Foreign Foundations — What are they for US Tax Purposes? Should I Care? Recent Court Case Lays it Out

Today’s post looks at the case of Rost v United States, No 119-CV-0607-RP 2021 BL 435976 (WD Tex., Austin Div., September 22, 2021). In the Rost case, the Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") assessed close to USD597,000 in civil penalties for a US taxpayer’s failure to file IRS Forms 3520 and 3520-A, information reporting with regard … Continue reading Foreign Foundations — What are they for US Tax Purposes? Should I Care? Recent Court Case Lays it Out →

Selecting a Trustee for Your US Trust – What About a Foreign Family Member?

Many parents establish a trust for their children and intend that the trust be a domestic (US) trust. Often, this will be a testamentary trust. That is, one that comes into being upon death of the testator, created pursuant to a Last Will & Testament. Many parents struggle with the decision as to who to … Continue reading Selecting a Trustee for Your US Trust – What About a Foreign Family Member? →

Using a “Foreign Grantor Trust” – I Heard of it, but Hmmmm … I Want to Know More

Most tax practitioners and wealth planning professionals have heard of the “foreign grantor trust” (FGT) but many are unsure of what it is, how it works, or what it can accomplish in US tax planning. My post today provides an overview. The use of a so-called “foreign grantor trust” is a traditional planning technique that … Continue reading Using a “Foreign Grantor Trust” – I Heard of it, but Hmmmm … I Want to Know More →

Oh No! I Have a “Foreign” Pension or Employee Savings Plan and Uncle Sam is Killing Me (Part II)

Part I of this blog post introduced the topic of the "foreign" pension or employee workplace savings plan, and examined in some detail how these plans are becoming more and more popular in the United Arab Emirates. The plans, however, give US expatriate employees some serious US tax headaches. Today's post focusses on these thorny … Continue reading Oh No! I Have a “Foreign” Pension or Employee Savings Plan and Uncle Sam is Killing Me (Part II) →

US Beneficiary of Foreign Trust: Understanding US Tax Filings

I have written a series of blog posts about foreign (i.e., non-US) trusts and the US tax issues associated with them including the US tax filing and reporting requirements for each of the different players in the foreign trust scenario (creator or "grantor"/"settlor" of the trust), the trustee; and today, the US beneficiary. One of … Continue reading US Beneficiary of Foreign Trust: Understanding US Tax Filings →