Do I have to report a foreign pension on the FBAR or Form 8938?

Generally yes — most foreign pensions are reportable on both the FBAR and Form 8938 once you cross the relevant thresholds, even though you can't yet withdraw the money. The reporting is about the account existing and its value, not about taking distributions. For the FBAR you report your interest in the pension and its maximum value during the year; for Form 8938 it's treated as a specified foreign financial asset. The trickier question is U.S. tax treatment: some foreign pensions grow tax-deferred under a treaty, others don't, and a few resemble foreign trusts that trigger extra forms. Reporting on the FBAR is informational and doesn't by itself create tax. If you have an overseas workplace pension or a private retirement plan, list it and then get the tax treatment confirmed separately. A cross-border tax preparer is worth the fee here.