Brazilian tax residents with significant assets abroad may have a separate reporting duty to the Banco Central do Brasil. CBE is not an income tax return, but missing it can create material penalties and expose inconsistencies across a taxpayer’s Brazilian filings.
Last reviewed: 8 September 2026
| Quick answer File annual CBE if you are resident in Brazil and your positive assets and rights against non-residents total at least US$1 million on 31 December. File quarterly CBE if the total is at least US$100 million on 31 March, 30 June or 30 September. Joint assets have a special threshold rule: each owner tests the full asset value, but reports only their own share. |
Use the Banco Central do Brasil’s current CBE manual and annual CBE filing page as the primary filing references. Tax residence should be checked against Receita Federal’s residence guidance.
About Brasil Tax
Brasil Tax is a 100% online Brazilian tax consultancy specializing in international tax matters involving Brazil. We help foreigners and international clients navigate their Brazilian tax obligations, whether they live, work, own property, receive income, or invest in Brazil. Our team has supported more than 5,200 clients across 40+ countries with matters including Brazilian income tax (IRPF), CPF registration, rental income, investments, real estate, tax residency, and tax regularization.
What is CBE?
CBE stands for Capitais Brasileiros no Exterior, often translated as Brazilian Capital Abroad. It is an electronic declaration to the Banco Central do Brasil collecting information about assets, values, goods and rights held by Brazilian residents against non-residents.
The data supports Brazil’s external-sector statistics. CBE does not calculate personal income tax and does not replace the annual Brazilian individual income tax return, Carnê-Leão or the tax treatment of foreign financial investments.
Who must file CBE?
The obligation applies to individuals and legal entities resident, domiciled or headquartered in Brazil, as those concepts are defined under Brazilian tax rules. For an expat, this means the tax-residency date matters before the asset total is tested.
- Permanent residence can create Brazilian tax residence from arrival in the relevant circumstances.
- A temporary-visa holder can become resident on the date Brazilian employment begins.
- Otherwise, residence can begin on the date the person completes 184 days in Brazil within a rolling period of up to 12 months.
- A later departure does not automatically end residence unless the Brazilian departure rules are satisfied.
| CPF is not the residence test A CPF is needed for many tax and filing functions, but holding a CPF does not by itself make someone a Brazilian tax resident. CBE first requires a residence analysis and then a threshold calculation. |
For CPF background, see the Brasil Tax CPF guide for foreigners.
Annual and quarterly thresholds
| Declaration | Base date | Threshold | What period is reported |
| Annual CBE | 31 December | US$1,000,000 or more | Year-end asset stocks plus full-year flows requested by the system. |
| Quarterly CBE – Q1 | 31 March | US$100,000,000 or more | Quarter-end stocks plus flows for 1 January to 31 March. |
| Quarterly CBE – Q2 | 30 June | US$100,000,000 or more | Quarter-end stocks plus flows for 1 April to 30 June. |
| Quarterly CBE – Q3 | 30 September | US$100,000,000 or more | Quarter-end stocks plus flows for 1 July to 30 September. |
There is no separate fourth-quarter CBE. The 31 December base date belongs to the annual declaration, and annual flow fields cover the whole calendar year.
2026 CBE filing dates
For publication on 24 June 2026, the relevant official windows are:
| Declaration | Reference date | 2026 filing window | Status on 24 June 2026 |
| Annual CBE 2026 | 31 December 2025 | 15 February to 6 April 2026 | Closed |
| Q1 2026 | 31 March 2026 | 30 April to 5 June 2026 | Closed |
| Q2 2026 | 30 June 2026 | 31 July to 5 September 2026 | Upcoming |
| Q3 2026 | 30 September 2026 | 31 October to 5 December 2026 | Future |
| Why the annual date was 6 April in 2026 The recurring regulation states 15 February to 5 April. The Banco Central’s 2026 annual page moved the practical deadline to 6 April for the declaration based on 31 December 2025. Always use the live annual page for the filing year. |
How is the US dollar threshold tested?
Add the positive values of all assets, goods and rights against non-residents at the relevant base date and convert them to U.S. dollars using the Banco Central methodology. The test is not limited to bank balances and is not based only on the figures transferred to Brazil.
- Only positive assets are counted when testing whether the filing threshold is met.
- Once filing is required, certain negative-equity foreign companies must also be reported under the manual.
- Use the relevant base-date values, not an annual average.
- Use the asset category and valuation method required by the current CBE manual.
- Do not net unrelated foreign debts against assets unless the specific category requires that treatment.
The joint-account and jointly owned property trap
| Special threshold rule For a joint deposit, jointly owned property or another asset held in co-ownership, each owner tests the full value of the asset against the CBE threshold. If filing is required, each owner reports only their own share. |
Example: two spouses each own 50% of overseas property worth US$1.2 million on 31 December. Each spouse considers the full US$1.2 million when testing the annual threshold, so each is required to file. Each then reports only their US$600,000 share. The rule applies regardless of the marriage-property regime or how the asset appears in the Brazilian income tax return.
Which overseas assets can count?
CBE covers a broad range of claims and property held against non-residents. The exact system category matters because fields and valuation methods differ.
| Asset category | Examples | Common complication |
| Deposits | Foreign current, savings, term and broker cash accounts. | Joint accounts and accrued remuneration. |
| Listed securities and debt | Shares, bonds, notes and other negotiable instruments. | Market value, issuer country and income flows. |
| Foreign companies | Direct interests in corporations, LLCs, partnerships or holding structures. | Voting percentage, valuation method, profit, distributions and controlled entities. |
| Investment funds | Mutual funds, ETFs, private funds and other fund interests. | Participation below or above 10% and underlying control information. |
| Real estate | House, apartment, land, farm or other property abroad. | Full-value joint threshold rule, financing and rent flows. |
| Loans and credits | Loans to foreign companies or individuals, trade credits and receivables. | Original term, debtor country and outstanding balance. |
| Other assets | Virtual currencies, trusts/foundations, insurance rights and other categories recognized by the manual. | Legal ownership, beneficiary rights and correct classification. |
For broader cross-border investment context, see the Brasil Tax guide to investing in Brazil as a foreigner.
CBE versus the Brazilian income tax return
| Question | CBE | DIRPF and tax reporting |
| Authority | Banco Central do Brasil. | Receita Federal. |
| Purpose | External-asset statistics and regulatory information. | Income tax, assets, income, gains, credits and annual liability. |
| Main threshold | US$1 million annual; US$100 million quarterly. | Annual filing criteria and asset-reporting rules differ and can apply far below US$1 million. |
| Does it calculate tax? | No. | Yes, together with monthly or separate tax regimes where applicable. |
| Does one replace the other? | No. | No. |
| Key reconciliation | Base-date asset values, income flows and ownership. | Asset balances, income, gains, foreign tax and cost basis. |
A person can be below the CBE threshold and still have extensive Brazilian income-tax obligations on foreign salary, rent, dividends, interest, pensions or gains. Conversely, filing CBE does not prove that those income items were reported correctly.
For income received from abroad that belongs in the monthly regime, read the Carnê-Leão guide. For treaty and foreign-tax-credit context, read Brazil double-taxation agreements.
How should assets be valued?
There is no single valuation rule for every CBE category. The declaration uses base-date stock values and, for some categories, period flows such as income, profit, distributions, purchases or sales. Follow the current manual for the category rather than copying the Brazilian tax-return amount.
| Asset | Typical base-date information |
| Bank deposit | Balance at the base date, plus requested income and account-flow information. |
| Listed security | Required base-date market or instrument value, country, currency and requested flows. |
| Foreign company interest | Participation value under the selected permitted method, ownership percentages and company financial data. |
| Investment fund | Value of the taxpayer’s interest, participation percentage and fund information. |
| Property | Required property value, ownership share, financing details and rent flows where requested. |
| Loan or receivable | Outstanding amount, debtor, currency, original term and requested flows. |
| Do not force DIRPF and CBE to use identical numbers The two systems can require different valuation concepts. The goal is not artificial equality; it is a documented reconciliation explaining why values differ and ensuring ownership, dates and flows are consistent. |
How to prepare and file CBE
1. Confirm whether the individual was a Brazilian tax resident on the relevant base date.
2. Create a complete inventory of foreign bank accounts, investments, companies, property, loans, trusts and other rights.
3. Identify joint assets and apply the full-value threshold rule before using ownership percentages.
4. Convert the positive asset total to U.S. dollars using the Banco Central base-date method.
5. Determine whether annual or quarterly CBE is required.
6. Classify every reportable item under the current manual and gather the category-specific valuation data.
7. Reconcile income, distributions, acquisitions, sales and other flows to bank, broker and company records.
8. Access the electronic CBE system using the permitted login method and complete every required section.
9. Finalize and transmit the declaration; a saved draft is not treated as delivered.
10. Retain the receipt, calculation file, source statements and reconciliation with DIRPF and other Brazilian filings.
What penalties can apply?
The current Banco Central manual states that violations can lead to fines of up to R$250,000. The official criteria are:
| Violation | Base penalty | Maximum |
| Late registration or declaration | 1% of the value subject to reporting. | R$25,000 |
| Incorrect or incomplete information | 2% of the value subject to reporting. | R$50,000 |
| Failure to file, register or provide supporting documents | 5% of the value subject to reporting. | R$125,000 |
| False information | 10% of the value subject to reporting. | R$250,000 |
For late filing, the manual provides reductions: a delay of 1 to 30 days reduces the calculated late penalty to 10% of the normal late amount, and a delay of 31 to 60 days reduces it to 50%. Some penalties can increase by 50% if a person fails to file, correct or complete information after a Banco Central request.
| Do not ignore a missed filing The online system can remain available after the regulatory deadline, but late access does not erase the violation. Reconstruct the correct filing, preserve evidence and assess whether other years or quarterly dates are also affected. |
Worked examples
| Scenario | CBE result |
| Expat resident in Brazil owns a sole overseas portfolio worth US$850,000 at 31 December. | No annual CBE based solely on that value, although DIRPF and foreign-income tax obligations may still apply. |
| Expat owns 50% of a joint overseas property worth US$1.2 million. | The full US$1.2 million is used for the threshold; the expat files and reports the US$600,000 share. |
| New resident crosses 184 days in November and has US$2 million abroad at 31 December. | Annual CBE can apply because the person is resident on the base date and exceeds the threshold. |
| Resident holds US$120 million at 30 June but only US$90 million at 31 December. | Q2 CBE is required for 30 June; annual CBE also remains required at US$90 million because it exceeds US$1 million. |
| Resident has US$900,000 in deposits and US$200,000 in foreign shares. | Aggregate positive assets are US$1.1 million, so annual CBE is required. |
What if an expat became resident or left Brazil during the year?
CBE looks to residence and asset values at the relevant base date. A newcomer who became a Brazilian tax resident before 31 December can have an annual CBE duty for assets accumulated long before moving to Brazil. The declaration does not tax the pre-arrival wealth, but the person must still report qualifying assets under the Central Bank rules.
A departure case requires equal care. Leaving Brazil physically does not always end tax residence immediately. If the person remains resident at a CBE base date, a filing can still be required. Coordinate CBE with the Brazilian definitive-departure process and the final income tax position.
How Brasil Tax can help with CBE
CBE is easiest when it is prepared from the same controlled data set used for the Brazilian tax return and foreign-income calculations. Brasil Tax works with foreigners and expats who have bank accounts, investments, companies, property and pensions in more than one country.
- Brazilian tax-residence and base-date review.
- Annual and quarterly threshold testing, including joint assets.
- Asset classification and valuation workpapers under the current CBE manual.
- Reconciliation of CBE with DIRPF, foreign-income tax and supporting statements.
- Review and correction of late, incomplete or inconsistent declarations.
- Coordination with foreign accountants, trustees, brokers and company administrators.
| Unsure whether you crossed the CBE threshold? Use the contact form directly below this article. Include your Brazilian tax-residency date, approximate foreign-asset total, main asset types, ownership percentages and the base date in question. Brasil Tax can assess the filing requirement and the information needed. |
Official Brazilian sources
The links below lead directly to Brazilian government guidance and legislation. They contain no tracking parameters.
- Banco Central do Brasil: Current CBE manual
- Banco Central do Brasil: Annual CBE filing page
- Banco Central do Brasil: CBE system overview
- Banco Central do Brasil: CBE questions and deadlines
- Banco Central do Brasil: Resolution BCB 279/2022
- Receita Federal: Brazilian tax residence guidance
Frequently asked questions
What is the annual CBE threshold?
The annual threshold is positive foreign assets and rights totaling at least US$1 million on 31 December.
What is the quarterly CBE threshold?
Quarterly CBE applies at US$100 million or more on 31 March, 30 June or 30 September.
Do foreigners living in Brazil have to file CBE?
Yes, if they are Brazilian tax residents on the relevant base date and meet the threshold. Citizenship is not the test.
Is CBE the same as the Brazilian income tax return?
No. CBE is filed with the Banco Central and does not calculate tax. DIRPF and foreign-income reporting are separate obligations.
How are joint accounts and joint property tested?
Each owner uses the full asset value to test the filing threshold, then reports only their own share if filing is required.
Which assets count for CBE?
Foreign deposits, securities, funds, company interests, real estate, loans, credits, virtual currencies, trusts and other rights can count, depending on the current manual.
Do only assets above US$1 million need to be listed?
No. Once the aggregate threshold is met, the declaration covers the reportable foreign asset positions required by the system, not only the asset that pushed the total above the threshold.
What was the 2026 annual CBE deadline?
For the declaration based on 31 December 2025, the Banco Central stated a filing window from 15 February to 6 April 2026.
What happens if CBE is filed late?
The Banco Central can impose a percentage-based fine capped at R$25,000 for late filing, with reductions for delays of up to 60 days. Other violations carry higher caps.
Can I correct a CBE declaration?
Yes. Corrections can be filed through the system. A correction within the regulatory period is treated differently from a late or requested correction, so preserve the submission history and supporting data.
Does CBE create tax on the assets?
No. CBE itself is a reporting declaration, but the assets and income may create separate Brazilian income-tax obligations.
Important information
This article is general information, not individualized Brazilian tax, Central Bank, legal, accounting, investment or foreign-country advice. Residence dates, ownership, valuation, asset classifications, filing history and the current Banco Central system can change the correct result.
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