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 this data on the BE-85?

You have a few options. You could report this data on Schedule B under service code 3, 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 3, financial management services, without the country detail and reporting the total purchases of financial management services on line 20. Finally, you have the option of not reporting these transactions. 

I have transactions with countries that are not listed on the BE-85. 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-85 what types of 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 are reported under service code 1). If you sold brokerage services, in the space provided below “Service Code” in column three of Schedule A, you would enter service code 1 for brokerage services. 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 Unaffiliated Foreign Persons).

How should transactions with international organizations be reported on the BE-85?

International organizations (such as the United Nations, the World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund) are, according to balance of payments conventions, considered foreign entities, even if they are headquartered in the United States. Transactions with these organizations should be reported on the BE-85. 


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Should I report on an accrual basis or cash basis on the BE-85?

Report purchases or sales in the periods when they occur or are charged (that is, in the period when the provider of the service recognizes or performs the service), whether expensed by the purchaser of the service in that accounting period, amortized over several accounting periods, or included in expenses in a subsequent accounting period. 


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