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申報期限之前打聽稅務(wù)建議，擔(dān)心在美國政府打擊未申報海外資產(chǎn)的行動中，自己可能面對公訴。

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)行官達莉娜·哈特(Darlene Hart)：“我的電話響個不停。

“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.

美國參議院的一個委員會估計，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日公布了針對擁有未報稅海外資產(chǎn)的個人的新指引。

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)