There are some shortcomings of the Streamlined Program:

“Despite the seemingly taxpayer-friendly incentives, the streamlined program has several shortcomings. The devil is in the details! First, participants are not guaranteed immunity from criminal prosecution. Second, with respect to the Streamlined Domestic Offshore Procedures, the five-percent penalty is imposed on a broader base of foreign assets – not just those relating to FBAR reporting.

Finally, to the extent that the IRS undertakes an examination of the taxpayer’s returns and finds that the taxpayer was willful, the taxpayer could be subject to any one of the following parade of horribles. First, and most obvious, the taxpayer will be barred from participating Read More