BEA Survey Questions

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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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).

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. 


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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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No. Please report on a gross value basis. Receipts are reported on Schedule A and payments are reported on Schedule B of the BE-85 form. 


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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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No. Your transaction is with a U.S. affiliate of that German company. This would be considered a domestic transaction and therefore not applicable to the BE-85.


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No. A single submission, whether by mail, fax, or ASTAR, is sufficient.


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You can obtain a MS Excel version of the BE-85 by sending an email to be-85@bea.gov. This is an automated system, and it will automatically send you an .xls version. 


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Complete pages 1-3 of the survey. If you do not check a box “yes” in Step 2 or Step 3 and you do not wish to report on a voluntary basis on Schedule A or B, then mail the form to the address on the first page. 


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