Allowing taxpayers to communicate with the IRS almost entirely online will free the agency’s workers to handle other tasks, Commissioner Danny Werfel said in a speech Monday.
Tax
Clearing up BOI confusion and other tax advocacy updates
An AICPA tax leader discusses March focus areas for advocacy and why it’s still “business as usual” for most companies filing beneficial ownership information reports.
Decision holding Corporate Transparency Act unconstitutional appealed
The U.S. Justice Department filed an appeal Monday challenging the district court’s decision that the law, which requires businesses to report beneficial ownership information, is unconstitutional.
Plaintiffs: FinCEN should pause all CTA enforcement
The plaintiffs who won a summary judgment that bars enforcement of the Corporate Transparency Act against them said the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network should pause beneficial ownership information reporting requirements for all businesses.
Federal court holds Corporate Transparency Act unconstitutional
While acknowledging that the law is well intentioned, the opinion from a U.S. district court in Alabama said Congress lacked authority to enact the business ownership information reporting requirement.
What kind of deduction is a hobby expense?
In a case of first impression for the Eleventh Circuit, the court affirmed a Tax Court holding that expenses of activities not engaged in for profit, i.e., hobbies, are allowable only as miscellaneous itemized deductions under Sec. 67(a).
Patent infringement litigation defense costs are not facilitative
An appellate court affirms a Tax Court decision allowing a generic drug manufacturer to currently deduct legal expenses.
Line items
ERC disallowance letters sent to 20K+ taxpayers … Lower Form 1099-K threshold delayed again … Prop. regs. issued on conservation easement deduction disallowance … AICPA adopts revised tax standards … Proposed crypto regs. define ‘broker’ too broadly, industry says … Werfel: IRS must move quickly to show what a well-funded agency can do
IRS renews focus on targeting high-income nonfilers
IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel said Thursday that the effort will begin with compliance letters going out to high-income taxpayers in 125,000 cases where third-party information indicated federal tax returns have not been filed since 2017.
IRS announces delay for Form 1042 e-filing requirement
The Service said that U.S. withholding agents are administratively exempt from the requirement to e-file Forms 1042 during calendar year 2024, while foreign agents are exempt in calendar years 2024 and 2025.
FinCEN guide lists rules for some financial institutions’ access to BOI
The rules in the Small Entity Compliance Guide apply to access for some financial institutions and cover security and confidentiality, authorized use, administration of requests, and violations.
The clean-energy direct-pay election for not-for-profits and governmental entities
Under the Sec. 6417 direct-pay election, tax-exempt organizations, including not-for-profits and governmental agencies, can claim certain energy credits on their federal income tax returns, but to claim them for 2023, the direct-pay election must be made on a timely filed 2023 federal income tax return.
IRS to begin audits of personal, business use of corporate jets
IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel said Wednesday that the audits will focus on business vs. personal use of aircraft by large corporations, large partnerships, and high-income taxpayers.
The ERC: Practitioners’ responsibilities to amend income tax returns
Practitioners must weigh applicable professional standards and exercise due diligence in assessing whether a taxpayer claiming an employee retention credit must amend one or more income tax returns to reduce deductions of wages for which the credit was claimed.
No ‘gotcha’ enforcement of BOI regulations, FinCEN chief vows
Andrea Gacki, director of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, reassured a House committee that the agency can act only against willful violations of the new beneficial ownership information reporting rule.
On Form 1099-K delays, Werfel says IRS must protect taxpayer rights
IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel also discussed the employee retention credit and IRS funding when he appeared before the House Ways and Means Committee on Thursday.
7 warning signs that an ERC claim is questionable, from the IRS
As the March 22 deadline for the ERC voluntary disclosure program approaches, the IRS alerted small businesses to seven red flags that it is focusing on when it reviews claims.
EFIN scam targets tax professionals
The IRS warns that the scammers want to gain access to data and identities so they can file fraudulent tax returns.
Form 1099-K frequently asked questions revised
Almost 50 new or updated frequently asked questions for the IRS’s Form 1099-K, Payment Card and Third Party Network Transactions, published Tuesday, include guidance on common situations, along with more clarity for the payment card industry about which organizations should send Forms 1099-K.
Study: IRS could collect billions more with full funding
A study shows that the Service can collect $561 billion in tax revenue over 10 years if it receives the funding from the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 as written.
Features
SPONSORED REPORT
Preparing clients for new provisions next tax season
As the 2025 filing season approaches, H.R. 1 introduces significant tax reforms that CPAs must be prepared to navigate. These legislative changes represent some of the most comprehensive tax updates in recent years, affecting both individual and corporate taxpayers. This report provides in-depth analysis and guidance on H.R. 1.
