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Form 5471: Information Return of U.S. Persons With Respect To Certain Foreign Corporations
IRS Form 5471 is Information Return of U.S. Persons With Respect To Certain Foreign Corporations and is used by officers, directors, or shareholders to satisfy reporting requirements for sections 6038 and 6046.
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IRS Form 5471 - Information Return of U.S. Persons With Respect To Certain Foreign Corporations
IRS Form 5471 is Information Return of U.S. Persons With Respect To Certain Foreign Corporations and is used by officers, directors, or shareholders to satisfy reporting requirements for sections 6038 and 6046.
Risk Radar
Scan points- 1If you fail to file Form 5471 and Schedule M (for Category 1), a $10,000 penalty is assessed per foreign corporation annually.
- 2Failing to file Schedule E and E-1 when an unrelated section 958(a) U.S. is involved.
- 3Not completing all items within a schedule even if some amounts are zero.
- 4Using 'See attached' instead of completing entry spaces when information exceeds the provided space.
- 5Failing to check Item E if any excepted specified foreign financial assets are reported on Form 5471.
Plain English
What does this form mean in plain English? This form tells the IRS about your involvement with certain foreign companies you own or work for. It reports specific financial details so the U.S. government knows what is happening overseas. Filing this ensures compliance with federal tax rules related to international business interests.
Submission Date
- Filing date: 2026-01-30 08:10:35
- Preparation window: collect IDs, supporting records, and signatures in advance.
- Final review: verify names, dates, and required fields before submission.
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What this form is for
- Use this form when a U.S. person is an officer, director, or shareholder in certain foreign corporations, satisfying reporting for sections 6038 and 6046.
- Do not use it when the filing requirement does not stem from being a U.S. shareholder of a section 965 specified foreign corporation (SFC) at any time during the foreign corporation’s tax year.
- Check Form 8833 instead when disclosing a treaty-based return position that overrides or modifies an Internal Revenue Code provision and causes, or potentially causes, a reduction of tax.
Form selector
Use this form or another form?
Sole owner of a CFC
Completing all six pages and applicable schedules is required for the sole owner.
✓ Check Form 5471 completeness.
All schedules (E, G-1, H, H-1, I-1, J, M, P, Q, R)
Filer in more than one category
Do not duplicate information across categories; complete all items that apply within each instance.
✓ Review Filing Requirements chart carefully.
All applicable schedules/statements
C Corporation filing penalty
Failure to disclose a required return position may result in this penalty per section 6712.
✓ Verify Section 362(e)(2)(C) election if applicable.
$1,000 (standard) or $10,000 (if treaty-based disclosure is missed)
Deadline or filing window
The filing requirement relates to the annual accounting period of the foreign corporation. The instructions state that a $10,000 penalty is imposed for failure to furnish the required information within the time prescribed for each annual accounting period. No specific extension window is detailed in the provided excerpts.
Checklist
What you need before filling it out
Purpose of Form
Satisfy reporting requirements for sections 6038 and 6046 · General Instructions
Who Must File (General)
All U.S. persons described in Categories of Filers · General Instructions p.1
Filing Deadline
By the due date (including extensions) for your income tax return · When and Where To File p.2
Penalty for non-disclosure
$1,000 penalty ($10,000 for a C corporation) · Treaty-Based Return Positions p.10
Required Schedules (Sole Owner Example)
E, G-1, H, H-1, I-1, J, M, P, Q, and R · Instructions for Form 5471 p.1
Schedule E Update Detail
Request a statement on taxes allocated under guidance issued under section 70352(c) (1)(C) of the OBBBA · Schedule E, Part I, Section 1, column (j) instructions p.1
Before you submit
- 1Verify that all U.S. persons who are officers, directors, or shareholders in certain foreign corporations have completed the form.
- 2Confirm that a separate Form 5471 and applicable schedules are prepared for each applicable foreign corporation.
- 3Ensure that if any required schedule has zero amounts, it is still filed with one or more zero amounts.
- 4Check that all items listed in your specific filing category have been completed (do not duplicate information across categories).
- 5Confirm the revision date on the form reads December 2025.
- 6If applicable, verify that you are fulfilling requirements for Category 1 filers by checking accumulated E&P or previously taxed E&P.
- 7If a treaty position applies, confirm Form 8833 is included with this filing.
How to file this form
- 1Complete all required schedules and statements on Form 5471 based on your specific filer category.
- 2When entering information in any section, complete all entry spaces within that section before attaching additional sheets.
- 3Attach the completed Form 5471 and all applicable schedules to your income tax return (or partnership/exempt organization return).
- 4File both the Form 5471 and its attachments by the due date of your return (including any extensions), proving submission.
Known limitations
- 1A schedule should still be filed even if all amounts reported on it are zero.
- 2If a filer is described in more than one filing category, they must complete all applicable items without duplicating information across categories.
- 3For schedules completed by category (Schedules E, I-1, J, P, and Q), including a single instance of that schedule for any separate category meets the requirement.
Field map
Compact field-by-field guide
General Info
2 items
Full legal name and taxpayer identification number (SSN or EIN).
Current mailing address.
Details
2 items
Complete all applicable sections of this form according to the official IRS instructions.
Enter the relevant dollar amount if this form involves tax calculation.
Certification
1 items
Read and acknowledge any certifications required by this form.
Signatures
1 items
Sign and date. Unsigned forms cannot be processed.
Almost done reviewing the fields?
Fillable formOpen in Editor->The current edition is Revision December 2025, and users should refer to IRS.gov/Form5471 for the latest information regarding Form 5471, its schedules, and its instructions. Updates include changes to Schedule E, Part I, Section 1, column (j) instructions, updates to Schedule G, line 14, and additions/changes to Questions 22a and 22b on Schedule G.
What changed or needs a fresh check
- Edition date — confirm the revision reads December 2025.
- Catalog Number — confirm it is 49959G.
- Filing deadline — file by the due date (including extensions) of your income tax return.
- Signature — Not stated in the official source, but signing is required before sending.
- Schedules — Confirm that Schedule E, Part I, Section 1, column (j) instructions reflect the OBBBA guidance.
Quick Facts
Downloads
After you file
- 1Keep a copy of the filed Form 5471.
- 2If filing an additional sheet due to space constraints, ensure these sheets conform with the IRS version of the specific section they relate to.
- 3A U.S. shareholder may need to pay a penalty if they fail to properly complete and file Form 8886 when required for disclosing a reportable transaction under section 6011.
- 4If filing, be aware that penalties can also apply under section 6707A if the filer fails to provide a copy of Form 8886 to the Office of Tax Shelter Analysis (OTSA).
Sources
- SRCInstructions p.1 — The official title of the form is Information Return of U.S. Persons With Respect To Certain Foreign Corporations.
- SRCInstructions p.1 — Generally, all U.S. persons described in Categories of Filers must complete the schedules, statements, and/or other information requested in the chart.
- SRCInstructions p.2 — A Category 1 filer must continue to file Form 5471 if the section 965 SFC (or foreign-controlled section 965 SFC) has accumulated reportable earnings and profits (E&P) on Schedule J.
- SRCInstructions p.8 — A U.S. shareholder only needs to complete Schedule E if they claim deemed paid foreign income taxes under section 960 for the filer’s tax year.
- SRCInstructions p.9 — Failure to file information required by section 6038(a) (Form 5471 and Schedule M) imposes a $10,000 penalty for each annual accounting period of each foreign corporation.
- SRCInstructions p.9 — Material advisors must disclose certain transaction information by filing Form 8918, Material Advisor Disclosure Statement.
- SRCInstructions p.10 — The “tax owner” of an FDE is the person treated as owning the assets and liabilities for U.S. income tax law purposes.
Common confusion points
Should I file all six pages of Form 5471 even if I am only the sole owner of one CFC?
Confusion
Because you are described in multiple filing categories, but you do not want to copy data for each category.
Safe check
Complete all items that apply across all applicable categories on a single submission rather than duplicating entire sections.
Is Category 1 reporting required forever if my earnings and profits (E&P) related to section 965 are zero?
Confusion
The filer must continue filing as long as the section 965 SFC has reportable E&P on Schedule J, or if they previously taxed that E&P.
Is Schedule H-1 only needed for certain U.S. shareholders?
Confusion
Schedule H-1 is required specifically for any U.S. shareholder that qualifies as an applicable corporation for corporate alternative minimum tax (CAMT) purposes.
Workflow map
Related forms and next steps
Before
Current
After
Often used with
⚠ If something goes wrong
- Form 8886 — Required for disclosing a reportable transaction under section 6011; penalties apply if it is not filed or is incomplete.
Questions about IRS Form 5471
What is IRS Form 5471 used for?
What does this form mean in plain English? This form tells the IRS about your involvement with certain foreign companies you own or work for. It reports specific financial details so the U.S. government knows what is happening overseas. Filing this ensures compliance with federal tax rules related to international business interests.
Who must file IRS Form 5471?
Generally, all U.S. persons who are officers, directors, or shareholders in certain foreign corporations must complete Form 5471.
What information does IRS Form 5471 require?
The form collects identifying information on page 1 (Schedule A), details about the transactions reported (Schedule B), and various other specifics across schedules like E, G, I, J, M, P, Q, and R. Item F specifically addresses use of alternative information under Rev. Proc. 2019-40.
When is IRS Form 5471 due?
The source does not state a specific filing deadline date, but the requirements relate to annual accounting periods for failure to furnish information required by section 6038(a).
Where do I file IRS Form 5471?
The instructions do not specify a service center address or e-file availability location. The filer must complete the schedules and statements as outlined in the chart.
How do I complete IRS Form 5471?
The filer must complete the required schedules based on their category (e.g., Categories 1a through 5c). If a schedule is required but all amounts are zero, it still needs to be filed with one or more zero amounts. All information should conform to the IRS version of each section.
What happens if IRS Form 5471 is filed incorrectly?
Failure to file the information required by section 6038(a) results in a $10,000 penalty imposed for each annual accounting period of each foreign corporation. Criminal penalties may also apply under sections 7203, 7206, and 7207.
Confusion — what should I check?
Because you are described in multiple filing categories, but you do not want to copy data for each category.
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