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TOPICS / TAX

Taking the “Sting” Out of S Corporations’ Earnings and Profits

Under current tax law, an S corporation cannot produce earnings and profits (E&P); only C corporations can. However, if the S corporation was previously a C corporation, it may have accumulated E&P from years when it was a C corporation. Similarly, if an S corporation was a party to a

Tax Season Brings New Twists

While 2010 featured an ample number of new tax breaks and revenue-raising measures, the filing season that starts this month (with an April 18 deadline for individual returns) is notable for tax practitioners also because of its new return preparer requirements. For the first time, paid return preparers including CPAs

Congress Enacts Tax Cut Extensions

Congress in December sent to President Barack Obama for his signature the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010, HR 4853, which postpones the sunset of the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts, temporarily reduces the estate tax and extends a number of expired provisions. It also

Congressional Hot Tax Topics

This page tracks developments in five hot tax topics affecting taxpayers in 2010 and 2011 that Congress has had under consideration.  On Dec. 17, President Barack Obama signed into law the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010 (HR 4853), which deals with four of the

IRS Exempts CPA-Supervised Nonsigners From New Preparer Rules

On Thursday, the IRS released guidance on the implementation of new regulations governing tax return preparers (Notice 2011-6), and provided an exception to its return preparer regulation plan for nonsigning preparers supervised by a CPA, attorney, enrolled agent or other Circular 230 practitioner. The notice also provides an exception for

Tax Law Changes Will Delay Start of Filing Season for Some Taxpayers

The IRS is warning taxpayers that it will not accept certain 2010 individual tax returns until mid- or late February due to tax law changes recently enacted by Congress (IR-2010-126). Taxpayers affected include all those who itemize deductions on Schedule A, as well as those who take certain recently extended

IRS Releases 2011 Withholding Tables

In the wake of Thursday night’s passage of the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act, the IRS released the withholding tables for employers to use in 2011. The IRS was unable to issue the tables earlier because of uncertainty over whether the current tax rates would be

Tax Cut Extension Enacted

The House of Representatives on Thursday by a vote of 277–148 passed the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010, HR 4853, which postpones the sunset of the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts, reduces the estate tax, extends a large number of expired provisions, and extends

IRS Maintains Stance on Omissions from Gross Income and Overstatement of Basis

The IRS on Wednesday released final regulations defining an omission from gross income for purposes of the six-year minimum period for assessment of tax attributable to partnership items and the six-year period for assessing tax (TD 9511). The regulations are designed to resolve the question of whether an overstatement of

Final Regs Issued Requiring Uncertain Tax Position Disclosure Statement

On Monday, the IRS issued final regulations requiring some corporations to file a Schedule UTP, disclosing their uncertain tax positions when filing a return (TD 9510). The final regulations adopt regulations proposed in September (REG-119046-10), with one change relating to the effective date. For prior coverage, see “IRS Issues Proposed

Provisions in the Senate’s Tax Cut Extension Bill

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., introduced legislation late Thursday that would postpone the sunset of the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts, reduce the estate tax, and extend a number of expired provisions, as well as extending unemployment benefits. The Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of

IRS Releases 2011 Standard Mileage Rates

The IRS released on Friday the standard mileage rates for use in 2011 (Notice 2010-88). The optional standard mileage rates can be used by taxpayers to calculate the deductible costs of operating an automobile. For business use of an automobile after Dec. 31, 2010, the rate is 51 cents a

IRS Releases Form and More Guidance on Small Business Health Care Tax Credit

On Thursday, the IRS released a new form and guidance relating to the small business health care tax credit for the 2010 tax year. The guidance (Notice 2010-82) discusses issues relating to employers’ eligibility for the credit and other eligibility issues. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, PL 111-148,

Taxpayer Off the Clock for Real Estate Loss

Time that a taxpayer considered himself “on call” for his real estate business could not be counted toward hours in which he performed services for it, limiting the losses he could claim, the Tax Court held. James Moss and his wife owned seven rental real estate properties in 2007 that

Displaced Workers and Deduction for Travel Expenses

In today’s economy, employees may be displaced from long-held jobs. They travel to new assignments and locations as businesses cut costs. Sometimes, employees may have to choose between being laid off or reassigned. In these situations, workers have often tried to deduct business or employment travel under IRC § 162(a)(2).

Highlights of the Small Business Stimulus Act

The Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 (PL 111-240), which Congress passed and President Barack Obama signed in September, expands loan programs through the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), strengthens small business preference programs for federal government projects, provides incentives for exporters, offers a variety of small business tax breaks

Tax Attribute Survival

Tax attribute survival is often a critical consideration in assessing a proposed corporate reorganization. Beneficial tax attributes, such as net operating losses, earnings and profits, and capital losses, are often involved, and the speed at which reorganizations tend to move makes a good foundational understanding of the relevant rules crucial

2010 Small Business Jobs Act: Good for Big Business

Larger companies should be aware there’s something for them, too, in the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 (PL 111-240). Perhaps because of the name of the law enacted Sept. 27, larger businesses might not be aware of a potentially valuable provision that could apply to them: for tax years

Leveraged Partnership a Disguised Sale

In a recent ruling, the Tax Court found that a transfer of assets to an LLC constituted a disguised sale. The court also determined that the taxpayer was liable for an accuracy-related penalty in excess of $36 million for substantial understatement of income tax. The petitioner, Canal Corp. & Subsidiaries,

IRS Provides Additional Relief Under Section 409A Document Failure Correction Program

The IRS on Tuesday issued further relief for nonqualified deferred compensation (NQDC) plans covered by IRC § 409A (Notice 2010-80). The notice expands the types of plans eligible for relief under Notice 2010-6, which was issued in January. It also provides an additional method of correction and transition relief under

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