others.  In  addition,  when  making  any  tax  planning  decisions  you  should  consult  with  your  own  legal,  tax,  accounting  and  other  professional  advisors.    This  presentation  has  been  provided  as  a  courtesy,  and  therefore  while  care  has  been  executed  in  the  preparation  of  this  information  Gray  CPA,  PC  (U.S.),  Gray  International,  Ltd.  and  all  of  their  afIiliates  make  no  representations  as  to  its  completeness,  accuracy  or  the  timeliness  of  the  information  and  takes  no  responsibility  to  update  this  information,  such  information  is  being  provided  without  warranty  of  any  kind.    IRS  Circular  230  notice:  Tax  advice,  if  any,  included  in  this  communication  (including  any  attachments)  is  not  intended  or  written  to  be  used,  and  cannot  be  used,  by  the  recipient  for  the  purpose  of  avoiding  penalties  that  may  be  imposed  under  the  U.S.  Internal  Revenue  Code  or  by  any  other  governmental  tax  authority.        ©  2013  Gray  CPA,  PC  and  Gray  International  Ltd.  with  all  rights  reserved,  this  document  shall  not  be  reproduced  or  distributed  without  the  express  written  permission  of  Gray  CPA,  PC  or  Gray  International,  Ltd.    For  more  information  about  us,  please  visit  us  at  www.grayintl.com.  

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International  Accounting &  Compliance  

WHO WE ARE OUR  PROFILE  

Gray  International  (“Gray”)  is  an  international  network  of  public  accounting  and  consulting  Iirms  based  in  the  U.S.,  Hong  Kong,  China  and  Europe.  Gray  was  started  over  10  years  ago  in  the  U.S.  (via  its  predecessor)  and  took  the  form  of  Gray  International  in  2013  as  the  result  of  the  networking  of  multiple  independent  practices  and  professionals.    Gray  provides  international  accounting  and  compliance  solutions  in  the  U.S.,  Americas,  Asia  and  Europe.  Gray  focuses  on  U.S.  accounting,  tax,  and  governmental  compliance  for    multinational  companies,  

investors,  U.S.  persons  living  overseas  and  foreign  investors  and  companies  investing  in  or  moving  to  the  U.S.      Gray  also  consults  on  compliance  with  U.S.  laws  for  businesses  and  Iinancial  institutions  overseas  such  as  the  Foreign  Corrupt  Practices  Act  (FCPA)  and  the  Foreign  Account  Tax  Compliance  Act  (FATCA),  the  IRS  Offshore  Voluntary  Disclosure  Program,  and  the  Program  for  Non-­‐Prosecution  Agreements  or  Non-­‐Target  letters  for  Swiss  Banks.      Gray’s  principals,  partners,  and  employees  have  served  

clients  worldwide.  Gray  has  ofIices  in  Geneva,  Hong  Kong,  Seattle,  Shanghai  and  plans  to  open  an  ofIice  in  Singapore  in  late  2013.                                                                                                                                    Gray’s  U.S.  public  accounting    Iirm  (Gray  CPA,  PC)  is    registered  with  the  U.S.  Public  Company  Accounting  Oversight  Board  and  is  a  member  of  the  American  Institute  of  CertiIied  Public  Accountants  and  the  Center  for  Audit  Quality.    For  more  information  about  us,  please  visit  us  at:      www.grayintl.com    

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International  Accounting &  Compliance  

OUR SERVICES

WHAT WE DO

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AUDIT AND ATTEST SERVICES

INTL. FORENSIC ACCOUNTING

U.S. TAX COMPLIANCE

U.S. FATCA COMPLIANCE

INTL. TAX STRUCTURING

U.S. FCPA COMPLIANCE

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International  Accounting &  Compliance  

WHAT WE DO OUR  PRACTICE  AREAS  

U.S.  FCPA  COMPLIANCE  

AUDIT  AND  ATTEST  SERVICES   INTL.  FORENSIC  ACCOUNTING  

No  single  piece  of  U.S.  legislation  will  have  a  larger  impact  on  foreign  Iinancial  institutions  and  intermediaries  in  the  next  5  years  as  FATCA.      Let  us  help  you  assess  how  this  will  impact  your  organization  and  how  to  implement  a  practical,  affordable  solution.  

In  today’s  global  landscape  international  tax  structuring  and  planning  has  never  been  more  important.      From  transfer  pricing,  treaty  compliance,  withholding  minimization,    estate  planning  and  domiciliation,    to  pre-­‐residency  tax  planning  Gray  is  ready  to  help  you  navigate  this  difIicult  terrain.  

Widespread  globalization  brings    increased  risks  of  corrupt  practices,  and  correspondingly,  an  increase  in  FCPA  enforcement,  penalties  and  prosecutions.      Let  Gray  help  you  prepare  and  implement  appropriate  controls  to  protect  your  organization  from  violations.  

Our  experienced  auditors  provide  extensive  experience  auditing  public  and  private  companies  in  the  developed  and  developing  markets.      Let  us  put  our  extensive  experience  operating  in  the  U.S.,  Asia,  Europe  and  the  Americas  to  work  for  you.    

Our  forensic  accounting  services  are  designed  to  providing  vigilance  before  the  fact,  reconstructing  and  tracing  records  after  the  fact,  and  preparing  for  trial  once  the  Iindings  are  made.    Our  team  of  experts  are  available  for  worldwide  engagement.  

Gray  provides  extensive  U.S.  tax  compliance  solutions  to  clients  worldwide.  We  work  with  individuals,  family  ofIices,  investors,  Iinancial    institutions,  multinational  companies  and  domestic  (U.S.)  businesses.      Let  us  guide  you  through  the  maze  of  complex  U.S.  tax  compliance.    

U.S.  TAX  COMPLIANCE  

U.S.  FATCA  COMPLIANCE   INTL.  TAX  STRUCTURING  

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International  Accounting &  Compliance  

GEOGRAPHIC AREAS OF EXPERIENCE

WHERE WE WORK

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Zambia  

Yemen  

Westsahara  

Vietnam  

Venezuela  

U.A.E  

Uzbekistan    

USA  

Uruguay  

Ukraine  

Uganda  

 Chad  

Tunisia  

Turkey  Turkmenistan  

Togo  

Thailand  

Tanzania  

Taiwan  

Tajikistan  Syria  

Swaziland  

South  Korea  

South  Africa  

Spain  

Zimbabwe    

Suriname  

Sudan  

Somalia  Sierra  Leone  

Senegal  

Sweden  

Saudi  Arabia  

Russia  

Romania  

Portugal  

Poland  

Philippines  

Peru  

Paraguay  

Papua  New  Guinea  

Panama  

Pakistan  

Oman  

Norway  

North  Korea  

Nikaragua  Nigeria  

Niger  

New  Zealand  

Nepal  

Namibia  

Myanmar  

Mozambique  

Mongolia  

Morocco  

Mexico  

Mauritania  Mali  

Malaysia  

Madagascar  

Libya  

Liberia  

Lebanon  

Lesotho  

Laos  

Kyrgysistan    

Kenya  

Qatar  

Kazazhstan  

Cambodia  

Japan  

Jamaica  

Israel  

Italy  

Ireland  

Iraq   Iran  

Indonesia  

India  

Iceland  

Honduras  

Guyana  Guinea  

Guatemala  

Greenland  

Greece  

Great    Britain    

Ghana  

Germany  

Gabun  Fr.  Guyana  

France  

Finland  

Ethiopia    

Eritrea  

El  Salvador  

Egypt  

Ecuador   D.  R.    Congo    

Dom.  Rep.  Cuba  

Columbia  

Cote  d‘Ivoire  

Costa  Rica  

China  

Chile  

C.A.R.  

Canada  

Kamerun    

Burkina  

Brazil  

Botswana  

Bolivia  

Bhutan  

Belize  

Belarus  

Bangladesh    

Bahamas  

Australia  

Argenena  

Angola  

Algeria  

Alaska  

Afghanistan  

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International  Accounting &  Compliance  

GRAY SWITZERLAND Gray  has  extensive  experience  working  in  Switzerland.  The  Firm  has  represented  both  Swiss  companies  and  individuals,  as  well  as  U.S.  taxpayers  who  have  sough  relief  under  the  U.S.  Offshore  Voluntary  Disclosure  Program  (OVDP).  The  Firm  launched  its  (Swiss  Bank)  Independent  Examiner  services  in  response  to  the  release  of  the  Program  For  Non-­‐Prosecution  Agreements  or  Non-­‐Target  Letters  for  Swiss  Banks,  by  and  between  the  U.S.  Department  of  Justice  and  Swiss  Federal  Department  of  Finance,  on  August  29,  2013.    The  Firm  has  a  depth  of  relationships  in  Switzerland,  and  has  extensive  experience  operating  under  both  Swiss  law  and  in  compliance  with  U.S.  laws  and  regulations  (both  tax  and  securities).  The  Firm  is  committed  to  Switzerland,  and  as  a  result  Switzerland  is  one  of  our  key  markets.      The  Firm  focuses  on  the  following  key  practice  areas  in  Switzerland:          

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OFFSHORE  VOLUNTARY  DISCLOSURES  PFIC  REPORTING/COMPLIANCE  

U.S.  TAX  OPINIONS  

FATCA  IMPLEMENTATIONS  (SWISS  BANK)  INDEPENDENT  EXAMINER  

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International  Accounting &  Compliance  

OVDP: SWITZERLAND UPDATE

   

AS OF NOVEMBER 5, 2013

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International  Accounting &  Compliance  

2013 SWITZERLAND UPDATES The  last  Iive  years  has  seen  a  signiIicant  focus  by  the  U.S.  Department  of  Justice  (“DOJ”)  on  Swiss  Bank  U.S.  Cross-­‐border  

business  for  U.S.  account  holders  who  have  hid  assets  and  income  from  the  IRS  in  undeclared  accounts.  Enforcement  efforts  from  the  DOJ  have  led  to  the  following  major  events  in  Switzerland  (and  worldwide):  

   •  Signing  of  the  “Program  for  Non-­‐Prosecution  Agreements  or  Non-­‐Target  Letters  for  Swiss  Banks”    (the  

“Program”)  as  announced  jointly  by  the  United  States  Department  of  Justice  (the  “DOJ”)  and  the  Swiss  Federal  Department  of  Finance  on  August  29,  2013  –  this  is  essentially  an  Offshore  Voluntary  Disclosure  for  Swiss  Banks  (program  summary  in  the  following  slides).    

•  In  February  2009,  UBS  entered  into  a  deferred  prosecution  agreement  (“DPA”)  and  admitted  guilt  on  charges  of  conspiring  to  defraud  the  United  States  by  impeding  the  IRS.  UBS  paid  $780  million  in  Iines,  penalties  and  interest  related  to  the  DPA.  UBS  provided  to  the  U.S.  information  about  thousands  of  recalcitrant  U.S.  Taxpayers.  

•  In  January  of  2013,  the  U.S.  Attorney’s  OfIice  in  the  Southern  District  of  New  York  secured  the  guilty  plea  of  Wegelin  Bank  (the  oldest  private  bank  in  Switzerland)  which  was  the  Iirst  foreign  bank  to  plead  guilty  to  felony  tax  charges.  Wegelin  bank  was  shut  down  as  a  result  of  this  action.  

•  Worldwide:  From  2008  through  2013,  the  DOJ  Tax  Division  has  charged  over  30  banking  professional  and  60  account  holders,  thus  far  resulting  in  Iive  convictions  after  trial  and  55  guilty  please,  including  2  trial  convictions  and  6  guilty  pleas  in  the  Iirst  four  months  of  2013  alone.  

•  Worldwide:  As  of  December  2012  the  combined  IRS  Offshore  Voluntary  Disclosure  Program  (“OVDP”)  submissions  resulted  in  more  than  39,000  disclosures  by  taxpayers,  of  these  taxpayers  almost  half  had  accounts  in  Switzerland  (as  indicated  in  the  U.S.  GAO  Report).  

•  Popular  estimates  are  that  between  4,000  –  5,000  new  OVDP  submissions  will  result  from  the  DOJ  Program.    •  There  are  currently  14  Swiss  Banks  under  active  investigation  by  the  DOJ.  

 

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International  Accounting &  Compliance  

THE 2013 DOJ NPA/NTL PROGRAM  

The  “Program  for  Non-­‐Prosecution  Agreements  or  Non-­‐Target  Letters  for  Swiss  Banks”  as  announced  jointly  by  the  United  States  Department  of  Justice  (the  “DOJ”)  and  the  Swiss  Federal  Department  of  Finance  on  August  29,  2013  (  “the  Program”)  is  open  to  every  Swiss  Bank  that  is  not  currently  under  investigation  by  the  DOJ  (further  deIined  as  Category  1  Banks).  The  Program  provides  a  mechanism  for  banks  to  resolve  past  U.S.  cross-­‐border  regulatory  exposure,  deIine  their  potential  exposure,  and  mitigate  penalties  (if  their  U.S.  account  holders  duly  disclose  the  existence  of  the  account(s)  under  an  Offshore  Voluntary  Disclosure  after  the  bank  has  notiIied  the  client  of  such  program).      Compliance  with  the  Program  should  result  in  the  avoidance  of  prosecution  by  the  DOJ.        The  key  features  of  the  program  are  as  follows:  

 •  Category  1  Banks  (e.g.  the  14  banks  that  are  already  under  investigation  by  the  DOJ)  are  not  

eligible  to  participate  in  the  program.  

•  Category  2  Banks  (e.g.  banks  that  have  reason  to  believe  that  they  may  have  committed  U.S.  tax-­‐related  offenses)  will  pay  a  penalty  and  may  request  a  Non-­‐Prosecution  Agreement  (“NPA”)  from  the  DOJ.  

 •  Category  3  and  4  Banks  will  be  able  to  prove  compliance  with  U.S.  laws  (i.e.  prove  their  

innocence)  and  will  obtain  a  Non-­‐Target  Letter  (“NTL”)  from  the  DOJ  and  will  not  pay  penalties.  

 

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International  Accounting &  Compliance  

DOJ NPA - PENALTY STRUCTURE  

Upon  execution  of  an  NPA  (for  Category  2  Banks)  ,  the  Swiss  Bank  will  agree  to  pay  as  a  penalty:    

•  For  U.S.  Related  Accounts  that  existed  on  August  1,  2007,  an  amount  equal  to  20%  of  the  maximum  aggregate  dollar  value  of  all  such  accounts  during  the  Applicable  Period;  

•  for  U.S.  Related  Accounts  that  were  opened  between  August  1,  2008,  and  February  28,  2009,  an  amount  equal  to  30%  of  the  maximum  aggregate  dollar  value  of  all  such  accounts;  and    

•  for  U.S.  Related  Accounts  that  were  opened  after  February  28,  2009,  an  amount  equal  to  50%  of  the  maximum  aggregate  value  of  all  such  accounts.  

•  Penalty  Mitigation  Provision:  The  determination  of  the  maximum  dollar  value  of  the  aggregated  U.S.  Related  Accounts  may  be  reduced  by  the  dollar  value  of  each  account  as  to  which  the  Swiss  bank  demonstrates,  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  DOJ,  was  not  an  undeclared  account,  was  disclosed  by  the  Swiss  Bank  to  the  U.S.  IRS,  or  was  disclosed  to  the  U.S.  IRS  through  an  announced  Offshore  Voluntary  Disclosure  Program  or  Initiative  following  notiIication  by  the  Swiss  Bank  of  such  a  program  or  initiative  and  prior  to  the  execution  of  the  NPA.  

 

 

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THE 2013 DOJ NPA/NTL PROGRAM: OVDP IMPACT  

It  is  estimated  that  the  2013  DOJ  Program  will  see  wide  adoption  by  Swiss  banks.  The  (estimated)  success  of  the  Program  and  the  implementation  of  FATCA  means  that  the  DOJ  and  IRS  will  have  massive  amounts  of  data  about  U.S.  recalcitrant  taxpayers  in  the  very  near  term.      Because  of  the  reasons  above,  and  the  fact  that  the  participating  Swiss  Banks  have  an  incentive  (penalty  mitigation)  to  recommend  their  U.S.  account  holders  to  come  forward  under  the  OVDP  (and  the  U.S.  taxpayers  will  be  made  aware  that  their  data  will  be  shared  with  the  DOJ),  it  is  likely  that  the  volume  of  Taxpayers  seeking  the  protections  of  the  OVDP  will  increase  dramatically  in  2013  and  2014.            

 

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THE 2012 U.S. IRS OFFSHORE VOLUNTARY DISCLOSURE

PROGRAM    

A BRIEF OVERVIEW

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THE 2012 PROGRAM  

The  2012  Offshore  Voluntary  Disclosure  Program    (“OVDP”)  is  a  limited  federal  income  tax  amnesty  program  for  U.S.  taxpayers  who  have  used  undisclosed  foreign  accounts  and  undisclosed  foreign  entities  to  avoid  or  evade  tax.  Once  a  taxpayer  successfully  completes  the  program,  the  taxpayer  escapes  certain  severe  civil  and  criminal  penalties.  Without  the  program  potential  civil  penalties  penalties  can  far  exceed  the  balance  of  the  foreign  assets  or  accounts,  and  the  criminal  penalties  can  result  in  federal  prosecution  and  jail  time.    The  taxpayer  completes  the  program  by  fully  and  truthfully  reporting  the  offshore  assets  and  income,  Iiling  amended  returns,  foreign  account  and  asset  declarations  (and  other  disclosures)  and  paying  the  following  penalties  (note:  certain  circumstances  may  qualify  a  taxpayer  for  reduced  penalties):    The  OVDP  Penalty  based  on  27.5%  of    the  highest  combined  value  of  the  taxpayer’s  previously  unreported  foreign  Iinancial  accounts  and  certain  other  assets  (in  limited  cases  this  may  be  reduced  to  15%  or  5%):    

•  Pay  all  previously  unpaid  taxes  associated  with  the  undisclosed  Iinancial  accounts  and  assets  

•  Pay  IRC  §  6662(a)  accuracy-­‐related  penalty  of  20%  of  the  amount  of  the  unpaid  tax  

•  Pay  IRC  §  6651(a)(1)  failure  to  Iile  penalties  (if  applicable)  

•  Pay  IRC  §  6651(a)(2)  failure  to  pay  penalties  (if  applicable)  

•  Pay  interest  on  unpaid  taxes  

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WHY MAKE A VOLUNTARY DISCLOSURE?

Taxpayers  with  undisclosed  foreign  accounts  or  entities  should  (in  most  cases)  make  a  voluntary  disclosure  because  it  enables  them  to  become  compliant,  avoid  substantial  civil  penalties  and  generally  eliminate  the  risk  of  criminal  prosecution.    Making  a  voluntary  disclosure  also  provides  the  opportunity  to  calculate  with  a  reasonable  degree  of  certainty,  the  total  cost  of  resolving  all  offshore  tax  issues.  Taxpayers  who  do  not  submit  a  voluntary  disclosure  run  the  risk  of  detection  by  the  IRS  and  the  imposition  of  substantial  penalties,  including  the  fraud  penalty  and  information  return  penalties  which  may  exceed  the  value  of  the  account,  and  an  increased  risk  of  criminal  prosecution.    The  Internal  Revenue  Services  (“IRS”  and  “Service”)  and  U.S.  Department  of  Justice  (“DOJ”)  have  ever  increasing  access  to  foreign  account  information  via  treaties  and  legal  action,  that  and  the  implementation  of  the  Foreign  Account  Tax  Compliance  Act  (“FATCA”)  and  Foreign  Financial  Asset  Reporting  (new  IRC  §  603D)  will  mean  more  and  more  undisclosed  accounts  will  be  subject  to  discovery  and  reporting.  Recent  DOJ  wins  in  countries  like  Switzerland,  Lichtenstein  and  other  jurisdictions  known  for  bank  secrecy  (that  was  legally  protected)  means  that  more  and  more  foreign  account  information  is  being  actively  disclosed  and  made  available  to  U.S.  authorities.              

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POTENTIAL CRIMINAL PENALTIES

Taxpayers  with  undisclosed  foreign  accounts  or  entities  and  income,  can  face  prosecution  for  the  following  criminal  matters  if  the  IRS  examines  them:    •  Tax  evasion  (26  U.S.C.  §  7201).  This  can  carry  a  prison  term  of  up  to  Iive  

years  and  a  Iine  of  up  to  $250,000.    •  Filing  a  false  return  (26  U.S.C.  §  7206(1)).  This  can  carry  a  prison  term  of  up  

to  three  years  and  a  Iine  of  up  to  $250,000.  

•  Failure  to  Iile  an  income  tax  return  (26  U.S.C.  §  7203).  This  can  carry  a  prison  term  of  up  to  one  year  and  a  Iine  of  $100,000.  

•  Criminal  penalties  for  FBAR  violations  (31  U.S.C.  §  5322).  This  can  carry  a  prison  term  of  up  to  ten  years  and  criminal  penalties  of  up  to  $500,000.  

           

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POTENTIAL CIVIL PENALTIES Taxpayers  with  undisclosed  foreign  accounts  or  entities  and  income,  can  face  the  following  civil  penalties  if  discovered:    •  Penalty  for  failure  to  Iile  the  Form  TD  F  90-­‐22.1  (Report  of  Foreign  Bank  and  Financial  Accounts),  as  high  as  the  

GREATER  of  $100,000  or  50%  of  the  value  of  the  total  balance  of  the  account  –  PER  VIOLATION  (31  U.S.C.  §  5321(a)(5))  [note:  non-­‐willful  violations  that  the  IRS  determines  were  not  due  to  reasonable  cause  are  subject  to  a  $10,000  penalty  per  violation].  

 •  Beginning  with  the  2011  tax  year,  a  penalty  for  failing  to  Iile  form  8938  reporting  the  Taxpayer’s  interest  in  

certain  foreign  Iinancial  assets,  including  Iinancial  accounts  (I.R.C.  §    603D)  –  $10,000  PER  Violation  and  $10,000  added  per  month  for  each  month  the  failure  continues  beginning  90  days  after  the  taxpayer  is  notiIied  of  the  delinquency,  up  to  a  maximum  of  $50,000  per  return.  

•  A  penalty  for  failing  to  Iile  form  3520,  Annual  Return  to  Report  Transaction  with  Foreign  Trusts  and  Receipt  of  Certain  Foreign  Gifts  –  the  GREATER  of  $10,000  or  35  percent  of  the  gross  reportable  amount,  and  in  the  case  of  gifts,  an  additional  penalty  of  5%  of  the  gift  per  month  up  to  a  maximum  penalty  of  25%  of  the  Gifts.  

•  A  penalty  for  failing  to  Iile  Form  3520-­‐A,  Information  Return  of  Foreign  Trust  With  a  U.S.  Owner  (I.R.C.  §  6048(b)  –  the  penalty  for  each  one  of  these  returns  is  the  GREATER  of  $10,000  or  5%  of  the  gross  value  of  the  trust  assets  determined  to  be  owned  by  a  United  States  person.  

•  A  penalty  for  failing  to  Iile  Form  5471,  Information  Return  of  U.S.  Returns  with  Respect  to  Certain  Foreign  Corporations  I.R.C.  §§  6035,  6038  and  6046)  –  $10,000  per  violation  and  $10,000  each  month  after  90  days  that  the  taxpayer  is  notiIied  of  the  delinquency,  up  to  a  maximum  of  $50,000  per  return.  

•  A  penalty  for  failing  to  Iile  Form  926,  Return  by  a  U.S.  Transferor  of  Property  to  a  Foreign  Corporation  (I.R.C.  §  6038B)  –  10%  of  the  value  of  the  property  transferred  up  to  a  maximum  of  $100,000  per  return,  with  no  limit  if  the  failure  to  report  the  transfer  was  intentional.  

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POTENTIAL CIVIL PENALTIES (cont.)  •  A  penalty  for  failing  to  Iile  Form  8865,  Return  of  U.S.  Persons  With  Respect  to  Certain  

Foreign  Partnerships.  (I.R.C.  §§  6038,  603B  and  6046A)  -­‐  $10,000  penalty  for  failure  to  Iile  each  return,  with  an  additional  penalty  of  $10,000  added  per  day  90  days  after  the  taxpayer  is  notiIied  of  the  delinquency,  up  to  a  maximum  of  $50,000  per  return  and  10%  of  the  value  of  any  transferred  property  that  is  not  reported  subject  to  a  $100,000  limit.  

•  Fraud  penalties  imposed  under  IRC  §§  6651(f)  or  6663.  Where  an  underpayment  of  tax,  or  a  failure  to  Iile  a  tax  return,  is  due  to  fraud,  the  taxpayer  is  liable  for  penalties  that,  although  calculated  different,  essentially  amount  to  75%  of  the  unpaid  tax.  

•  A  penalty  for  failing  to  pay  the  amount  of  the  tax  shown  on  the  return  under  IRC  §  6651(a)(2)  of  5%  of  the  balance  due  plus  and  additional  5%  for  each  month  of  a  fraction  thereof  during  which  the  failure  continues  may  be  imposed,  not  to  exceed  25%.  

•  A  penalty  for  failing  the  pay  the  amount  of  tax  shown  on  the  return  under  IRC  §  6651(a)(2)  of  .5%  of  the  amount  of  the  tax  shown  on  the  return,  plus  an  additional  .5%  for  each  additional  month  or  fraction  thereof  that  the  amount  remains  unpaid,  not  exceeding  25%.  

•  An  accuracy-­‐related  penalty  on  underpayments  imposed  under  IRC  §§    6662,  depending  on  which  component  of  the  accuracy  penalty  is  applicable  the  penalty  can  be  20  to  40%  of  the  tax.  

       

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ELIGIBILITY Taxpayers  (both  individuals  and  entities)  who  have  undisclosed  offshore  accounts  or  assets  and  meet  the  requirements  of  IRM  9.5.11.9  are  eligible  to  apply  for  IRS  Criminal  Investigation’s  OVDP.      In  general  terms,  Taxpayers  with  the  following  characteristics  are  NOT  eligible:    

•  Taxpayers  whom  the  IRS  has  initiated  a  civil  examination,  regardless  of  whether  it  relates  to  undisclosed  foreign  accounts  or  undisclosed  foreign  entitles.  

 •  Taxpayers  whose  accounts  or  assets  were  funded  through  illegal  sources.    •  Taxpayers  that  the  IRS  or  DOJ  have  obtained  (under  a  John  Doe  Summons,  treaty  request,  or  

similar  action)  evidence  of  the  Taxpayer’s  non-­‐compliance  (note:  a  Taxpayer  concerned  that  a  party  subject  to  a  John  Doe  summons,  treaty  request  or  similar  action,  will  provide  information  about  him/her  to  the  IRS  should  apply  to  make  a  voluntary  disclosure  as  soon  as  possible.  

 •  A  Taxpayer  appeals  a  foreign  tax  administrator’s  decision  authorizing  the  providing  of  account  

information  to  the  Service  and  fails  to  serve  the  notice  as  required  under  existing  law  (see  18  U.S.C.  3506).  

 •  The  IRS  may  announce  that  certain  taxpayer  groups  that  have  or  had  accounts  at  speciIic  

Iinancial  institutions  will  be  ineligible  due  to  U.S.  government  actions  in  connection  with  the  speciIic  Iinancial  institution.  

     

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WHAT IS REQUIRED? For  the  8  year  disclosure  period  (note:  speciIic  rules  apply  to  instances  whereby  a  Taxpayer  was  compliant  in  some  years  during  the  disclosure  period)  the  Taxpayer  must  do  the  following  (note:  among  other  disclosures  and  submissions):    

•  Disclose  the  previously  unreported  foreign  assets  and  income.  

•  Disclose  persons  who  helped  hide  the  foreign  assets  and  income,  such  as  advisors,  bankers,  attorneys,  accountants,  business  associates  and  family  members.  

•  File  amended  federal  income  tax  returns.  

•  Pay  previously  unpaid  taxes  and  penalties  as  detailed  earlier.  

•  File  amended,  or  corrected  information  returns  and  disclosures  (such  as  the  Treasury  Department’s  Report  of  Foreign  Financial  Accounts  TD  F  90-­‐22.1,  IRS  form  8938  (statement  of  speciIied  foreign  Iinancial  assets),  IRS  form  8621  (for  investments  in  passive  foreign  investment  companies),  IRS  form  926  (for  transfers  of  cash  or  other  property  to  foreign  corporations),  IRS  form  8865  (for  investments  in  foreign  controlled  partnership),    and  IRS  form  5471.  

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WHAT IS THE PROCESS? 1.  Pre-­‐clearance:  Information  about  the  Taxpayer  is  provided  to  the  IRS  Criminal  

Investigation  Division  (“IRS  CI”)  along  with  a  request  for  pre-­‐clearance  to  make  an  application  under  the  program.  The  IRS  then  notiIies  that  Taxpayer  if  they  are  preliminarily  eligible  (this  is  NOT  a  binding  position  of  the  IRS  and  may  be  revoked  at  any  time).  The  Taxpayer  then  has  45  days  from  the  receipt  of  the  pre-­‐clearance  letter  to  submit  the  information  required  under  Step  2.  

 2.  Criminal  Review:  The  Taxpayer  then  submits  an  offshore  disclosure  letter  and  

attachment  (for  each  group  of  offshore  accounts  or  assets)  to  the  IRS  CI  which  provides  details  about  the  location  and  range  of  value  of  the  account,  the  individuals  and  entities  involved  in  the  custody,  management  and  promotion  of  the  account  as  well  as  the  source  of  funds  for  the  account  (in  particular  interest  to  the  IRS  is  whether  these  were  obtained  from  lawful  means).  If  preliminarily  accepted  IRS  CI  will  then  notify  the  taxpayer  to  submit  the  required  information  and  payment  (or  proposal  for  installment  agreement)  required  under  Step  3.  

 3.  Civil  Review:  Substantial  additional  information  is  then  provided  to  a  civil  

examiner.  This  information  includes  amount  other  things,  payment  of  the  penalties  and  interest  associated  with  the  application,  amended  returns  for  the  disclosure  period,  consents  to  extend  time  to  assess  tax  and  penalties,  extensive  foreign  account  records,  amended  or  original  information  returns  and  treasury  department  foreign  account  and  asset  disclosures.    

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MAJOR CONSIDERATIONS A  decision  to  participate  in  the  process  should  be  made  carefully  and  with  the  assistance  of  qualiIied  professional  advice.  Some  (but  not  all)  major  considerations  for  a  Taxpayer  considering  the  OVDP  program  are  listed  below:    

•  Penalties  are  high  and  can  equate  50%  or  more  of  the  current  account  value  (note:  in  some  cases  can  equal  or  exceed  the  account  value  due  to  Iluctuations  in  asset  value,  market  losses  in  the  account,  bad  investments,  foreign  currency  exchange  rates  and  other  variables).    

 •  The  compliance  costs  are  high.  Program  submission  requires  signiIicant  work  to  prepare  

amended  returns,  corrected  or  original  disclosures,  calculation  of  penalties  and  interest,  and  in  some  cases  forensic  work  to  reconcile  the  foreign  accounts.    

•  The  Taxpayer  will  be  required  to  identify  persons  who  facilitated  the  offshore  account  and  this  can  be  friends,  family  and  business  partners.    

•  The  process  may  take  a  long  time,  it  is  not  unusual  for  an  OVDP  application  to  take  1  or  2  years.  

•  Applying  does  not  guarantee  approval.  While  most  timely  Iiled  and  truthful  applications  are  accepted  (the  taxpayer  inspector  general  indicates  that  the  approval  rate  is  more  than  90%)  it  is  not  guaranteed  that  they  will  be.  If  the  application  is  rejected  then  the  Taxpayer  would  not  have  any  protection  against  an  assertion  of  civil  or  criminal  penalties  by  the  IRS.  

 •  It  may  be  difIicult  to  obtain  the  required  documents,  and  it  may  require  legal  action  in  the  

domicile  of  the  account  or  asset.    

     

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International  Accounting &  Compliance  

A NOTE ABOUT QUIET DISCLOSURES

The  IRS  is  aware  that  some  Taxpayers  made  so-­‐called  “quiet”  disclosures  by  Iiling  amended  returns  and  reporting  the  income  from  their  foreign  assets  and  accounts,  paying  the  interest  and  penalties,  but  did  not  make  a  formal  OVDP  application.      These  Taxpayers  are  still  eligible  (given  that  they  also  Iit  the  general  eligibility  guidelines)  to  take  advantage  of  the  OVDP  by  submitting  an  application.      

 The  IRS  strongly  encourages  these  Taxpayers  to  come  forward  under  the    OVDP  to  make  timely,  accurate  and  complete  disclosures.  Those  Taxpayers    making  “quiet”  disclosures  should  be  aware  of  the  risk  of  being  examined    and  potentially  criminally  prosecuted  for  all  applicable  years.  

     

Page 24: Offshore Voluntary Disclosures - Switzerland

International  Accounting &  Compliance  

GRAY CAN HELP

If  you  are  considering  making  a  voluntary  disclosure  Gray  can  help.  Our  experienced  tax  professionals  are  focused  on  helping  Taxpayers  through  the  Offshore  Voluntary  Disclosure  Process.    If  you  are  concerned  that  you  are  at  risk  of  IRS  action  related  to  your  undisclosed  accounts  contact  us  today,  if  not  disclosed  and  discovered,  the  penalties  and  potential  criminal  liability  is  signiIicant.      Since  the  IRS  is  obtaining  more  and  more  information  about  foreign  account  the  time  to  take  the  decision  to  enter  the  OVDP  is  now.  

WWW.COMPANYSITE.COM          |          [email protected]        |          +123  456  789        |          THIS  STREET  321,  CITY,  COUNTRY  

FULL  PROGRAM  REPRESENTATION  

PREPARATION  OF  ALL  RETURNS  AND  FILINGS  

FORENSIC  ACCOUNTING/RECORD  RECONSTRUCTION  

CALCULATION  OF  PENALTIES  AND  INTEREST  

PREPARATION  OF  SUBMISSION  FILING  

Page 25: Offshore Voluntary Disclosures - Switzerland

International  Accounting &  Compliance  

CONTACT US

Website www.grayintl.com  

E-mail [email protected]    

Addresses U.S.  International  OfIice        Attn:  Jeremy  Stobie,  CPA,  CFE      10900  NE  8th  Street        Suite  1000          Bellevue,  WA  98004        

Phone +  001  425.999.3685  xt  10  

Gray  welcomes  your  questions,  comments  and  inquiries  and  would  like  the  opportunity  to  serve  you.  

WWW.COMPANYSITE.COM          |          [email protected]        |          +123  456  789        |          THIS  STREET  321,  CITY,  COUNTRY