Taxes

The filing season recently began, and with it the public pleas intensified for the IRS to change, at least temporarily, its notice, collection, and penalty procedures. The agency recently conceded a bit by halting some automatic notices, but what it might do about penalties is still an open question. Balancing the burdens shifted to taxpayers because

Today’s Social Security column addresses questions about taking spousal benefits early before delayed retirement benefits, whether conversion to childhood disability benefits is automatic and switching to spousal benefits after taking early retirement benefits. Larry Kotlikoff is a Professor of Economics at Boston University and the founder and president of Economic Security Planning, Inc. See more

Robert Goulder of Tax Notes talks with Jenny Webster and her legal counsel, Filippo Noseda, about her lawsuit before the United Kingdom High Court challenging the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act.  This transcript has been edited for length and clarity. Robert Goulder: Hello, I’m Bob Goulder, a contributing editor with Tax Notes. Welcome to the January edition of In

Yesterday the IRS updated its Fact Sheet (FAQ) on the Child Tax Credit (CTC) and the Advance Child Tax Credit (ACTC) with additional information on reconciling the credit on 2021 tax returns. The IRS took this step after acknowledging that the letter (Letter 6419) it had been encouraging taxpayers to rely on to accurately reconcile

Max Dilendorf of the Dilendorf Law Firm PLLC discusses non-fungible tokens, or NFTs, and the related tax planning and compliance issues.  This transcript has been edited for length and clarity. David D. Stewart: Welcome to the podcast. I’m David Stewart, editor in chief of Tax Notes Today International. This week: breaking down NFTs. As cryptocurrency has risen

After issuing a series of taxpayer-friendly rulings, the IRS recently issued guidance limiting the scope of section 1202. Section 1202 is the tax provision that enables taxpayers to exclude capital gain on the sale of qualified small business stock (QSBS) if certain conditions are met. As summarized in a prior article, section 1202 allows individuals

Judge James Selna of the United States District Court for the Central District of California has given another win to low income housing credit aggregator Alden Torch in Centerline Housing Partnership V Palm Communities. As I read the filings I may need to find a substitute for the “a” word as in one of the final

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act introduced a dividends received deduction (DRD) in new section 245A. Among its provisions was a disallowance of credits or deductions for foreign taxes paid on dividends eligible for the DRD. New regs clarify the operation of the disallowance. Published on January 4, T.D. 9959 includes new reg. section 1.245A(d)-1(a)–(e). The rules disallow a foreign tax

Overlooked but simple UK VAT reliefs that can ease your cash flow Organizations can always benefit from an improved cash-flow position and given the current pressures on businesses arising from COVID-19 and disruptions to supply chains, this year is no exception. This article provides a reminder of some well established but often overlooked UK VAT

When it comes to celebrity gossip Charley Sheen, who I mainly remember as the star of Two And A Half Men, is in a class by himself. You could for example look up the Charlie Sheen Effect, if that sort of thing interests you. At any rate, given all his other issues, it is not shocking that

Today’s Social Security column addresses questions about when to file to maximize spousal and survivor benefits, when continued earnings do and do not increase benefit rates and whether benefits can be withheld to pay off back taxes. Larry Kotlikoff is a Professor of Economics at Boston University and the founder and president of Economic Security

The qualified small business stock (QSBS) exclusion generally provides for a full or partial exclusion of capital gain realized on the sale of QSBS. If the requirements are met, then taxpayers can exclude from gross income capital gain in an amount equal to the greater of (i) $10 million or (ii) an annual exclusion of

President Biden is still pushing for big tax increases. But this segment of What’s Ahead points out that the mood of the country is increasingly hostile to the idea. This is one reason that a growing number of states are moving to eliminate or sharply reduce their income taxes.  Republican candidates should aggressively promote the

Often, tax policy debates can be settled by splitting the difference. You like a tax rate of 28 percent. I prefer 20 percent. Let’s settle on 24 percent and call it a day. But a key disagreement over the future of the Child Tax Credit (CTC) is about far more than a number. It is

On Wednesday, January 26, 2022, a bi-partisan group of nearly 200 members of the U.S. House sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen requesting relief for taxpayers in light of “unprecedented challenges” being faced by the Internal Revenue Service. The letter highlights the problems faced by small businesses who have followed IRS and Small

It can be mesmerizing to watch Jeopardy! especially when someone you are rooting for is doing well, is super smart, and makes you think. That was so with Amy Schneider, but her 40-game streak has come to an end. She is a fan favorite but has lost to a Chicago librarian. Even so, she still can

Admitting that they expect another chaos-filled filing season, Treasury and the IRS have been vehement (almost rabid) about encouraging taxpayers to file their 2021 tax returns electronically. They have also been encouraging taxpayers who received advance payments of the Child Tax Credit (CTC) to watch for Letter 6419, which reports the amount of the credit

Topline Though U.S. economic growth hit its fastest growth rate in nearly 40 years on Thursday, roughly half of Americans surveyed in a recent Gallup poll said that rising prices have caused them financial hardship, while a record number also predicted that inflation would only get worse. Key Facts The U.S. economy grew 6.9% in

Tax-return season for 2021 income has officially begun. However, don’t forget to look ahead and consider your tax planning for 2022. Key numbers in tax-law provisions are adjusted for inflation at the start of each year. Some of these adjustments are important for employees, their paychecks, and their planning. As many tax-code sections are annually

The IRS lost my 2020 tax return. Well, according to the notice I got yesterday, the IRS says it “never received” the return. But I’m sticking with “lost.” Let me explain: As TaxVox readers may remember, I—and at least 3.4 million other tax filers—got caught in an IRS security trap last year. In a well-intended