# How Does the IRS Know You Didn’t File an FBAR?



## MyExpatTaxes (10 mo ago)

As an American abroad, forgetting or avoiding a single document can be costly. How would the IRS know you didn’t file an FBAR when required to do so?

When you sign up for a bank account as an American expat, you will need to sign additional forms because you are a US citizen. These forms ask you for your Social Security Number and that you grant the IRS access to your account information.

Your permission is how the US financial authorities get information from your foreign bank account. They easily cross-reference your records to see if you didn’t file an FBAR when you had an obligation to do so.

If the IRS has contacted you regarding late FBAR forms, we suggest you contact a US tax attorney to get out of the predicament as smoothly as possible.

You may learn more about filing delinquent FBAR submissions through the IRS’ website.


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## Stevesolar (Dec 21, 2012)

My friends who never intend to live back in the USA simply ignore them!


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