How to File FBAR from Costa Rica

If you are an American living in Costa Rica with Costa Rican bank accounts, you may need to file FBAR (FinCEN Form 114). This guide walks you through the process step by step, with Costa Rica-specific details.

Who Needs to File

You must file FBAR if the aggregate value of all your foreign financial accounts exceeds $10,000 at any point during the calendar year. This includes bank accounts, investment accounts, and pension accounts (CCSS) held in Costa Rica or any other foreign country.

Step-by-Step Filing Process

Step 1: Identify All Foreign Accounts

List all foreign financial accounts. For Costa Rica:

• Costa Rican bank accounts (Banco Nacional, BAC San José, Scotiabank Costa Rica, Banco de Costa Rica)
• CCSS pension accounts
• Investment accounts at Costa Rican brokers
• Accounts in other countries

Step 2: Get Account Statements

Log in to each bank's online banking and download statements showing the maximum balance. For Costa Rican banks:

• Banco Nacional: Online banking → "Cuentas" → "Extractos"
• BAC San José: Online banking → "Cuentas" → "Movimientos"
• Scotiabank Costa Rica: Online banking → "Cuentas" → "Extractos"

Step 3: Convert to USD

Costa Rica uses the Costa Rican colón (CRC). Convert each account's maximum balance to USD using the Treasury Department's year-end exchange rate.

Step 4: File Electronically

FBAR is filed electronically through FinCEN's BSA E-Filing System.

Step 5: Keep Records

Keep copies for 5 years.

Deadlines

FBAR is due April 15, with automatic extension to October 15.

Common Mistakes

1. Forgetting pension accounts (CCSS) — Costa Rican pension accounts are reportable on FBAR.
2. Not aggregating across countries — If you have accounts in Costa Rica and elsewhere, combine them.
3. Using wrong exchange rate — Use Treasury year-end rate.
4. Filing FBAR with your tax return — FBAR is filed separately with FinCEN.

How FileAbroad Can Help

FileAbroad prepares FBAR filings for Americans with foreign accounts in Costa Rica and other countries.

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FileAbroad explains U.S. federal tax and U.S. international information-reporting consequences of documented foreign facts. It does not provide foreign-country legal or tax representation, valuation opinions, banking or remittance advice, or advice on what a foreign authority will accept.

Scope statement reviewed 2026-08-30 · FileAbroad product/content owner