FAQs
Streamlined offers zero penalties for non-willful conduct. Voluntary Disclosure charges approximately 20% of peak foreign account balances but provides explicit criminal prosecution protection. The correct choice depends on whether your conduct was genuinely non-willful.
A structured willfulness assessment examining employer briefings, bank interactions, IRS contact history, compliance patterns, independent research, and trigger events determines where your facts fall. Approximately 85% of wealthy families qualify as non-willful.
False certification under penalties of perjury is a federal crime. It creates criminal liability that would not have existed without the Streamlined submission. Never sign a certification that does not accurately describe your knowledge and conduct.
For a family with 2.8 million pounds in peak foreign balances, Voluntary Disclosure costs approximately five hundred and sixty thousand pounds versus zero under Streamlined — a difference of over half a million pounds.
Switching from Streamlined to Voluntary Disclosure is possible but complex. Switching from Voluntary Programs to Streamlined is generally not possible. Get the program selection right the first time.
The willfulness assessment and program reprogramming typically cost one thousand five hundred to three thousand pounds. This investment routinely saves hundreds of programs by ensuring the correct cost allocation.