Schaffhauser Kantonalbank (SHKB) is a regional bank in Switzerland that was founded in 1883. The financial institution has recently become one of many banks to take advantage of the Swiss Bank Program. The Swiss Bank Program allows banks to voluntarily report activities they engaged in to help U.S. citizens to evade tax obligations. In exchange for coming forward and for fulfilling certain criteria, including providing information on accountholders, the bank is able to avoid being prosecuted criminally and can limit fines and penalties.

The Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) requires all U.S. citizens to file annual reports of their financial accounts held outside of the United States.  This is true even of people who live outside of the U.S. and have accounts in the country they currently consider home.  The goal of FATCA is to make sure that U.S. accountholders are reporting all income and complying with all U.S. tax obligations. 

The United States Department of Justice has created the Swiss Bank Program to make it possible for banks to avoid criminal consequences for helping U.S. accountholders evade their reporting and income tax obligations. The Swiss Bank Program creates different categories of banks.

The Department of Justice has created the Swiss Bank Program, which is essentially an amnesty program allowing banks to come forward and negotiate deals to avoid serious criminal penalties for helping to facilitate tax evasion. Banks pay fines to U.S. authorities and agree to provide details about their cross-border activities, as well as information about specific accounts in which U.S. taxpayers have a direct or an indirect interest.