What does FBAR preparation cost?

There is no government fee charged to an individual simply for transmitting an FBAR through FinCEN’s electronic system. A professional-preparation fee pays for help assembling and reviewing the filing, not for access to Form 114 itself.

FBAR HQ publishes standard prices so a straightforward individual filer can see the expected professional fee before sending private financial records. The prices are per filer, per reporting year:

What the preparation fee covers

For an accepted standard engagement, the fee covers the defined preparation process rather than just data entry:

• A preparation-level review of the information you provide after acceptance
• FinCEN Form 114 preparation for one filer and one reporting year
• A client review step before anything is submitted
• Authorized electronic submission when that role is confirmed in the accepted engagement
• The available BSA E-Filing confirmation for your records

The filing is still yours. You are responsible for supplying complete and accurate information, reviewing the prepared report, and keeping supporting records. A professional process can reduce confusion; it cannot guarantee that information you omit will be discovered or that an agency will reach a particular conclusion.

Why account count affects the price

Each potentially reportable account can add a separate ownership relationship, institution, country, account type, identifying number, maximum annual value, and currency-conversion question. A higher account count ordinarily means a longer inventory and review even when the filing remains straightforward.

The tier is based on the number of accounts reported for that filer and reporting year—not the value in the accounts. The $10,000 general filing threshold is an aggregate eligibility rule; it is not a price tier.

When the published tiers do not apply

Some matters need context before a preparation fee can be responsibly offered. FBAR HQ starts with a $100, 30 minutes consultation when the facts include:

• More than 25 accounts
• Delinquent or amended filings
• Entity or organizational filings
• Uncertain filing obligations or other complex facts

The consultation is a separate service and is not credited toward preparation. If later preparation is appropriate, its scope and fee are offered separately. A consultation does not guarantee that FBAR HQ will accept the preparation work.

Count filers and years separately

FBAR filing obligations attach to U.S. persons, and spouses do not automatically combine their obligations merely because they file a joint income-tax return. A limited spouse rule may apply when all accounts the non-filing spouse must report are jointly owned with the filing spouse, Form 114a is completed, and the filing spouse reports the jointly owned accounts on a timely filed FBAR. Otherwise, two people may mean two filer scopes.

Each reporting year is also separate. A three-year matter is not one current-year tier repeated automatically: prior-year facts and timing need review before a scope is offered.

Questions to ask before hiring anyone

• Is the quoted fee per filer, per year, or per engagement?
• Does it include a review step before submission?
• Does it include electronic submission and the filing confirmation?
• What facts move the matter outside the quoted fee?
• Will sensitive information be collected through an appropriate private method?

A clear quote should define the service as carefully as the dollar amount. See the complete FBAR HQ pricing and scope rules before starting an inquiry.