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IRS to waive penalties for some overseas accounts

By WTOP Staff

STEPHEN OHLEMACHER
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Internal Revenue Service is offering to waive steep penalties for Americans living abroad who haven’t been paying their U.S. taxes.

But there is a catch: You have to be able to show that you didn’t evade U.S. taxes on purpose.

American citizens living abroad are required to file U.S. tax returns, even if they keep all their money overseas. Similarly, U.S. citizens living in the United States are required to tell the IRS about any accounts they have in foreign banks.

The penalties for not reporting these accounts are stiff. If there is more than $10,000 in an unreported account, the IRS can impose penalties of 100,000 — more if the accounts are really big.

The IRS announced a program Wednesday that would largely waive these penalties if taxpayers come forward and show that they didn’t hide the money on purpose.

Americans living abroad can have all penalties waived, if they file three years’ worth of tax returns and pay any back taxes.

Americans living in the U.S. can come clean by disclosing overseas accounts and paying a penalty equal to 5 percent of the account’s assets.

For people who are willfully evading U.S. taxes, the IRS is tweaking an existing program that imposes stiff penalties for people who come forward, but allows them to escape criminal prosecution.

“Our aim is to get people to disclose their accounts, pay the tax they owe and get right with the government,” IRS Commissioner John Koskinen said in a statement.

IRS officials declined to provide examples of how someone could inadvertently fail to report income or bank accounts.

Instead, they offered this definition: “Non-willful conduct is conduct that is due to negligence, inadvertence or mistake, or conduct that’s the result of a good-faith misunderstanding of the requirements of the law.”

“If a taxpayer is very conflicted about this, I think that what we would advise is that they consult with a tax adviser about the willfulness standard,” said Michael Danilack, an IRS deputy commissioner.

Danilack said the agency expects thousands of people to take advantage of the program. In 2009, the IRS estimated that more than 7 million U.S. citizens live abroad, not counting military.

The disclosure program is a particularly good deal for Americans living in countries with higher tax rates than the U.S.

Typically, U.S. citizens living abroad must file a U.S. tax return and pay U.S. taxes on all income, regardless of where it is earned. However, they can deduct taxes paid to a foreign government from their U.S. tax bill.

The U.S. stepped up efforts to crack down on people who are willfully hiding assets overseas in 2009. Since then, the IRS has offered a series of programs to encourage people to come clean. In general, people who come forward can escape criminal prosecution in exchange for paying reduced penalties and back taxes.

More than 45,000 people have come forward so far, paying about $6.5 billion in taxes, interest and penalties, the IRS said Wednesday.

Starting next year, it will get even tougher for Americans to hide assets overseas. As part of a 2010 law, more than 77,000 foreign banks from about 70 different countries have agreed to start sharing detailed information about U.S. account holders with the IRS. The effort of part of a global crackdown on overseas tax evasion.

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Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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