IRS · Official form

Form 8621, Information Return by a Shareholder of a Passive Foreign Investment Company or Qualified Electing Fund

Form 8621 is the annual report a U.S. investor files for interests in passive foreign investment companies, including most foreign mutual funds. Fill in the official IRS PDF below and download it.

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What is 8621?

Form 8621, Information Return by a Shareholder of a Passive Foreign Investment Company or Qualified Electing Fund, is filed by U.S. persons who directly or indirectly own stock in a PFIC. Foreign mutual funds and ETFs commonly meet the PFIC definition, which is why the form shows up for many Americans with overseas brokerage accounts.

Filing is generally triggered by receiving certain distributions from a PFIC, recognizing gain on a disposition, making an election such as the qualified electing fund (QEF) or mark-to-market election, or the annual reporting requirement under section 1298(f). A separate form is generally required for each PFIC, and the tax computations under the default rules can be complex, so many filers work from the instructions carefully or with a professional.

Who files 8621?

U.S. persons who own shares of foreign mutual funds or other passive foreign investment companies
Shareholders receiving certain distributions from a PFIC or selling PFIC stock at a gain
Investors making or maintaining a QEF or mark-to-market election
Indirect shareholders who own PFIC stock through other entities, when the rules attribute ownership to them

How to fill out 8621

Identify the shareholder and the PFIC at the top, including the foreign company’s name, address, and your share information.
Complete Part I with the annual information required under section 1298(f), including the value of your shares.
Make any elections in Part II, such as the QEF or mark-to-market election, in the first year they apply.
Complete the part that matches your situation: QEF income inclusions, mark-to-market amounts, or the excess distribution computation under the default rules.
Download the finished PDF and attach it to your income tax return, or file it as the instructions direct if you are not otherwise required to file.

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Page 1 53 fields

Page 2 25 fields

6a. Enter your pro rata share of the ordinary earnings of the Q E F.

6b. Enter the portion of line 6a that is included in income under section 951 or that may be excluded under section 1293(g).

6c. Subtract line 6b from line 6a. Enter this amount on your tax return as ordinary income.

7a. Enter your pro rata share of the total net capital gain of the Q E F.

7b. Enter the portion of line 7a that is included in income under section 951 or that may be excluded under section 1293(g).

7c. Subtract line 7b from line 7a. This amount is a net long-term capital gain. Enter this amount in Part II of the Schedule D used for

Complete lines 8 and 9 only if you are making a section 1294 election (Election B) for the current tax year. 8a. Add lines 6c and 7c.

8b. Enter the total amount of cash and the fair market value of other property distributed or deemed distributed to you during the tax year

8c. Enter the portion of line 8a not already included in line 8b that is attributable to shares in the Q E F that you disposed of, pledged,

8d. Add lines 8b and 8c.

8e. Subtract line 8d from line 8a, and enter the difference (if zero or less, enter amount in brackets). Important: If line 8e is greater

9a. Enter the total tax for the tax year. See instructions.

9b. Enter the total tax for the tax year determined without regard to the amount entered on line 8e.

9c. Subtract line 9b from line 9a. This is the deferred tax, the time for payment of which is extended by making Election B. See

10a. Enter the fair market value of your P F I C stock at the end of the tax year.

10b. Enter your adjusted basis in the stock at the end of the tax year.

10c. Subtract line 10b from line 10a. If a gain, do not complete lines 11 and 12. Include this amount as ordinary income on your tax

11. Enter any unreversed inclusions (as defined in section 1296(d)).

12. Enter the loss from line 10c, but only to the extent of unreversed inclusions on line 11. Include this amount as an ordinary loss on

13. If you sold or otherwise disposed of any section 1296 stock (see instructions) during the tax year: a. Enter the fair market value of

13b. Enter the adjusted basis of the stock on the date of sale or disposition.

13c. Subtract line 13b from line 13a. If a gain, do not complete line 14. Include this amount as ordinary income on your tax return. If a

14a. Enter any unreversed inclusions (as defined in section 1296(d)).

14b. Enter the loss from line 13c, but only to the extent of unreversed inclusions on line 14a. Include this amount as an ordinary loss on

14c. Enter the amount by which the loss on line 13c exceeds unreversed inclusions on line 14a. Include this amount on your tax return

Page 3 13 fields

Enter the three-letter currency code (see instructions).

15a. Enter your total distributions from the section 1291 fund during the current tax year with respect to the applicable stock. If the

15b. Enter the total distributions (reduced by the portions of such distributions that were excess distributions but not included in income

15c. Divide line 15b by 3.0. (See instructions if the number of preceding tax years is less than 3.)

15d. Multiply line 15c by 125% (1.25).

15e. (1) Subtract line 15d from line 15a. This amount, if more than zero, is the excess distribution with respect to the applicable stock.

15e. (2) If the amount on line 15e(1) is in a foreign currency, convert to U.S. dollars and enter here. If line 15e(1) is in U.S. dollars,

15f. Enter gain or loss from the disposition of stock of a section 1291 fund or former section 1291 fund. If a gain, complete line 16. If a

16b. Enter the total of the amounts determined in line 16a that are allocable to the current tax year and tax years before the foreign

16c. Enter the aggregate increases in tax (before credits) for each tax year in your holding period (other than the current tax year and

16d. Foreign tax credit (see instructions).

16e. Subtract line 16d from line 16c. Enter this amount on your income tax return as "additional tax." See instructions.

16f. Determine interest on each net increase in tax determined on line 16e using the rates and methods of section 6621. Enter the aggregate

Page 4 60 fields

Complete lines 17 through 20 to report the status of outstanding prior year section 1294 elections. 17. Tax year of outstanding election.

17. Tax year of outstanding election. (i i).

17. Tax year of outstanding election. (i i i).

17. Tax year of outstanding election. (i v).

17. Tax year of outstanding election. (v).

17. Tax year of outstanding election. (v i).

18. Undistributed earnings to which the election relates. (i).

18. Undistributed earnings to which the election relates. (i i).

18. Undistributed earnings to which the election relates. (i i i).

18. Undistributed earnings to which the election relates. (i v).

18. Undistributed earnings to which the election relates. (v).

18. Undistributed earnings to which the election relates. (v i).

19. Deferred tax. (i).

19. Deferred tax. (i i).

19. Deferred tax. (i i i).

19. Deferred tax. (i v).

19. Deferred tax. (v).

19. Deferred tax. (v i).

20. Interest accrued on deferred tax (line 19) as of the filing date. (i).

20. Interest accrued on deferred tax (line 19) as of the filing date. (i i).

20. Interest accrued on deferred tax (line 19) as of the filing date. (i i i).

20. Interest accrued on deferred tax (line 19) as of the filing date. (i v).

20. Interest accrued on deferred tax (line 19) as of the filing date. (v).

20. Interest accrued on deferred tax (line 19) as of the filing date. (v i).

Complete lines 21 through 24 only if a section 1294 election is terminated in the current year. 21. Event terminating election. (i).

21. Event terminating election. (i i).

21. Event terminating election. (i i i).

21. Event terminating election. (i v).

21. Event terminating election. (v).

21. Event terminating election. (v i).

22. Earnings distributed or deemed distributed during the tax year. (i).

22. Earnings distributed or deemed distributed during the tax year. (i i).

22. Earnings distributed or deemed distributed during the tax year. (i i i).

22. Earnings distributed or deemed distributed during the tax year. (i v).

22. Earnings distributed or deemed distributed during the tax year. (v).

22. Earnings distributed or deemed distributed during the tax year. (v i).

23. Deferred tax due with this return. (i).

23. Deferred tax due with this return. (i i).

23. Deferred tax due with this return. (i i i).

23. Deferred tax due with this return. (i v).

23. Deferred tax due with this return. (v).

23. Deferred tax due with this return. (v i).

24. Accrued interest due with this return. (i).

24. Accrued interest due with this return. (i i).

24. Accrued interest due with this return. (i i i).

24. Accrued interest due with this return. (i v).

24. Accrued interest due with this return. (v).

24. Accrued interest due with this return. (v i).

Deferred tax outstanding after partial termination of election. Subtract line 23 from line 19. (i).

25. Deferred tax outstanding after partial termination of election. Subtract line 23 from line 19. (i i).

25. Deferred tax outstanding after partial termination of election. Subtract line 23 from line 19. (i i i).

25. Deferred tax outstanding after partial termination of election. Subtract line 23 from line 19. (i v).

25. Deferred tax outstanding after partial termination of election. Subtract line 23 from line 19. (v).

25. Deferred tax outstanding after partial termination of election. Subtract line 23 from line 19. (v i).

26. Interest accrued after partial termination of election. Subtract line 24 from line 20. (i).

26. Interest accrued after partial termination of election. Subtract line 24 from line 20. (i i).

26. Interest accrued after partial termination of election. Subtract line 24 from line 20. (i i i).

26. Interest accrued after partial termination of election. Subtract line 24 from line 20. (i v).

26. Interest accrued after partial termination of election. Subtract line 24 from line 20. (v).

26. Interest accrued after partial termination of election. Subtract line 24 from line 20. (v i).

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Frequently asked questions

Do I file one Form 8621 for all my foreign funds?

No. A separate form is generally required for each PFIC in which you are a shareholder, so an account holding several foreign funds can mean several forms.

Are there exceptions for small holdings?

Yes, limited ones. The section 1298(f) annual filing has exceptions, including one tied to the total value of your PFIC stock when you have no distributions, gains, or elections to report. Check the current instructions to see whether you qualify.

Why do the QEF and mark-to-market elections matter?

Without an election, distributions and gains fall under the default excess distribution rules, which spread the income over your holding period and apply an interest charge. The elections replace that treatment with annual income inclusion, which many investors find simpler and less costly.

Form 8621, Information Return by a Shareholder of a Passive Foreign Investment Company or Qualified Electing Fund

What is 8621?

Who files 8621?

How to fill out 8621

Quick fill 8621 on this page

Frequently asked questions

Related forms

Form 8938, Statement of Specified Foreign Financial Assets

Form 5471, Information Return of U.S. Persons With Respect to Certain Foreign Corporations

Form 8865, Return of U.S. Persons With Respect to Certain Foreign Partnerships