mailing FBAR - another hassle

The FBAR address is a POB in Detroit. According to the UK post office, you cannot send anything registered or signed-for to a POB since there's no person there to receive or sign for it. The only way you can send a letter to a POB is by ordinary air mail, which seems iffy. (Also when the UK PO says that a letter or package to the US is tracked, they're wrong - It's only tracked to the first airport in the US, eg, JFK - there's no tracking thereafter.)  That leaves either a very costly courrier service or a long and similarly expensive trip to the US Embassy. Brilliant.

Just send it by regular mail.

I'll be honest; I just mail it straight there.  I try and leave plenty of time, and I keep copies of the ones I've sent in with the date noted. I figure that, most of the time, the mail gets there.

That said, there is an alternative (non-POB) address on this page:
http://www.irs.gov/Businesses/Small-Businesses-&-Self-Employed/Report-of-Foreign-Bank-and-Financial-Accounts-(FBAR)

(It's the "express delivery" one.)

Seeing that efiling will be mandatory for FBARS filed from July 1, 2013 have you tried efiling instead?

http://www.irs.gov/Businesses/Small-Businesses-&-Self-Employed/Report-of-Foreign-Bank-and-Financial-Accounts-(FBAR)

I've e-filed for the past two years. Far easier, and instant acknowledgement. And if you make a mistake, you can file an amendment.

I'm an oldie. I'm computer illiterate, so I don't even have a computer.

I think I'll continue to file by mail, since I have a feeling I've not been set free of the obligation. I await the rejection of my mailing.

Seeing that efiling will be mandatory for FBARS filed from July 1, 2013 have you tried efiling instead?

http://www.irs.gov/Businesses/Small-Businesses-&-Self-Employed/Report-of-Foreign-Bank-and-Financial-Accounts-(FBAR)

Sorry to hijack, but are they going to fix the issues only being able to accept one digital signature before it becomes mandatory? Because there is really no justifiable reason why my non-resident alien spouse should have to file a separate FBAR just because we have a joint account over the limit. I'm getting angry in anticipation!

There's a rumor that to 'send' you must be on a Microsoft operating system. It's likely this may be a rumor only.

I await the next demand, when we have to fly to Detroit to present them in person so our retinal scan can be checked.



Sent from my Sinclair 64

Serious now: In the past you could mail them by Airsure, with tracking. You went on the US Postal site, and typed in the GB tracking number given you. The result was always a different POB. You had no confirmation of actual delivery. You could deliver them to the US Embassy, but the IRS staff became over worked and it was frowned upon. You had no confirmation of actual delivery. You can mail it by FedEx to the special address. You will have confirmation. Or, you could E-file. Your chosen deity loves sheep.

Or, as geeta says, you could use ordinary mail.

I normally use Firefox, and the site comes up, and I can fill in the form, save it etc. But....when the time came to hit the "submit" button, no joy. Signed out and back in just for fun. (It was a rainy day, so why not waste the time?)

Went back to Internet Explorer, signed in, retrieved the form, and surprise, surprise, the "submit" button worked. Got the acknowledgement email a few minutes later, so I assume the form is where it is supposed to be.

I had already printed a copy of the FBAR form, and did note that the on-line version is outdated. I took the precaution (?) of emailing (using the secure email on the site) and queried this. The forms do look the same, aside from the 'version' bit at the top. I got an immediate reply assuring me that the on-line version was acceptable for filing.

As an aside, wish I was as computer illiterate as theOAP......

And generally, although I used Airsure for my federal return, I think ordinary mail is often faster and just as likely to arrive at the intended destination, and delivery is typically faster. I sent my VA state tax return by regular mail this year for that very reason.