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FBAR Guard

Must I report a foreign account shared with my parent if the money is theirs?

Updated

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Short answer

Yes, if you're a U.S. person named as a joint owner. Being on the account gives you a financial interest for FBAR purposes, even if every cent came from your parent. You report the full balance if your foreign accounts together exceeded $10,000 at any point in the year.⁠Source 1⁠Source 2⁠Source 3

How the rule works

The FBAR regulation gives a financial interest to each U.S. person in whose name an account is maintained. Who supplied the money doesn't matter. If you aren't an owner but hold a power of attorney that lets you move money from the account, that can be signature authority, which is also reportable.⁠Source 1⁠Source 2

Example

Your parent holds $40,000 abroad and adds you as a named joint owner to simplify estate planning. You are a U.S. citizen. You have never deposited or withdrawn money. You must file an FBAR and report the account at $40,000.⁠Source 1⁠Source 3

What to check

Check how the bank has registered you: as a joint owner, under a power of attorney, or with view-only access. As a joint owner, report the full value in Part III. With a power of attorney that lets you move money, report the account as signature authority.⁠Source 2⁠Source 3

Related questions

Full rules and more examples: Joint accounts, spouses and children

Sources

Official sources used for this page.

  1. Source 1: eCFR, 31 CFR § 1010.350 — Reports of foreign financial accounts (opens in a new tab)

    Who has a reportable financial interest in accounts, the rule for owners of record and the definition of signature authority.

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  2. Source 2: IRS, Internal Revenue Manual 4.26.16 — FBAR (opens in a new tab)

    Financial interests, signature authority, U.S. residency (including 6013(g)/(h) elections and treaties), family attribution, spousal filing, Form 114a parts and amended-FBAR identifiers.

    irs.govChecked Source updated Back to text

  3. Source 3: FinCEN, Reporting Jointly Held Accounts (opens in a new tab)

    Part III instructions, full account values, joint owner count, principal joint owner identity and blank items.

    fincen.govChecked Back to text