Reason to Have Asset Protection Attorneys Preview Tax Filings for International Trusts Before it’s Too Late

Oct 18, 2018

We just closed a matter, where the U.S. Grantor of a foreign trust had filed or caused to be filed his 3520-As and 3520s in a timely manner for tax years ending in 2015, 2016, 2017. Unfortunately, those tax filings did not include complete information regarding the entire asset structure owned by the foreign trust. Many of the assets owned by the foreign trust were shown on the Grantor’s 1040 filing for those years but were not provided on the 3520-A or 3520. Subsequently, there was debate amongst the various professionals on the proper way to correct these errors. Ultimately, it was determined that amending all of the 3520-A and 3520s for those years was the proper course of action. Purely from an asset protection perspective, having the filings truly represent the foreign trust’s ownership of all assets would be valuable evidence in the event that it is argued that those assets belong to the Grantor individually, based upon past filings that were not correct. Part of the debate on the proper course of action was related to how the Internal Revenue Service would react to amended 3520-A and 3520 filings, which would show a much greater asset value being owned by the foreign trust. Eventually, it was determined that various statements and disclosures related to the true ownership of assets would be included with the amended 3520-A and 3520 filings. In the end, we all believed that reasonable cause would be available as a last resort in the event that the Internal Revenue Service attempted to levy penalties on the Grantor taxpayer. From this, the take away is to have a competent asset protection attorney that is familiar with these types of trusts, pre-screen drafts of all required tax filings for the trust structure. Please let us know if you would like us to work with your CPA to make sure that your tax filings are in full compliance.

*The information in this article is provided for general informational purposes only, and may not reflect the current law in your jurisdiction. No information contained in this post should be construed as legal advice from Greenspoon Marder LLP or the individual author(s), nor is it intended to be a substitute for legal counsel on any subject matter. No reader of this post should act or refrain from acting on the basis of any information included in, or accessible through, this Post without seeking the appropriate legal or other professional advice on the particular facts and circumstances at issue from a lawyer licensed in the recipient’s state, country or other appropriate licensing jurisdiction.

About Greenspoon Marder

Greenspoon Marder LLP is a full-service law firm with over 240 attorneys and more than 20 office locations across the United States. With operations from Miami to New York and from Denver to Los Angeles, our firm attracts some of the nation’s top talent in key markets and innovation hubs. Our core practice areas include Real Estate, Litigation, and Transactional Services, complemented by the capabilities of a full-service firm. Greenspoon Marder has upheld a spot on The American Lawyer’s Am Law 200 as one of the top law firms in the U.S. since 2015, and our goal is to provide exceptional client service by developing a thorough understanding of each client’s business needs and objectives in order to provide strategic, cost-effective solutions.

MEDIA CONTACT

Natalie Villanueva, Director of Marketing
954.333.4308 | [email protected]

This Greenspoon Marder LLP Client Alert is issued for informational purposes only and is not intended to be construed or used as general legal advice nor a solicitation of any type. Please contact the author(s) or your Greenspoon Marder LLP contact if you have any questions regarding the currency of this information. The hiring of a lawyer is an important decision. Before you decide, ask for written information about the lawyer’s legal qualifications and experience.

Previous Next

News

Reason to Have Asset Protection Attorneys Preview Tax Filings for International Trusts Before it’s Too Late

Share

News & Events

News & Events