As the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) opens its beneficial ownership information (BOI) reporting portal, its BOI webpage, reflects a fraud alert for individuals and entities who may be subject to beneficial ownership information (BOI) reporting. According to the FinCEN fraud alert, individuals and entities that may be subject to the beneficial ownership information (BOI) reporting requirements have been receiving fraudulent correspondence, via email or traditional mail, that appears as though it came from FinCEN.  In some instances, the fraudulent correspondence may be titled "Important Compliance Notice" and ask the recipient to click on a URL or to scan a QR code. Be advised that e-mails or letters such as this are fraudulent, according to the alert. FinCEN cautions individuals that it does not send unsolicited requests for information,...

Starting in 2024 newly formed, corporations, limited liability companies (LLCs), limited partnerships, and other entities that file formation papers with a state’s Secretary of State’s office (or similar government agency) must file a report with the U.S. Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) providing specified information regarding the entity’s “beneficial owners” (the so-called BOI reporting requirement under the Corporate Transparency Act). Entities in existence prior to January 1, 2024, have until January 1, 2025, to file these reports. Penalties are steep This is part of the federal government’s anti-money laundering and anti-tax evasion efforts and is an attempt to look beyond shell companies that are set up to hide money. Unfortunately, this will impose burdensome reporting requirements on most businesses, and the willful failure to report...