海外美國人匆匆打聽稅務(wù)建議

US citizens around the world are scrambling for tax advice ahead of a filing deadline, fearful that they may face prosecution after the US government's crackdown on undeclared offshore assets.

世界各地的美國公民正忙于趕在一個(gè)申報(bào)期限之前打聽稅務(wù)建議，擔(dān)心在美國政府打擊未申報(bào)海外資產(chǎn)的行動(dòng)中，自己可能面對(duì)公訴。

Lawyers and tax advisers from London to Hong Kong have had a surge in inquiries from expatriate Americans worried about whether they have correctly declared offshore assets ahead of the September 23 deadline.

從倫敦到香港，向律師和稅務(wù)顧問咨詢的海外美國人激增，他們擔(dān)心在9月23日最后期限之前，自己是否正確申報(bào)了海外資產(chǎn)。

Darlene Hart, chief executive of US Tax & Financial Services, an advisory firm in London and Switzerland, said: “My phone is ringing off the hook.

在倫敦和瑞士開展業(yè)務(wù)的咨詢公司——美國稅務(wù)及金融服務(wù)(US Tax & Financial Services)首席執(zhí)行官達(dá)莉娜·哈特(Darlene Hart)：“我的電話響個(gè)不停。

“There is a tremendous amount of interest.”

“人們的興趣極大。”

She said inquiries had increased 10-fold since the UBS settlement last month.

她表示，自瑞銀(UBS)上月與美國政府達(dá)成和解協(xié)議以來，咨詢數(shù)量已增加了10倍。

Concerns have been fuelled by the Swiss government's decision to reveal the names of 4,450 wealthy Americans who hold offshore accounts at UBS, the country's biggest bank.

加劇海外美國人擔(dān)憂的是，瑞士政府決定曝光4450名在該國最大銀行瑞銀持有海外賬戶的美國富人的姓名。

The US Internal Revenue Service said that the deal underscored the US government's determination to clamp down on tax evasion.

美國國稅局(IRS)表示，這份協(xié)議突顯美國政府決心打擊逃稅行為。

A Senate committee has estimated that the parking of assets offshore costs the US$100bn in lost taxes each year.

美國參議院的一個(gè)委員會(huì)估計(jì)，美國人在海外持有資產(chǎn)，使該國每年損失1000億美元的稅收。

New IRS guidelines for individuals with untaxed offshore assets were announced on March 23.

美國國稅局在3月23日公布了針對(duì)擁有未報(bào)稅海外資產(chǎn)的個(gè)人的新指引。

By coming forward voluntarily, many taxpayers who are not already being investigated by the IRS can cap their liability at six years of back taxes, interest and penalties – and avoid possible criminal prosecution.

尚未被國稅局調(diào)查的許多納稅人，若主動(dòng)交代的話，可將自己的繳稅責(zé)任限制在6年的欠稅、利息和罰金，并避免可能的刑事公訴。

Suzanne Reisman, a London-based US private client lawyer, said the IRS deadline was particularly relevant for Americans living in low-tax jurisdictions such as Asia.

常駐倫敦的美國私人客戶律師蘇珊·賴斯曼(Suzanne Reisman)表示，美國國稅局設(shè)定的最后期限，對(duì)于居住在亞洲等低稅收管轄區(qū)的美國人尤其相關(guān)。

譯者/和風(fēng)