BOI FAQs from FinCEN updated January 2024
On 1/4/24, FinCEN published additional BOI FAQ’s to include new information about reporting companies, beneficial owners, company applicants, reporting requirements, and reporting company exemptions, as well as updated information about FinCEN identifiers. The 1/4/24 BOI FAQs includes eight questions versus the 12/12/23 update which included twenty-one questions. BOI FAQs from the FinCEN 1/12/24 update are: […]
FinCEN BOI FAQs Updated Once Again
On 12/12/23, FinCEN BOI FAQs were updated to include twenty-one new questions related to general questions, the reporting process, reporting companies, reporting requirements, initial reports, updated reports, compliance, and enforcement, FinCEN identifiers, and third-party service providers. FinCEN BOI FAQs have been updated since March 24, 2023, when FinCEN issued its first set of guidance materials […]
The FinCEN Identifier
On September 29, 2023, FinCEN updated the FAQs regarding Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) Reporting, including guidance on the FinCEN identifier. The FinCEN’s BOI FAQs work in tandem with the FinCEN’s BOI Small Business Guide that was released on 9/18/23 to assist the small business community in complying with BOI reporting rule that starts January 1, […]
“Substantial Control” under the CTA
FinCEN’s Small Entity Compliance Guide published 9/18/23 defines a beneficial owner as any individual who, directly or indirectly: exercises substantial control over a reporting company or owns or controls at least 25 percent of the ownership interests of a reporting company. This means that an individual person may be a beneficial owner through substantial control, […]
Export Control FinCEN Red Flags
On 11/6/23, the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) and FinCEN issued a joint notice regarding export control evasion highlighting a new Suspicious Activity Report key term (“FIN-2023-GLOBALEXPORT”) for financial institutions to reference when reporting potential efforts by individuals or entities seeking to evade U.S. export controls NOT related to Russia’s invasion […]
Terrorist Financing FinCEN Red Flags
On 10/20/23, Terrorist Financing Red Flags were issued by FinCEN to assist financial institutions in identifying funding streams for the terrorist organization Hamas in response to Hamas’s terrorist attack on the people of Israel. FinCEN is urging financial institutions including virtual asset service providers (VASPs) to be vigilant in identifying suspicious activity relating to financing […]
The Tax Gap Increased to $688 Billion in Tax Year 2021
On 10/12/23 announced new tax gap projections for tax years 2020 and 2021 showing the projected gross tax gap increased to $688 billion in tax year 2021, a rise of more than $192 billion from the prior estimates for tax years 2014-2016 and a rise of $138 billion from the revised projections for tax years […]
Accountants or Lawyers May Have Reporting Requirements under the CTA
On 9/18/23, FinCEN published the Small Entity Compliance Guide for beneficial ownership information (BOI) reporting under the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) and simultaneously updated the FAQs regarding CTA compliance under FinCEN’s BOI FAQs. Professional Service Providers such as accountants or lawyers can potentially have reporting requirements under the CTA even if they are not beneficial […]
OFAC Suspends Certain Venezuela Sanctions
On 10/18/23, OFAC provided issued sanctions relief to Venezuela entities in the following sectors: oil and gas, state-owned gold mining company and Venezuelan sovereign bonds and PdVSA (Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A.) debt and equity. OFAC cautioned that it is prepared to revoke these authorizations, if appropriate, to support US foreign policy and national security priorities. […]
FinCEN BOI Small Business Guide
On September 18, 2023, the FinCEN BOI Small Business Guide was released to assist the small business community in complying with the beneficial ownership information (BOI) reporting rule that starts January 1, 2024. The purpose of the FinCEN 56-page BOI Guide is to help small businesses understand the description of each of the BOI reporting […]
FinCEN’s Pig Butchering Alert
On 9/8/23, FinCEN issued an alert on a prevalent Virtual Currency Investment Scam commonly known as “Pig Butchering”. FinCEN’s Pig Butchering alert addresses “Pig butchering” scams which resemble the practice of fattening a hog before slaughter. “Victims invest in supposedly legitimate virtual currency investment opportunities before they are conned out of their money. Scammers refer […]
Compliance Note from BIS, DOJ & OFAC
On 07/26/2023, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), and the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), issued a Tri-Seal Compliance Note: Voluntary Self-Disclosure of Potential Violations. The Compliance Note focuses on the voluntary self-disclosure policies that apply to U.S. […]
