Plain-language notes on U.S. tax deadlines, IRS letters, cross-border reporting and running a small business, written by the CPAs who handle these questions every day.
A DHS final rule published September 30, 2026 raises EB-5 fees for anything postmarked on or after November 30, 2026: Form I-526E goes from $3,675 to $7,850, Form I-829 from $3,750 to $5,000, and the I-526E Integrity Fund fee from $1,000 to $1,100. We explain the filing timeline, the statutory investment-amount adjustment starting January 1, 2027, and the tax steps before and after the green card, including Form 3520 for parental gifts, the green card test, dual-status returns, and FBAR.
Missed Form 3520 for foreign gifts over $100,000? The penalty can be 5% of the gift per month, up to 25%, but since October 2024 the IRS reviews the attached reasonable cause statement before assessing. How to choose between DIIRSP, SFOP and SDOP.
Missed reporting foreign income or FBARs, and it was non-willful? Compare the IRS Streamlined Foreign Offshore (SFOP) and Streamlined Domestic Offshore (SDOP) procedures: the non-residency test, 3 years of returns, 6 years of FBARs, Forms 14653/14654, the SDOP 5% penalty base, and who should not use streamlined.
The October 15, 2026 extended deadline for 2025 individual returns has passed. File as soon as possible: late-filing (5%/month, up to 25%) and late-payment (0.5%/month) penalties accrue monthly, and AEP, first-time abatement or reasonable-cause relief may apply.
Extended your 2025 federal return? It is due Thursday, October 15, 2026, with no second extension. A last-days checklist from IRS guidance: missing K-1s and foreign forms, payment options, penalties, and a day-by-day plan.
On July 1, 2026, IRS removed its Delinquent FBAR Submission Procedures page—no formal announcement. With the Oct 15, 2026 automatic FBAR extension for 2025 accounts approaching, Cary/RTP clients with China/foreign accounts should plan compliance carefully.
Form 8938 (FATCA) thresholds vary by U.S. vs abroad and single vs joint—e.g., U.S. single $50k/$75k, MFJ $100k/$150k; higher abroad. Filing 8938 ≠ FBAR. Cary/RTP compliance notes.
U.S. persons with China accounts aggregating over $10k in 2025 must e-file an FBAR with FinCEN. The deadline auto-extends to Oct 15, 2026 (Thursday)—no separate request. About four weeks remain; plan compliance now.
FBAR (FinCEN 114) and Form 8938 are parallel regimes—FinCEN vs IRS, $10k vs higher thresholds. Filing one does not replace the other. Cary/RTP clients with China accounts need dual-track compliance planning.
If you filed Form 4868 for your 2025 return, the federal filing deadline is generally October 15, 2026—about three and a half weeks away. Waiting on a K-1 or China account docs does not create another automatic delay; FBAR and many foreign forms often converge on the same date.
