What are the specific implications of the USA's Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA)?

The Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) is a U.S. law which seeks to prevent tax evasion by American taxpayers that use foreign accounts and investments to hide their income. The aim of the law is to ensure that all taxes owed by U.S. citizens to the IRS and other U.S. agencies like the Department of Justice (DOJ) are reported and paid. Under FATCA, foreign financial institutions (FFIs) and U.S. financial institutions must report to the IRS on all U.S. account holders who have investments or financial interests in foreign accounts. These institutions must also report detailed information on these accounts, including the account holder’s name, address and social security number. The provision of this information is beneficial to U.S. tax authorities as it allows them to check for U.S. taxpayers who are attempting to evade their tax responsibilities by using foreign accounts. If the foreign financial institution does not comply with the law, they can face a penalty of up to 30% of the gross value of their U.S. business transactions. In Washington, the implementation of FATCA has been beneficial to the state taxpayers, as it discourages tax evasion by U.S. citizens using foreign accounts. This ensures that the state taxation system operates more efficiently as it ensures that all U.S. citizens pay the correct taxes.

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