Regardless of whether you are required to file FinCEN Form 114 (FBAR), you may be required to file Form 8938, Statement of Specified Foreign Financial Assets, with your income tax return. Failure to file Form 8938 may result in penalties and extension of the statute of limitations. See IRS.gov/Form8938 for more information.
Line 7a–Question 1.
Check the "Yes" box if at any time during 2021 you had a financial interest in or signature authority over a financial account located in a foreign country. See the definitions that follow. Check the "Yes" box even if you aren't required to file FinCEN Form 114.
Financial account.
A financial account includes, but isn't limited to, a securities, brokerage, savings, demand, checking, deposit, time deposit, or other account maintained with a financial institution (or other person performing the services of a financial institution). A financial account also includes a commodity futures or options account, an insurance policy with a cash value (such as a whole life insurance policy), an annuity policy with a cash value, and shares in a mutual fund or similar pooled fund (that is, a fund that is available to the general public with a regular net asset value determination and regular redemptions).
Financial account located in a foreign country.
A financial account is located in a foreign country if the account is physically located outside of the United States. For example, an account maintained with a branch of a United States bank that is physically located outside of the United States is a foreign financial account. An account maintained with a branch of a foreign bank that is physically located in the United States isn't a foreign financial account.
Signature authority.
Signature authority is the authority of an individual (alone or in conjunction with another individual) to control the disposition of assets held in a foreign financial account by direct communication (whether in writing or otherwise) to the bank or other financial institution that maintains the financial account. See the FinCEN Form 114 instructions for exceptions. Don't consider the exceptions relating to signature authority in answering Question 1 on line 7a.
Other definitions.
For definitions of "financial interest," "United States," and other relevant terms, see the instructions for FinCEN Form 114.
Line 7a–Question 2.
See FinCEN Form 114 and its instructions at www.fincen.gov to determine whether you must file the form. Check the "Yes" box if you are required to file the form. Check the "No" box if you aren't required to file the form.
If you checked the "Yes" box to Question 2 on line 7a, you must electronically file FinCEN Form 114 with Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network. A U.S. person that has a financial interest in or signature authority over foreign financial accounts must file the form if the aggregate value of foreign financial accounts exceeds $10,000 at any time during 2021. Do not attach FinCEN Form 114 to your tax return.
For the due date and more information about FinCEN Form 114, see www.fincen.gov.
OLT does not file the FinCEN Form 114