US: Witnesses at IRS Hearing Call for Easing of Foreign-Trust Rules

US citizens who live and work abroad need more clarity from the IRS to prevent them from falling victim to harsh, costly reporting requirements for foreign trusts, taxpayers and advocates told IRS and Treasury Department officials Wednesday.

Many Americans overseas have foreign retirement plans the US regards as foreign trusts that have to file with the IRS. The foreign-trust rules are often unclear and hard to interpret, and the IRS needs to be clearer about when offshore retirement plans do and don’t need to be disclosed, witnesses told the officials at a public hearing.