How do I obtain another copy of the BE-125 survey or
- Go to http://www.bea.gov/ssb to download a copy of the survey in Microsoft Excel or PDF format.
- Send a blank email to BE-125@bea.gov for a copy of the survey in Microsoft Excel or PDF format.
BEA Survey Questions
When is the BE-125 survey due?
A completed form BE-125 is due 30 days after the close of each calendar quarter for the three quarters that are not the final calendar quarter of the year. For the close of the final calendar quarter of the year, reports are due 45 days after the close of the quarter.
What is the threshold for having to file the BE-125?
Completion of a BE-125 survey is required of any U.S. person/company that had
Can we use estimates when filing on the BE-185?
Estimates are allowed to be used if actual data are not available and estimates are labeled as such.
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We receive interest payments from a foreign corporation. Do we report the interest received under credit-related services on the BE-185?
No. Interest is not a financial services transaction covered by the survey. Please see Section V, Type of Financial Services Excluded From Coverage, of the general instructions for financial services not covered by the BE-185.
View and print all FAQs related to the BE-185 survey (PDF)
Should I report all financial services not otherwise listed on the BE-185?
No. Only report those financial services listed on the survey. Please see Section IV, Services Covered, of the general instructions for the list of services covered on this survey.
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My company purchased financial management services from three countries: $5 million from Norway, $5 million from the United Kingdom, and $4 million from Venezuela (totaling $14 million). How should I report the data on the BE-185?
You have a few options. You could report this data on Schedule B under service code 4, financial management services, and list the country detail. Because the total purchases of this particular type of service totaled less than $15 million, you have a second option of reporting this data on Schedule B under service code 4, financial management services, without the country detail and reporting the total purchases of financial management services on line 29. Finally, you have the option of not reporting these transactions.
I have transactions with countries that are not listed on the BE-185. Should I include those on the survey?
Yes, include services transactions that you have with all countries (even those that are not listed on the form). Write in the names of the countries on the lines below where it says “Other-Specify.” If you run out of space, use the overflow sheets provided or write the data on a separate sheet of paper, making sure that you list the proper service type with the proper country.
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How do I indicate on the BE-185 what types of financial services I am selling/purchasing?
On page three of the survey, each type of service covered by the survey has a number corresponding to it (for example, brokerage services related to equity transactions are reported under service code 1). If you sold brokerage services related to equity transactions, in the space provided below “Service Code” on Schedule A, you would enter service code 1 for brokerage services related to equity transactions. If you check the “yes” box in Step 2, then enter the service code associated with that service on Schedule A (U.S. Reporter’s Sales of Financial Services to Foreign Persons).
How should I round receipts/payments data on the BE-185?
Report data in U.S. dollars rounded to thousands (omitting 000). For example $1,455,328 should be reported as 1,455 and $2,328,596 should be reported as 2,329. Amounts less than $500 round to 0 and should, therefore, be omitted.
View and print all FAQs related to the BE-185 survey (PDF)