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FILING IRS FORM 5471 FOR A FOREIGN CORPORATION We can help you prepare this important and complex tax form or review the form you self prepared or prepared by your accountant |
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Form 5471 Tax Return Questionnaire to Download and Return for a Fee Quote Everything You Want to Know About Controlled Foreign Corporations (CFC) |
US Taxpayers Must File IRS Form 5471 To Report their
Ownership in Foreign Corporations The return also must include data on transactions between you and the foreign corporation, original capital contributions, and other relevant data. That return is 4 pages and several other schedules are required which can make it a 6 or seven page return. If you combined with other US taxpayers own more than 50% of actual or equitable interest in your foreign corporation, it is then defined as a Controlled Foreign Corporation (CFC), If it is a CFC, certain types of income (Subpart F income) may be taxed and flow through to the US shareholders and cause them to pay tax on that income on their US personal or business tax returns. The rules are complex with respect to determining the types income of a CFC are subpart F income. Certain types of income such as dividends, interest, rental income, insurance income, offshore shipping income and personal service income is treated as Subpart F income. Subpart F income whether distributed or not is taxable to the US shareholders personal return (or corporate return if a US corporation is the owner) in the year it occurs as ordinary income. However, the income in a Controlled corporation from other types of operating businesses such retail stores, factories, etc. that do not have operations in the US and do not purchase goods from a US affiliate of the business is not taxed to the Controlled Corporation shareholders until it is actual distributed to them. Dividends paid to shareholders of Foreign Corporations sometimes are eligible for the reduced qualified dividend rate (same rate as capital gains) when paid from the foreign corporation that is located in a country with which the US has a tax treaty and not subpart F income from a Controllled Foreign Corporation. You also must file Form 926 to report capital contributions to foreign corporations with your US tax return for the year you make those contributions. Certain types of foreign corporations (the type varies by Country) have been identified by the IRS as eligible to elect, for US tax purposes only, to be treated as flow through entities. This means that if the election is made by filing the appropriate form with the IRS, all of the income and expenses of that foreign entity will flow through and be taxed on the income tax returns of the US shareholder in the same manner as US partnership and LLC income flows through and is taxed on the tax returns of the owners. This often is an advantage if most of the net income is distributed to the shareholders since it allows them to claim the foreign taxes paid by the foreign corporation as a foreign tax credit against their US income tax on that flow through income and partially or totally offset that us income tax. If you own part of a foreign partnership, foreign LLC or Foreign Trust, you are also obligated to file special forms with your US tax return or you may incur substantial penalties of $10,000 or more for filing those forms late or not at all. The IRS is currently on a serious crusade to force all US taxpayers to report their foreign income or ownership of foreign business or investment entities. It is not advisable to ignore these rules due to the possible severe penalties you will incur if your are caught not complying with the law or filing those forms late Preparation of Forms 5471 and Form 926 is often complex and confusing. Most tax preparers do not know how to prepare the forms and may need assistance.. If you need assistance with preparing those forms, we will help prepare them even if the remaining portions of your tax return is prepared by another tax professional or of course, we can prepare the entire return which can be more cost effective. Please contact us to request assistance in the preparation of this form or or a professional review of a Form 5471or 926 you or your tax preparer filled out.
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Everything You Want to Know About Controlled Foreign Corporations (CFC) |
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