What is FATCA?
FATCA stands for the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act. It colloquially refers to provisions included in the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment Act signed into law on March 18, 2010 and effective January 1, 2013 (although, as explained in more detail below, withholding does not start at the earliest until January 1, 2014). It adds a new chapter to the Internal Revenue Code aimed at addressing perceived tax abuse by U.S. persons through the use of offshore accounts. The new rules require foreign financial institutions (FFI’s) to provide the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) with information on certain U.S. persons invested in accounts outside of the U.S. and for certain non-U.S. entities to provide information about any U.S. owners.
