FBAR Where to Report — Mind-Map to Parts II–V

Start with one account. Follow the branches until you land on Part II, Part III, Part IV, or Part V of FinCEN Form 114.

  1. Start: Is it a foreign financial account to include in your FBAR total?
    1. Financial interest? (owner/beneficial owner, or via an entity you control >50%)
      1. Sole owner (held only in your name) → Report: Part II
        1. Banking — savings, checking/current, demand, time deposits (CD), money market, notice deposits; credit union/building society.
        2. Securities/Brokerage — custody accounts holding stocks, bonds, funds, derivatives (options/futures).
        3. Commodity interest — futures/options at a commodity firm.
        4. Mutual funds & similar publicly offered pooled funds — regular NAV & redemption (private hedge/PE funds generally not included).
        5. Cash-value insurance / annuities — e.g., whole/universal life; annuities with cash value.
        6. Foreign pensions / education savings — accounts maintained by a foreign financial institution (e.g., TFSA, AFORE; by analogy RRSP/RRIF, RESP, SIPP, Superannuation, KiwiSaver, CPF/EPF).
        7. Foreign e-wallet / stored-value / payment account — maintained by a foreign financial institution (in the business of accepting deposits as a financial agency).
      2. Joint owner (spouse/child/parent/others) → Report: Part III
        1. With spouse — each spouse reports the entire max value; if all reportable accounts are joint, a single filing with Form 114a is allowed.
        2. With minor child — the child has an FBAR obligation; a parent/guardian files & signs if the child cannot file.
        3. With parents — same rule: each U.S. joint owner reports the entire max value.
        4. With others — siblings, relatives, partners, friends, etc.; same “entire max value” rule.
        5. Account types covered: banking, brokerage, commodity interest, mutual funds (public), cash-value insurance/annuities, foreign pensions/education savings, foreign e-wallets.
      3. Owned by an entity you control (>50%) → Report: Part II
        1. Note: if the specific account is jointly owned, use Part III for that account.
        2. U.S. parent consolidated option (for itself and ≥50%-owned U.S. subs) → Part V
    2. No financial interest — do you have signature or other authority to direct funds?
      1. Yes → Report: Part IV (employee exceptions may apply: regulated banks; SEC/CFTC institutions; certain registered fund service providers; U.S.-listed parent and included subsidiaries)
      2. No — not reported in Parts II–V (re-check foreign status and scope).

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Notes: The mind-map helps you classify accounts to Parts II–V. Keep full records; special summary rules apply if you have 25+ accounts. “Virtual-currency-only” accounts are not reportable on FBAR as of today; rules may change.