Corporations, limited liability companies, and certain other business entities can make an election with the Internal Revenue Service to be taxed under Subchapter S of the Internal Revenue Code. If such an election is made, the business entity becomes an “S corporation” for federal income tax purposes, and also under the tax laws of many states. The S corporation must file an annual tax return with the Internal Revenue Service (Form 1120S), and an annual state income tax return with those states that recognize S corporations. The S corporation does not pay income tax, and its ...
The State of South Carolina has now adopted legislation allowing “pass through” entities to elect each year to be taxed at the entity level on their active trade or business income instead of having their owners taxed at the individual level on this income. This includes partnerships, S-corporations and LLCs taxed as partnerships or S-corporations. This election can be filed for tax years beginning after December 31, 2020.
South Carolina has now joined a growing number of states that have enacted federal state and local tax “workaround” legislation, and which shifts state ...
On March 11, 2021, President Biden signed into law the American Rescue Plan Act (“ARPA”). The ARPA mandated several important changes for both employers and employees. One of these is potentially significant for both: full subsidies for employer-paid COBRA premiums. The ARPA requires employers to provide temporary, fully subsidized COBRA continuation coverage premiums for certain individuals for up to six months. Employers will be able to recover the subsidized premiums by claiming a tax credit.
The benefits provided to employers and employees are available to COBRA ...
Each municipality and county in South Carolina (a taxing jurisdiction) is authorized to impose a business license tax based on the gross income of a business that operates within its borders. Businesses operating in South Carolina have been faced with registration requirements, filing deadlines, and rate classes that vary by taxing jurisdiction. The South Carolina Business License Tax Standardization Act (the Act) was signed into law by the Governor on September 30, 2020, and seeks to simplify the burdens of complying with business license tax requirements. The majority of the ...
In March, Congress passed the Coronavirus, Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”) to aid businesses and individuals. One CARES Act relief provision offered the deferral of certain payroll taxes. In particular, Section 2302 provides that employers may defer the deposit and payment of the employer’s portion of the Social Security taxes arising between March 27, 2020, and December 31, 2020 (the “Employer Deferral”). Any deferred taxes are repaid over the following 2-year period. The CARES Act failed to offer similar deferrals for the employee portion of ...
Many South Carolinians who have been furloughed or laid-off from work have received unemployment benefits from the South Carolina Department of Workforce. These benefits have been increased under the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), and where an individual can be paid up to $926/week for 33 weeks.
The CARES Act significantly expanded unemployment benefits for workers impacted by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. For unemployed workers, the CARES Act funds the following additional benefits under South Carolina’s unemployment ...
By Jennifer L. Rath, Enrolled Agent
If a taxpayer owes federal taxes, but does not have the financial ability to pay these taxes in full, the taxpayer can apply for a payment plan with the IRS to pay these taxes, and usually on a monthly basis. However, depending on the amount of taxes owed, the IRS may require the taxpayer to submit detailed financial information in order for the IRS to evaluate a suitable monthly payment. For this purpose, the IRS requires a taxpayer to prepare and submit a Collection Information Statement (CIS), typically through a Form 433, and with supporting financial ...
One of the provisions included in the Coronavirus, Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) allows an employer and self-employed individuals to defer the payment of the employer’s share of social security taxes (not Medicare taxes) or the corresponding portion of self-employment taxes. The option is available for payments that would otherwise be required to be made between March 27, 2020 and December 31, 2020. No special election is required and deferred amounts will be reported on a forthcoming revised Form 941 (future guidance will address how to report deferrals for ...
On March 27, 2020 the the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the CARES Act or Act), H.R. 748, became law. The Act provides eligible employers a tax credit against employment taxes equal to 50% of qualified wages. The credit is determined quarterly and effectively capped at $5,000 per eligible employee.
Eligible employers include any employer that was carrying on a trade or business in 2020 whose operations were impacted by the Coronavirus crisis. Two tests are used to determine whether a business was impacted by the Coronavirus. The tests are applied quarterly. The ...
March 25, 2020 – The IRS announced a major suspension of many “tax compliance” dates and tax collection measures. Published in IRS Information Release 2020-59 as the “People First Initiative”, the IRS announced that it is “temporarily adjusting our processes to help people and businesses during these uncertain times” and where the announced changes range from postponing certain payments related to Installment Agreements and Offers in Compromise to suspending tax collection measures and limiting certain enforcement actions. The IRS will be announcing more ...
On March 18, 2020 President Trump signed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (Act) to provide relief to employees and small and midsize businesses. The Act is effective until December 31, 2020. The Act requires covered employers, except those with fewer than 50 employees who receive an exemption,[1] to provide the following:
- Two weeks (up to 80 hours) of paid sick time at the employee’s regular rate of pay where the employee is unable to work because the employee is quarantined (pursuant to Federal, State, or local government order or advice of a health care provider), and/or ...
The IRS announced today that it has temporarily closed all Taxpayer Assistance Centers and discontinued face-to-face service throughout the country until further notice. The IRS also announced that it is continuing to process tax returns, issue refunds, and help taxpayers through this difficult time.
In what is appearing to be a fairly fluid situation with the United States Treasury Department and the IRS, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin announced, via Twitter, that not only tax payments but also the filing of individual tax returns will be extended from April 15 to July 15. Secretary Mnuchin specifically tweeted that “At @realDonaldTrump’s direction, we are moving Tax Day from April 15 to July 15. All taxpayers and businesses will have this additional time to file and make payments without interest or penalties.”
This tweet from the Treasury Secretary represents a ...
In response to the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin announced Tuesday that Americans will have until July 15th to pay their 2019 federal income taxes – and without late payment penalties or interest during this extended payment due date. No special filing with the IRS is required for this payment extension. The announced payment extensions are limited, however. Individuals can defer payment of up to $1 million in taxes, and corporations can defer payment of up to $10 million, and without penalties or interest. Individuals and businesses with 2019 ...
Since 2015, employers and health insurers have been required to report health plan coverage information to the IRS and to individuals. Why? The information is necessary in order for the IRS to administer certain portions of the Affordable Care Act (“ACA”), such as whether (1) a “pay or play” penalty is assessable for noncompliance with the coverage requirements, (2) an individual is eligible for a premium tax subsidy, and (3) the individual mandate penalty is assessable.
Recently issued Notice 2019-63 contains three gifts from the IRS in the form of limited relief to ...
The Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service (collectively referred to hereafter as “IRS”) on September 23, 2019 published the final regulations on hardship distributions, finalizing the regulations proposed in November 2018. The plans primarily affected are 401(k) and 403(b) plans. The final regulations reflect changes in the Internal Revenue Code dating back to the Pension Protection Act of 2006 through the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018. The preamble states that the regulations are substantially similar to the proposed regulations and, notably ...
The Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, signed into law December 4, 2015, created new Internal Revenue Code § 7345 which requires the IRS to notify the United States State Department when an individual is certified as owing a “seriously delinquent tax debt”. When this notification of certification is received from the IRS, the State Department is generally required to deny the individual a U.S. passport (or renewal of a U.S. passport) or may revoke any U.S. passport previously issued to that individual. The State Department has the sole authority to revoke or ...
The IRS issued guidance in 2014, through Notice 2014-21, on how to report income from virtual or “crypto” currency transactions. The IRS has since developed a “Virtual Currency Compliance” program focusing on U.S. taxpayers who may not be reporting, or correctly reporting, virtual currency transactions. The IRS has now announced it will be issuing notices to over 10,000 specific U.S. taxpayers warning these recipients that they have been identified as having engaged in virtual currency transactions and their U.S. tax compliance obligations. There are three (3) target ...
On July 17, 2019, the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) released Notice 2019-45 which expands the list of permissible preventive care benefits for high deductible health plan (“HDHP”) purposes. Among other requirements, an individual must be covered by a HDHP in order to establish a Health Savings Account (“HSA”).
A HDHP is a health plan with certain minimum deductible and maximum out-of-pocket expense requirements. Under a HDHP, the plan typically does not provide any benefits until the minimum deductible for the year is satisfied. However, certain preventive ...
Employers face a constant struggle to attract and retain quality employees. This is especially true in a strong economy where jobs are plentiful and the demand for well-qualified workers is high. Historically, employer contributions to 401(k) plans have been viewed as an effective and efficient recruitment and retention tool. Unfortunately, many employers are finding this inadequate in today’s market because some employees, especially younger employees, prioritize other financial needs ahead of saving for retirement. For many young employees, student loan debt is a ...
Many employers began to receive notices from the IRS in 2018 proposing the assessment of a payment against the employer for the tax years 2015 and 2016 under Section 4980H of the Internal Revenue Code. The issuance of these notices by the IRS has now increased through 2019 to-date, and where employers may have received an initial notice in 2018 for the 2015 tax year, and now a second and additional notice proposing the assessment of a payment under Section 4980H for the 2016 tax year. Additional IRS notices for 2017 are certainly to follow.
Section 4980H(a) imposes an “assessable ...
Under the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, Congress enacted a new Section 199A 20% profit deduction for owners of pass-through businesses, and which include Subchapter S corporations, LLCs, sole proprietorships, and even certain trusts. Section 199A is intended to provide a deduction to owners of these pass-through business entities who do not otherwise benefit from the new 21% flat tax Congress has given to corporations under the new tax law. While Section 199A is intended to benefit these generally smaller types of business entities and their owners, the new tax law is riddled with ...
A bedrock of IRS administrative practice has been the voluntary disclosure. Where an individual or business has not filed tax returns or believes they may have criminal tax exposure for prior actions, IRS procedures have long-sanctioned a form of “criminal tax amnesty” if the taxpayer voluntarily comes forward before being contacted by the IRS, discloses his tax misdeeds, fully cooperates to correct the back tax issues, and then becomes compliant going forward. In exchange for this “voluntary disclosure”, while criminal tax prosecution may not be recommended, the ...
On January 18, 2019, Treasury and the IRS issued final regulations for the new Section 199A 20% profit deduction for pass-thru businesses adopted under the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Acts. The new regulations are eagerly anticipated because filing season for the first year of the new tax law, 2018 generally, is now upon us. The final regulations were issued after public comments were received in response to proposed Section 199A regulations issued last August. The IRS, in IR-2019-04 (January 18, 2019), also released a new set of additional proposed resolutions under Section 199A ...
As extension season awaits us in less than three months, there are many taxpayers who will discover that they have fallen victim to identity theft. The IRS has recently clarified measures to take if you happen to fall into that category, which should not be taken lightly.
The most common way of discovering that you have fallen victim to identity theft occurs upon electronically filing your tax return.
Taxpayers attempting to file a tax return that the IRS rejects because another return under the taxpayer’s Social Security number has already been filed are likely victims of identity ...
The IRS has the power to seize or “levy” assets, banks accounts, wages and other assets and income of an individual or business to satisfy delinquent taxes. However, the IRS will sometimes levy the wrong assets or income; that is, it will seize assets or income belonging to someone other than the person or business that owes the tax. This happens.
When the IRS wrongfully seizes or levies the assets or income of a person or business that does not owe the tax, this person/business can file a claim for wrongful levy with the IRS and also can sue the IRS civilly to prevent the levy or to have the ...
On April 11, 2018, the South Carolina House of Representatives passed House Bill 3684, which will allow the South Carolina Department of Revenue (SCDOR or DOR) to centralize state tax lien filings. State tax lien filings are currently filed with local county recording offices throughout the state. The new bill, if adopted by the South Carolina General Assembly, would simplify the state tax lien filing process by implementing a centralized system of filing and indexing tax liens, and which would also accessible to the public online through the Internet. State tax liens would no longer ...
The IRS recently announced that, beginning this month, the tax agency will be assigning certain unpaid tax accounts to private collection agencies. The IRS will retain and continue to collect most unpaid taxes. The IRS has identified certain tax accounts, however, that it will assign over to these newly-designed private collection firms for collection. The accounts to be assigned to the private collection firms involve taxpayers who have not paid their taxes for many years and who should be well-aware of their unpaid taxes.
The private collection firms will be authorized to contact ...
The IRS recently announced it will be shutting down its successful Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Program (OVDP) for unreported foreign bank accounts and income. The program will end September 28, 2018. Under the OVDP, first started in 2009, over 50,000 individuals have come forward to report previously unreported foreign bank accounts and income. The IRS reports it has raised over $11 billion in taxes, penalties and interest through the OVDP.
The U.S. income tax system is perhaps the most expansive in the world. U.S. citizens and permanent residents must report their worldwide ...
The IRS requires businesses to obtain a Form W-4 from each employee, and also a Form W-9 from contractors and others who may receive payments for services. If a business does not receive these forms, the business must deduct and withhold “back-up withholding” from all wage and other payments to these individuals equal to 24% of the payments (down from 28% prior to 2018). Amounts withheld from an employee/contractor’s payments as back-up withholding are reported on Forms W-2/Form 1099 by the business, and should be reported as federal income tax withheld on the ...
An IRS tax levy is a seizure of a person’s property or rights to property. The IRS then uses the seized property to pay taxes owed. A levy allows the IRS to confiscate a person’s property, which includes cars, boats, real estate, and other “tangible” property. The IRS can also levy and take a person’s wages, bank accounts, and retirement income including Social Security benefits.
The IRS has been authorized to impose levies since 1954. Generally, the IRS must wait at least 10 days from the date it sends a notice of intent to levy before it can make a seizure. This notice must inform ...
IRS Form SS-8 Determinations of Employee Status
Employers that have workers which the employer classifies as "independent contractors" (Form 1099) risk having these workers reclassified by the IRS as "employees." This determination is a major audit area for the IRS. If the IRS does audit an employer and reclassifies "contractors" as "employees" this will subject the employer to substantial federal employment tax liabilities, penalties, and interest. The employer will also be required to treat the "reclassified" contractors as employees going forward.
A worker treated by an ...
Employers that pay wages and other forms of compensation to their employees must comply with federal tax return filing and payment/deposit requirement. Employers that receive services from non-employee contractors and make payments to these contractors must also separately report these payments.
- Federal Employment Tax - Form 941
a. Employers are required to collect federal employee income withholding taxes and the employee's share of Federal Insurance Contributions Act taxes (FICA), from wages paid to employees, match the employee's share of FICA, and deposit these ...
The IRS investigates criminal violations of federal tax laws, including tax evasion, tax fraud, and not filing tax returns. Many people do not realize that simply not filing a tax return when it is due is a crime under federal law.
The IRS analyzes criminal violations of federal tax laws through its "Criminal Investigation Division," or "CID." CID agents are referred to as "Special Agents."
The CID examines individuals and businesses for potential criminal tax violations. CID receives information about possible criminal tax violations from a broad range of sources, including ...
The United States has a voluntary tax reporting system. Once a tax return is filed, however, the IRS will seek to verify that filed tax returns comply with the tax laws. To achieve this, an IRS audit ("examination") must take place. There are different types of IRS audits.
The most common type of IRS audit is a "correspondence audit" conducted entirely through the mail. Most correspondence audits are initiated by the IRS computer system, which receives income information for individuals reported to the IRS by third parties (e.g., Form W-2 wages/salaries from employers; Form 1099 ...
If an individual or business owes but has not paid federal taxes, the IRS will make efforts to collect these taxes. The IRS will first send a series of notices requesting payment, but if the taxpayer does not respond to the IRS and make arrangements to pay the taxes, the IRS will then begin "enforced collection measures." The most common measures used by the IRS to collect taxes are (1) the "levy" (or garnishment), where the IRS notifies an employer to take taxes out of an employee or a worker's paycheck and send this money to the IRS; and (2) the bank account levy or seizure where the IRS simply ...
The Consumer Price Index was released by the Labor Department in August 2017. Not everyone anxiously awaits the release of these numbers but the experts have now made estimates of how they will impact estate, gift, and generation-skipping transfer taxes for 2018. These are not official numbers - the Internal Revenue Service will publish the official numbers later this year.
Transfer Tax Free Money - The cumulative amount you can pass tax-free (by gift or at death) is projected to increase to $5,600,000.00 per U.S. citizen (from $5,490,000.00 in 2017). In 2018 and beyond, a couple (U.S ...
Married couples may file a joint federal income tax return together, reporting their joint income and expenses. The benefit of a joint return is that the overall tax rate may often be lower. However, if a joint return is filed, each of the spouses is fully and individually liable for all taxes that are required to be paid.
Married couples may also elect, instead, to separately file their own returns. The downside is the tax rate for each separately-filing spouse may be higher, but each spouse is only liable for his or her own taxes - and not the taxes of the other spouse.
If a joint tax return is ...
Where an individual or business owes IRS taxes, Congress has given the IRS a tax lien against all the assets of the taxpayer. The lien covers real estate, homes, furniture, cars, investments, and nearly everything an individual may own. The IRS tax lien also covers all the assets of a business that owes taxes.
The IRS will also record a notice of this tax lien against a taxpayer, typically in the county where deeds are maintained. Once the notice of the tax lien is recorded, most counties publish the lien recording electronically and this information then "goes out to the world." The ...
Where individuals and businesses owe IRS taxes, the IRS has a settlement program where it can legally accept less than what is owed. Known as an "Offer in Compromise," Congress has given the IRS the authority to "compromise" and reduce a tax debt owed to it, but only under very specific terms. The IRS does not have other programs or alternatives where it can accept less tax than what is owed - only the Offer in Compromise.
The IRS Offer in Compromise program has been in effect for many years, but the program has changed. Many individuals and businesses file their own Offers in Compromise with ...
If an individual or business owes federal taxes and does not have the current ability to pay these taxes, the IRS can consider placing the account into "currently not collectible" (CNC) status. If placed in CNC status, a taxpayer is not required to make a current payment on the unpaid taxes to the IRS, and the IRS will also not "levy" or "garnish" wages or seize bank accounts while an account is in CNC status.
Before the IRS will consider placing a taxpayer's account into CNC status, the individual or business must be up-to-date or "current" with the filing of their required tax returns, and ...
If an individual or business owes federal taxes and does not have the current ability to pay these taxes, the IRS can "seller-finance" and offer a payment plan with the taxpayer. The primary benefit of a payment plan is that it provides a clear agreement with the IRS on how much is to be paid and over what time period. Also, and as an inducement to enter into a payment plan with the IRS, the IRS will reduce the amount of penalties that will be due. The IRS will not "levy" or "garnish" wages or seize bank accounts while a payment plan is in effect.
Before the IRS will consider a payment plan for back ...
The United States has a voluntary income tax reporting system. U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and businesses here must annually file income tax returns with the IRS, reporting their "worldwide income," deductions, and their "net taxable income," and pay income taxes to the IRS based on this amount. The rate of tax is "progressive;" that is, it increases as taxable income goes up. There is a minimum level of income for which an annual tax return is not required to be filed and which varies on filing status. For example, in 2016 for a single (unmarried) taxpayer, the individual must ...
Many individuals and businesses owe taxes to the IRS, or they have not filed their tax returns or both. While the IRS may be the most powerful creditor in the world, there are solutions. This is Part I of a series addressing the most common issues faced by taxpayers owing taxes, and what can be done. The following is a list of each blog topic, and which also includes topics on IRS Tax Audits, and also IRS Criminal Tax Investigations, as this is where tax debts with the IRS can often arise as well:
- Unfiled Tax Returns (Part II)
- Payment Plans (Part III)
- Currently Not Collectible Status (Part IV)
In June of 2016, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) changed its procedure for granting discharges of estate tax liens and implemented centralized handling of applications for discharge. Historically, Specialty Examination Estate & Gift and Specialty Collection Advisory (Advisory) shared the responsibility for processing applications for discharge of the estate tax lien, depending on the circumstances. In June 2016, the responsibility for working all applications for discharge of the estate tax lien was transferred to Advisory and centralized in the Estate Tax Lien Group ...
When an individual or business owes federal taxes, a lien arises in favor of the IRS in all property of the delinquent taxpayer. The IRS will often file a notice of this tax lien - a Notice of Federal Tax Lien or "NFTL" - in the state offices where the taxpayer resides or has property. The IRS generally uses IRS Form 668(Y), Notice of Federal Tax Lien, for this purpose. If the taxpayer is able to fully pay all the taxes owed to the IRS, the IRS will then issue a "Release" of the NFTL. The IRS is also authorized to "Discharge" its tax lien in specific property of a taxpayer (but otherwise retaining its ...
If an individual or business owes unpaid income taxes to the IRS, or to a state, federal bankruptcy laws may provide relief for some, if not all, of these taxes. Generally applicable to "older" federal and state income taxes, if a taxpayer has filed timely tax returns for a tax period, the due date of which, including extensions, is more than 3 years from the date a bankruptcy petition is filed; if the tax return is filed late, at least 2 years have elapsed since the filing of the late return and the filing of the bankruptcy petition; and, where the IRS has made an "assessment" of the tax owed, at ...
Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code ("IRC") exempts from the federal income tax certain nonprofit corporations that are operated exclusively for the promotion of social welfare (commonly referred to as "Social Welfare Organizations") and certain local employee organizations (the characteristics of local employee organizations are beyond the scope of this blog). Generally, Social Welfare Organizations are organizations that promote the common good and general welfare of the community as a whole.
An organization that primarily benefits a private group typically ...
Partnerships and LLCs are common choices of entity for family-owned businesses, due to their flexibility and the many uses to which they can be put - including pooling of family assets, succession planning, asset protection, and confidentiality of ownership.
The transfer of partnership and LLC interests among family members is subject to gift and estate tax based on the fair market value of the interests. Valuation discounts are typically applied to reduce the value (and thus the tax cost) of the transferred interests because of various restrictions imposed on the interests that ...
South Carolina requires submission of a Form SC2848, Power of Attorney and Declaration of Representative, in order for an attorney, CPA, or enrolled agent to represent a taxpayer administratively before the South Carolina Department of Revenue (SCDOR). This includes representation in examinations, audits, appeals, tax collection, and other administrative tax matters.
The Form SC2848 has important differences from its current IRS counterpart, including:
- In the Form SC2848 is the notification that "All Notices and Communications will be sent to the taxpayer only.", while the ...
A qualified retirement plan (hereinafter a "Plan") must satisfy the requirements of the Internal Revenue Code ("IRC") in form and in operation. In other words, the documents establishing and governing the Plan must satisfy the IRC requirements and the Plan must be operated in a manner that complies with the IRC requirements. Many plan sponsors confirm a Plan's compliance with the form requirements by obtaining a determination letter from the Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") through the IRS Determination Letter Program.
Based on the form of the documents used to establish the Plan ...
On May 4, 2016, the IRS announced that it would begin accepting applications for the voluntary certification of professional employer organizations ("PEOs") beginning July 1, 2016. PEOs are also commonly referred to as employee leasing companies. While the requirements of the certification program may be of interest to the PEO, the designation of a PEO as a certified professional employer organization ("CPEO") should be of major interest to the employers utilizing the CPEO. This blog will review the beneficial tax treatment resulting from a PEO's certification as a CPEO.
Under ...
The "hobby loss" rules of Internal Revenue Code Section 183 are commonly overlooked limitations that restrict the amount of loss a taxpayer may claim from an "activity not engaged in for profit" - i.e., a hobby. The definition of these activities is framed in the negative; a hobby is any activity other than those for which losses are allowed under Section 162 (ordinary and necessary business expenses) and Section 212 (investment expenses).
Generally, Sections 162 and 212 business and investment expenses can not only offset the income generated by those activities, but net losses over ...
As organizations are ramping up for 2016, it is increasingly important they have their administrative ducks in a row for the year to come. This is especially true for tax-exempt organizations operating under a model using local chapters or affiliates (as opposed to wholly-owned organizations), and even more so if those local chapters or affiliates are relying on their central organization for tax-exempt status. If the local chapter or affiliate does not comply with IRS regulations governing such a structure, it may lose its tax-exempt status and be taxed on its income as if it were a ...
If a corporate taxpayer receives a statutory notice of deficiency (i.e. a "90-day letter") from the Internal Revenue Service ("IRS"), one of its options is to petition the United States Tax Court for a redetermination of the proposed deficiency. A statutory notice of deficiency tells a taxpayer the IRS has determined that for one reason or another, the taxpayer owes more tax than what they previously reported. Under the Internal Revenue Code ("IRC"), the taxpayer may file a petition with the Tax Court for a redetermination of the deficiency within 90 days (or 150 days if addressed to a ...
On December 2, 2014, the South Carolina Department of Revenue issued S.C. Temporary Revenue Ruling No. 14-8 and No. 14-9 regarding the income and property tax treatment for married same-sex couples.Same-sex couples filing a federal income tax return with a married filing status must now file a South Carolina income tax return using the same married filing status.
In S.C. Temporary Revenue Ruling No. 14-8, the Department of Revenue instructs same-sex couples who are legally married under any state law to file their 2014 South Carolina income tax return as a married couple - either ...
Robert is a veteran tax return preparer of 20 years, who walks into his office on February 2, 2015 to begin a busy income tax filing season. Julie and Michelle stop by Robert's office and give their wage and income statements to Robert for the calendar year 2014. They tell Robert they were legally married in Massachusetts on July 4, 2013, but they are South Carolina residents now and wish to file both a federal and South Carolina income tax return as a married couple. Shortly thereafter, another couple, Mark and Brad, walk into Robert's office and state they were married in South Carolina on ...
The United States Tax Court recently determined the value of a conservation easement using a subdivision development method in the case of Schmidt v. Commissioner, TC Memo 2014-159. The case involved a taxpayer who purchased a 40-acre parcel of vacant land in May 2000 for $525,000, with the intention of subdividing and developing it. The taxpayer began the process of obtaining the required permits and approvals to develop the property. The facts indicated that the taxpayer would receive all required permits and approvals to develop the property, but the taxpayer ultimately granted ...
Writing for an 8-0 majority, with Justice Kagan abstaining, Justice Anthony Kennedy handed down the Supreme Court's ruling in the closely-watched United States v. Quality Stores, Inc., et al. case March 25, holding that severance payments to involuntarily terminated employees are taxable wages under the Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA), and thus subject to Social Security and Medicare withholding. The Court took issue with a Sixth Circuit opinion which had found such payments not subject to withholding, stating that "[t]o reach its holding, the [Sixth Circuit] Court ...
In a recent private letter ruling, PLR 201405005, the IRS validated a succession plan implemented by a Subchapter S corporation to transition share ownership from retiring co-owners to certain key employees. An S corporation is a small business corporation which has made an election to be taxed under Subchapter S of the Internal Revenue Code and which, among other things, may not have more than one class of stock.
Specifically, the IRS concluded that profit on a redemption of the owners' shares by the company for notes will:
1. be taxed to them as capital gain reportable on the ...
The IRS has long been aware of U.S. taxpayers living overseas who have not filed federal income tax returns or Reports of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts ("FBARs"). Earlier this year, the IRS announced the reopening of its successful Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Program ("OVDP") allowing individuals with unreported foreign bank account income to come forward and report this income, and to pay the related tax, interest and certain reduced civil penalties, but without criminal prosecution. The IRS has now announced a new alternative compliance procedure designed to provide ...
The Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, in Kaufman v. Shulman, Docket No. 11-2017P-01A (1st Cir., July 19, 2012), reversed a Tax Court decision siding with the IRS which had disallowed a couple's conservation easement deduction. The Tax Court had disallowed the deduction because a provision in a subordination agreement with the couple's lender violated the Treasury Regulations' "extinguishment provision". The Court of Appeals reversed the Tax Court, finding that the Tax Court and IRS interpretation of this regulation was unreasonably restrictive and inconsistent with ...
On May 31, 2012 the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals issued its opinion in the case of Starnes v. Commissioner, upholding a decision of the United States Tax Court which determined that the former shareholders of a corporation were not liable as transferees for unpaid corporate income taxes. The opinion is the first appellate level decision addressing the proper legal standard to be applied in order to determine if a person is liable as a transferee under § 6901 of the Internal Revenue Code.
The Starnes case involved what the IRS characterizes as an "intermediary transaction tax ...
Many individuals and business entities create charitable organizations to serve the needs of a specific group of persons or a specific community with a need for a type of service. Most charitable organizations undertake the arduous task of applying for tax-exempt status with the Internal Revenue Service in order to be exempt from paying corporate income taxes and to solicit charitable donations from public and private patrons. In June of 2011, the IRS revoked the tax-exempt status of approximately 275,000 organizations because these organizations failed to file the required ...
U.S. citizens that work or receive income from abroad are subject to U.S. income taxes on foreign income. The tax is applicable regardless of where U.S. citizens reside. U.S. taxpayers receiving foreign income must file an income tax return with the IRS reporting all foreign income and must pay the reported U.S. tax liability. U.S. taxpayers may be eligible for a partial foreign income exclusion as well as a housing cost exclusion. Foreign earned income is defined to include wages, salaries, or professional fees, and other amounts received as compensation for personal services ...
Generally, there are four methods of resolving an assessed federal tax liability: (1) full payment, (2) payment through installments under a written agreement, (3) an offer in compromise, and (4) bankruptcy. The IRS also has the authority to temporarily suspend collection or payment of federal taxes through placing an account in currently uncollectible status.
An Offer in Compromise (OIC) is an agreement between the taxpayer and the IRS that settles a tax liability for payment of less than the full amount owed. The IRS will generally accept an offer in compromise when it is unlikely ...
The IRS announced an important settlement program on September 21, 2011 where the IRS will now give many employers substantial tax relief for treating employees as "independent contractors". Details of the settlement program were provided in Announcement 2011-64, which will officially be published in the Internal Revenue Bulletin 2011-41, to be issued October 11, 2011.
Whether a worker is performing services as an employee or independent contractor depends on the facts and circumstances and is generally determined under a multiple factor common law test focusing on whether the ...
When spouses file a joint income tax return each is jointly and severally liable not only for the reported tax liability, but also for any additional taxes, penalties and interest later claimed by the IRS as due. A spouse can request relief from this joint liability by filing a request for innocent spouse relief with the Internal Revenue Service.
The IRS states that an innocent spouse request must be filed within two years after the date initial collection activities for the unpaid taxes have begun. The United States Tax Court has repeatedly disagreed with the IRS, however, ruling in ...