Americans with financial accounts outside the United States should be careful to report it. Foreign financial accounts are high on the I.R.S. scrutiny list. Failure to disclose foreign accounts can be penalized severely. This includes people who inherited assets overseas as well as those who lived and worked abroad.

FinCEN Form 114, the Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts is used for holdings of $10,000 or more and is filed electronically with the Treasury. Form 8938, which attachs to Form 1040, is used in more complex situations with $50,000 or more.