yeah if you give out gift, you will have to pay the IRS taxes. But if the gift is less that 13k you don't need to pay taxes. So if you helped your family and sent money all you can say that was gift, but you won't get deduction or any tax credit for that .
The filing requirement for gift is important because every person can give so much of gift in his/her lifetime.
Also you cannot deduct any foreign investment losses. But your foreign income on which taxes are paid in another country, such income are not taxable.