Mel Whitney
- Non-resident taxation
- Real estate taxation
- Tax optimization
- Bachelor of Science in Business Administration
- Humboldt State University
Articles
FATCA penalties: what happens if you fail to report foreign assets?
For most US taxpayers abroad, FATCA penalties mean Form 8938 penalties. If you were required to file Form 8938 for the 2025 tax year and did not, the starting penalty is $10,000 (2025). It can reach $60,000 (2025) after an IRS notice if the problem is not corrected.</...
Foreign tax credit for US expats: Rules, limits, and how to claim it
The US foreign tax credit is a nonrefundable credit that reduces your US tax bill by the amount of qualifying income tax you paid or accrued to a foreign government on foreign-source income also subject to US tax. It is calculated on ...
Delinquent FBAR Submission Procedures removed in 2026: how to file late FBARs now
The Delinquent FBAR filing procedures historically covered an FBAR-only probl...
FinCEN Form 114: FBAR form filing instructions, who must file, and what to report
FBAR (FinCEN Form 114) is the Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts – a disclosure filed separately from your federal income tax return through FinCEN’s BSA E-Filing system, not with the IRS. If the a...
FBAR quiet disclosure: IRS risks, penalties, and safer options
FBAR quiet disclosure is not an official IRS compliance program. It usually ...
FBAR penalties in 2026: amounts, violations, and when they are reduced
In 2026 a non-willful FBAR violation can cost up to $16,536 per annual report, and a willful violation up to the greater of $165,353 or 50% of the account balance. Criminal penalties apply only in the most serious cases....