IRS 8938 Instructions
Use a Irs 8938 Instructions 2019 template to make your document workflow more streamlined.
What IRS 8938 Instructions explain
IRS 8938 Instructions explain how specified individuals report specified foreign financial assets on Form 8938 with their federal income tax return. The instructions identify reportable accounts and interests, explain valuation and currency conversion, and describe which parts of the form apply to individuals, certain domestic entities, and different filing situations. Form 8938 is an IRS information-reporting form; it does not replace an FBAR filed with FinCEN. Use the current IRS instructions to determine whether an asset belongs on the form and how supporting information should be presented.
Who uses IRS 8938 Instructions
U.S. taxpayers
U.S. taxpayers use the instructions to determine whether foreign bank accounts, securities, interests in foreign entities, or other specified assets must be reported on Form 8938 with an income tax return.
Tax professionals
Tax professionals use the instructions to organize client asset data, reconcile reported values, and prepare a complete Form 8938 package for review and filing.
Users who prepare Form 8938
A U.S. tax preparer gathers foreign account statements and entity ownership records, then uses Form 8938 Instructions to map each asset to the correct reporting section before requesting client review and signature. A finance administrator at a multinational business coordinates Form 8938 information with the tax team, preserves supporting valuation evidence, and uses role-based access to limit sensitive foreign-asset data.
signNow features for Form 8938
signNow provides document preparation, signer routing, audit evidence, and retention controls for Form 8938 review workflows.
PDF preparation
Upload the IRS PDF and place or adjust fields without recreating the document from scratch.
Signer routing
Send a completed Form 8938 to a client for review and electronic signature.
Audit trail
Capture timestamps, signer activity, and completion history in an exportable record.
Reusable template
Use templates for recurring Form 8938 preparation workflows and consistent field placement.
Protected records
Apply access controls and encryption to sensitive foreign-asset and taxpayer information.
Connected workflow
Connect completed records with storage and business systems through named integrations.
Recommended Form 8938 workflow settings
Use a controlled signing workflow that preserves the Form 8938 record and its supporting tax documentation.
| Setting | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Authentication method | Email link with SMS OTP |
| Signature type | Typed or drawn electronic signature |
| Audit trail | Export completion certificate and action history |
| Document retention | Three years from filing under IRC §6501(a) |
| Encryption | TLS 1.2/1.3 and AES-256 |
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Complete IRS 8938 with signNow
Follow this workflow to prepare, review, sign, and retain a Form 8938 record.
Upload form:
Upload the current IRS Form 8938 PDF. Check fields:
Review detected fields and add missing fields. Complete data:
Enter asset information and supporting values. Send review:
Send the prepared form for client review. Finalize package:
Collect the electronic signature and export records.
How the Form 8938 audit trail works
The audit trail records the signing event separately from the tax analysis performed by the preparer.
Authenticate signer:
Capture timestamps:
Preserve document:
Record attribution:
Export evidence:
Control revisions:
Form 8938 retention schedule
Retain Form 8938 with the tax return and supporting asset records for the period required by the applicable IRS rule.
Three years from filing
Six years for major understatement
Indefinite retention for fraud
Indefinite retention without filing
Longer state period if applicable
Find and fill out the correct do i need to file form 8938 statement of specified irs
airSlate SignNow helps you fill in and sign documents in minutes, error-free. Choose the correct version of the editable PDF form from the list and get started filling it out.
| Versions | Form popularity | Fillable & printable |
|---|---|---|
| IRS Instruction 8938 2021 | 4.8 Satisfied (2525 Votes) | |
| IRS Instruction 8938 2020 | 4.8 Satisfied (1728 Votes) | |
| IRS Instruction 8938 2019 | 4.8 Satisfied (1915 Votes) | |
| IRS Instruction 8938 2018 | 4.8 Satisfied (5617 Votes) | |
| IRS Instruction 8938 2017 | 4.7 Satisfied (309 Votes) | |
| IRS Instruction 8938 2016 | 4.8 Satisfied (302 Votes) |
Risks of incomplete Form 8938 reporting
Late or inaccurate filing
Incomplete asset reporting
Weak documentation
Unresolved discrepancies
Security for Form 8938 records
TLS 1.2/1.3:
AES-256 at rest:
ESIGN and UETA:
SOC 2 Type II:
ISO 27001:
HIPAA with BAA:
Pricing for Form 8938 workflows
signNow pricing is verified from the available plan information; competitor prices and features are shown as not verified where source data is unavailable.
| Features | signNow | DocuSign | Adobe Sign | PandaDoc | Dropbox Sign |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting annual price | $8/user/month | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified |
| Free trial | 7 days, no credit card | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified |
| Bulk send | Business Premium includes it | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified |
| Audit trail | Included with Business | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified |
| HIPAA compliance | Available with BAA | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified |
Challenges when preparing Form 8938
Foreign account statements may use different valuation dates, currencies, and ownership descriptions, making Form 8938 reconciliation difficult. Form 8938 reporting can overlap with FBAR analysis, but the IRS form and FinCEN filing use different requirements. A signed PDF does not establish tax accuracy; asset classification, maximum values, and filing status still require preparer review. Missing completion certificates or supporting statements can weaken the retained record when an IRS inquiry requests filing evidence.
Legal value of a signed Form 8938
An electronic signature on a Form 8938 record can carry legal effect under ESIGN, 15 U.S.C. ch. 96, and applicable UETA rules when intent, consent, attribution, and record access are established. Those statutes do not make the tax information accurate or replace IRS filing rules, and they exclude wills, court orders, and specified family-law records.
Form 8938 troubleshooting questions
Resolve field, signing, retention, and plan questions before sending a completed Form 8938 for review.
signNow can upload a Form 8938 PDF, detect fillable fields, and let you add or adjust fields before sending. Verify every asset description, maximum value, currency conversion, and tax-return reference against the current IRS instructions before signing.
Business includes legally binding eSignatures, templates, and audit trails. For larger teams, Business Premium adds bulk send, while Enterprise adds advanced signer authentication. Choose the plan based on the number of preparers and the required control level.
Form 8938 reporting is governed by IRS filing requirements, not by the signing platform. signNow is ESIGN and UETA compliant, but the preparer remains responsible for determining reportability, valuation, filing status, and submission with the applicable tax return.
Use signNow’s audit trail and completion certificate to preserve signer identity, timestamps, and document history. Those records support the electronic transaction under ESIGN and UETA, but they do not replace the IRS form, tax return, or required supporting schedules.
Business plans include 100 signature invites per user per year, with overage fees. The Site License uses $1.50 per signature invite and is designed for 1,000 or more documents annually. Review invite usage when several preparers send Form 8938 packets.
Store the completed form, supporting statements, and audit trail under an IRS retention policy. IRC §6501(a) generally supports three years from filing, six years for a greater-than-25-percent income understatement, and indefinite retention for fraud or no return.
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