Of the recent changes made to OVDP and the streamlined procedures, none have received as much attention – or created as much debate – as the new rule requiring certification of non-willfulness as a condition for gaining entry. This blog focuses on the requirement of the new streamlined procedures that the failure to report income from a foreign financial asset not be willful. This requirement cuts to the heart of penalty mitigation offered by the new procedures.

As a way of background information, in order to qualify for the streamlined compliance procedures, U.S. taxpayers must certify that “the failure to file tax returns, report all income, pay all tax, and submit all required information returns, including FBARs, resulted from non-willful conduct.” There are now two streamlined procedures: (1) the “Streamlined Read More