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Relief on Substantial Presence and Treaty Day-Count Tests.

On May 30th, the IRS issued Revenue Procedure 2020-20 which provides non-U.S. individuals present in the U.S. some limited relief from the day-count tests for U.S. tax residency and for eligibility for certain treaty benefits.  The relief comes in the form of the “COVID-19 Medical Condition Travel Exception”.  The name of the exception is a misnomer because individuals need not have had any medical condition (including the COVID-19 virus) to claim its benefits.
Continue Reading IRS Provides Some Relief to Offset COVID-19 Related Travel Restrictions

The governments of Argentina and the United States signed on December 23rd, 2016, a new tax information exchange agreement (“TIEA”). Jack Lew, U.S. Treasury Secretary, stated that the TIEA will allow for important collaboration between the two countries’ tax enforcement efforts.  The TIEA provides a legal framework for the reciprocal and automatic exchange of tax information, which will allow Argentina to (i) comply with the U.S. Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act, and (ii) obtain information about Argentinean taxpayers that hold undeclared assets in the United States.
Continue Reading New Tax Information Exchange Agreement Between the United States and Argentina

In a news conference today President Obama addressed rules and proposed regulations announced Thursday intended to help the U.S. fight tax evasion and other crimes connected to anonymous offshore companies and accounts.  The announcements come after a month of intense review by the administration following the first release of the so-called Panama Papers, millions of documents stolen or leaked from Panamanian law firm Mossack, Fonseca.  The papers have revealed a who’s who of international politicians, business leaders, sports figures and celebrities involved with financial transactions accomplished through anonymous shell corporations.
Continue Reading In Wake of Panama Papers Scandal Obama Calls for Stricter Bank Regulations, Tax Rules

On December 4, 2015, the President signed into law HR 22, which requires the IRS to notify the State Department of any U.S. citizen who owes more than $50,000 in federal taxes. The State Department is then directed to revoke the person’s U.S. passport and to deny issuance of any new passport until the debt is paid.
Continue Reading Congress Passes Passport Revocation Bill Aimed At Large Tax Debtors

On June 6, 2013, the Internal Revenue Service issued Revenue Ruling 2013-14, which concludes that a Fideicomiso or a Mexican Land Trust (MLT) is not taxed as a “trust” for U.S. income tax purposes. While most practitioners have operated on that assumption, it is helpful to have official confirmation from the IRS.

Non-Mexican persons are prohibited from directly holding title to Mexican residential real property in restricted zones (so-called “Greenacre” in the Revenue Ruling). But non-Mexican persons, after obtaining the required permit, may hold such property through an MLT Agreement with a Mexican bank.Continue Reading Internal Revenue Service Concludes that Fideicomiso or Mexican Land Trusts are not “Trusts” for United States Tax Purposes

By Amy McEvoy

International buyers invested $82.5 billion in U.S. residential real estate (4.8% of total U.S. sales) according to the most recent survey conducted by the National Association of Realtors for the 12 month period ending with March 2012. According to that survey, the top states in the U.S. for international buyers were Florida, California, Arizona and Texas. That survey also finds that the top-five international buyers were from Canada, China, Mexico, India, and the United Kingdom and that Brazil also remains a major source of purchasers. Homes are bought in the U.S. for investment, vacation-use, temporary use for professional, educational (which could include providing a home to a child who is pursuing his or her education in the U.S.), and a myriad of other reasons.Continue Reading Considerations For International Clients Who Intend to Buy A Home In the U.S.

By Keith Gercken and Danica Dodds

Summary

On April 17, 2012 the Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service issued final regulations requiring information reporting by a broad range of banks and other financial institutions of interest paid to certain nonresident alien individuals on funds held in U.S. accounts. These reporting requirements are generally applicable for payments of interest made on or after January 1, 2013, and are intended to enhance the ability of the IRS to effectively exchange tax information with foreign revenue authorities under the existing network of tax information exchange agreements, thereby bolstering its ability to combat offshore tax evasion by U.S. taxpayers.Continue Reading IRS Issues Final Regulations Requiring Reporting by Financial Institutions of Interest Payments Made on U.S. Accounts of Non-Resident Individuals