Federal
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December 02, 2024
IRS Finalizes Partnership Liability Regs After 11 Years
The Internal Revenue Service unveiled final regulations governing the allocation of partnership liabilities 11 years after releasing the proposed rules, saying no subsequent legislative and regulatory changes had taken place to compel the agency to otherwise renew the rulemaking process.
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December 02, 2024
IRS Regs Would Broaden Exception For Unmarked Vehicles
Unmarked vehicles used by firefighters or members of a rescue squad or ambulance crew would be considered a new type of qualified nonpersonal use vehicle that is exempted from substantiation requirements under regulations proposed Monday by the Internal Revenue Service.
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December 02, 2024
Weekly Internal Revenue Bulletin
The Internal Revenue Service's latest weekly bulletin included updates to tax interest and applicable federal rates as well as the corporate bond monthly yield curve.
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November 27, 2024
Georgia Couple Asks Full DC Circ. To Review Tax Case
A Georgia couple whose challenge of a 2019 tax collection was denied by both the U.S. Tax Court and a D.C. Circuit panel is asking for the full appellate court to reconsider its ruling.
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November 27, 2024
US Says Prof's 8th Amendment Argument Fails In FBAR Case
An 86-year-old former professor cannot claim that his $545,000 penalty for failing to report foreign bank accounts violates the Eighth Amendment, the U.S. told a federal court, saying the penalty is neither excessive nor a fine, and that he never raised the argument before.
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November 27, 2024
Up Next At The High Court: Transgender Care, Holocaust Art
The U.S. Supreme Court will return to the bench Monday for its December arguments session, which will include blockbuster questions about the constitutionality of state laws banning gender-affirming care for transgender minors and whether Hungary can be held liable for property stolen during World War II.
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November 27, 2024
US Seeks FBAR Penalties Over $1.7M In Foreign Accounts
A Texas woman should face penalties for willfully failing to disclose foreign bank accounts from 2011 through 2013, which held balances exceeding $1.7 million, the U.S. government told a federal court Wednesday.
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November 27, 2024
Attys, Insurance Broker Seek Appeal In $22M Tax Scheme
Two attorneys and an insurance agent plan to appeal to the Fourth Circuit their convictions in a criminal case that accused them of participating in a $22 million tax avoidance scheme, according to Wednesday filings in North Carolina federal court.
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November 27, 2024
Ex-FBI Informant In Biden Case Wants Tax Charges Separate
A former FBI informant accused of making fake criminal accusations against President Joe Biden and his son, Hunter Biden, told a California federal court that new tax evasion charges against him should remain separate because the two cases are unrelated.
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November 27, 2024
GOP Threats To IRS Funds Risk Halting Agency Progress
Republicans will likely seek to cut IRS funding when they take control of the House, Senate and White House next year, threatening to roll back the gains in staffing, enforcement and technology the agency has made since it received a funding boost in 2022.
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November 27, 2024
Co. Seeks To Add 3 Chemicals To Taxable Substances List
The Internal Revenue Service is seeking comments on proposals from a chemical exporter to add three chemicals to the Internal Revenue Code's list of taxable substances, the agency said.
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November 27, 2024
Ga. Tax Preparer Admits To Filing False Returns Netting $3M
A Georgia tax preparer pled guilty to filing fraudulent income tax returns on behalf of her clients that cost the federal government more than $3 million, prosecutors announced.
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November 26, 2024
Ukrainian Man Admits To $25M Staffing, Tax Scheme
A Ukrainian man who was recently extradited to the U.S. to face charges that he helped illegally employ immigrants in Florida hotels pled guilty to tax crimes that prosecutors say caused $25 million in tax losses, according to Florida federal court filings.
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November 26, 2024
Tax-Exempt Benefit Regs Would Give Tribes Overdue Power
Recently proposed regulations on tribal general welfare benefits would grant tribes sole discretion to determine which programs and services are tax-exempt benefits and, if finalized, would fulfill the long-overdue purpose of a 2014 law meant to give them more deference.
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November 26, 2024
Jones Walker Welcomes New Commercial, Tax Atty
Jones Walker LLP has added a corporate partner who practices tax law and negotiates, structures and drafts complex merger and acquisition transactions, financings and related contracts and agreements, the firm said.
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November 26, 2024
Tax Court Gives Education Co. 2nd Shot At Nonprofit Status
The U.S. Tax Court dismissed Tuesday a petition from an education company seeking nonprofit status, granting a joint request from the company and the Internal Revenue Service that will give the company time to improve its application.
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November 26, 2024
Jackson Hewitt Workers Get Final OK On $10.8M Settlement
A federal judge granted final approval to a $10.8 million settlement between former Jackson Hewitt Inc. workers and the tax preparation firm over claims the company's franchisees entered into an anti-competitive no-poach agreement despite the provision being removed from the company's franchise agreements.
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November 26, 2024
Ariz. Reps. Urge Exemption Of State Rebates From Federal Tax
Arizona's one-time state tax rebates issued in 2023 should be exempt from federal taxation, three U.S. House members from the state told House leadership, urging a floor vote on legislation to exclude the income following a federal court decision finding the payments taxable.
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November 26, 2024
IRS Delays $600 Payment Reporting Requirement A Final Time
The Internal Revenue Service will push back its implementation of a law requiring peer-to-peer payment platforms such as Venmo and PayPal to report aggregate payments of $600 or more for one final time, it said Thursday, and the threshold for 2025 will instead be $2,500.
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November 26, 2024
Gov't, US-Saudi Former Pilot Close $1.2M FBAR Suit
A U.S.-Saudi citizen who's been a pilot and luxury airplane consultant settled his $1.2 million dispute with the U.S. government over bank accounts in Switzerland that the IRS said he failed to report.
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November 26, 2024
IRS Confirms Commerce Payments In Chips Tax Credit
Semiconductor development projects that received funding awards from the U.S. Commerce Department's CHIPS incentives program are considered investments that can also take advantage of the advanced manufacturing tax credit, the Internal Revenue Service confirmed Tuesday in guidance.
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November 26, 2024
IRS Adds Eight Tax Court Sessions To Calendar
The Internal Revenue Service announced eight U.S. Tax Court sessions for February and named the calendar administrators for the sessions in notices released Tuesday.
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November 25, 2024
Ex-DOJ Attorney Joins Moore Tax Law Group In Chicago
The Moore Tax Law Group has brought on a former trial attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice, Tax Division, the firm announced.
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November 25, 2024
Calif. Gov. Promises EV Tax Credit If Trump Axes Federal
California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday said that he's preparing to save electric vehicle tax credits — at least for residents of his state — if the Trump administration and a Republican Congress eliminate federal ones.
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November 25, 2024
Vanguard, Investors Get Initial OK On $40M Deal In Tax Suit
A Pennsylvania federal judge gave initial approval Monday to a $40 million settlement between Vanguard and investors who claimed the firm breached its fiduciary duty when it triggered a sell-off of assets that left investors with hefty tax bills.
Expert Analysis
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Think Like A Lawyer: Follow The Iron Rule Of Trial Logic
Many diligent and eager attorneys include every good fact, point and rule in their trial narratives — spurred by the gnawing fear they’ll be second-guessed for leaving something out — but this approach ignores a fundamental principle of successful trial lawyering, says Luke Andrews at Poole Huffman.
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The Art Of Asking: Leveraging Your Contacts For Referrals
Though attorneys may hesitate to ask for referral recommendations to generate new business, research shows that people want to help others they know, like and trust, so consider who in your network you should approach and how to make the ask, says Rebecca Hnatowski at Edwards Advisory.
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Unpacking The Bill To Extend TCJA's Biz-Friendly Tax Breaks
Attorneys at Skadden examine how a bipartisan bill currently being considered by the U.S. Senate to save the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act's tax breaks for research and development costs, and other expiring business-friendly provisions, would affect taxpayers.
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4 Ways To Refresh Your Law Firm's Marketing Strategy
With many BigLaw firms relying on an increasingly obsolete marketing approach that prioritizes stiff professionalism over authentic connection, adopting a few key communications strategies to better connect with today's clients and prospects can make all the difference, say Eric Pacifici and Kevin Henderson at SMB Law.
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IRS Sings New Tune: Whistleblower Form Update Is Welcome
In a significant reform at the Internal Revenue Service's Whistleblower Office, the recently introduced revisions to the Form 211 whistleblower award application use new technology and a more intuitive approach to streamline the process of reporting allegations of tax fraud committed by wealthy individuals and companies, says Benjamin Calitri at Kohn Kohn.
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This Earth Day, Consider How Your Firm Can Go Greener
As Earth Day approaches, law firms and attorneys should consider adopting more sustainable practices to reduce their carbon footprint — from minimizing single-use plastics to purchasing carbon offsets for air travel — which ultimately can also reduce costs for clients, say M’Lynn Phillips and Lisa Walters at IMS Legal Strategies.
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Energy Community Tax Credit Boost Will Benefit Wind Sector
Recent Internal Revenue Service guidance broadening tax credit eligibility to more parts of offshore wind facilities in so-called energy communities is a win for the industry, which stands to see more projects qualify for a particularly valuable bonus in the investment tax credit context due to the capital-intensive nature of offshore wind projects, say attorneys at Troutman Pepper.
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Weisselberg's Perjury At Trial Spotlights Atty Ethics Issues
Former Trump Organization executive Allen Weisselberg’s recent guilty plea for perjury in the New York attorney general's civil fraud trial should serve as a reminder to attorneys of their ethical duties when they know a client has lied or plans to lie in court, and the potential penalties for not fulfilling those obligations, say Hilary Gerzhoy and Julienne Pasichow at HWG.
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Practicing Law With Parkinson's Disease
This Parkinson’s Awareness Month, Adam Siegler at Greenberg Traurig discusses his experience working as a lawyer with Parkinson’s disease, sharing both lessons on how to cope with a diagnosis and advice for supporting colleagues who live with the disease.
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Why Supreme Court Should Allow Repatriation Tax To Stand
If the U.S. Supreme Court doesn't reject the taxpayers' misguided claims in Moore v. U.S. that the mandatory repatriation tax is unconstitutional, it could wreak havoc on our system of taxation and result in a catastrophic loss of revenue for the government, say Christina Mason and Theresa Balducci at Herrick Feinstein.
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For Lawyers, Pessimism Should Be A Job Skill, Not A Life Skill
A pessimistic mindset allows attorneys to be effective advocates for their clients, but it can come with serious costs for their personal well-being, so it’s crucial to exercise strategies that produce flexible optimism and connect lawyers with their core values, says Krista Larson at Stinson.
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Trump's NY Civil Fraud Trial Spotlights Long-Criticized Law
A New York court’s recent decision holding former President Donald Trump liable for fraud brought old criticisms of the state law used against him back into the limelight — including its strikingly broad scope and its major departures from the traditional elements of common law fraud, say Mark Kelley and Lois Ahn at MoloLamken.
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Requiring Leave To File Amicus Briefs Is A Bad Idea
A proposal to amend the Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure that would require parties to get court permission before filing federal amicus briefs would eliminate the long-standing practice of consent filing and thereby make the process less open and democratic, says Lawrence Ebner at the Atlantic Legal Foundation and DRI Center.