The Treasury and IRS recently issued proposed regulations under §951A.1 The regulations provide rules for determining the amount of the inclusion in a U.S. shareholder’s gross income of global intangible low-taxed income (GILTI).
The GILTI inclusion amount is the aggregate of a U.S. shareholder’s pro rata shares of tested income less tested losses from each directly and indirectly owned controlled foreign corporation (CFC), less 10% of its aggregate pro rata shares of qualified business asset investments (reduced by certain interest expense). 2 This article discusses the rules in the proposed regulations for determining a CFC’s tested income.
Presented below is our summary of significant Internal Revenue Service (IRS) guidance and relevant tax matters for the week of November 5 – 9, 2018:
November 6, 2018: The IRS added in “Questions and Answers about Reporting Related to Section 965 on 2017 Tax Returns” information concerning the filing of transfer agreements under Internal Revenue Code (Code) Section 965(h)(3) and Section 965(i)(2)(c). For our prior coverage related to the election to pay the transition tax under Code Section 965, see here, here and here.
November 7, 2018: The IRS in IRS Tax Tip 2018-173 reminds taxpayers of the blended tax rate as a result of tax reform and provides guidance on the computation of the blended rate.
November 8, 2018: The IRS in a notice announced that the charter for the Internal Revenue Service Advisory Council has been renewed for two years beginning October 17, 2018.
November 9, 2018: The IRS released its weekly list of written determinations (e.g., Private Letter Rulings, Technical Advice Memorandum and Chief Counsel Advice).
Special thanks to Alex Cheng-Yi Lee in our DC office for this week’s roundup.
On October 27, the US District Court for the District of Minnesota issued an opinion in United States v. Adams, No. 0:17-cr-00064-DWF-KMM (D. Minn. Oct. 27, 2018), addressing attorney-client privilege issues relevant to accountants working alongside tax attorneys. The court adopted a narrow, nuanced view of the waiver that applies when the taxpayer discloses an accountant’s work to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) by filing an amended return.
In Adams, the taxpayer is facing a 17 count superseding indictment in which the government alleges he spearheaded a scheme to defraud investors in two companies and to embezzle corporate funds for his personal benefit. In late 2017, the government added three counts of tax evasion to the indictment, alleging that amended returns the taxpayer filed in late 2011 for the 2008, 2009 and 2010 tax years were willfully false under IRC § 7206(1).
The addition of the tax evasion charges is significant for the government’s arguments for waiver of privilege and work-product protection. It appears that the taxpayer filed the amended returns at issue in late 2011 under advice of counsel, working with the taxpayer’s accountant under a Kovel arrangement. (We have previously discussed the scope of Kovel protections here.) In our experience, filing of amended returns in advance of a criminal investigation or trial is one potential strategy to demonstrate good faith and lack of criminal intent and, if combined with payment, amended returns may have the added benefit of reducing the tax loss at issue in a criminal case. Of course, every case is different, but it appears this may have been the strategy at work in Adams.(more…)
Andy Roberson, Kevin Spencer and Emily Mussio recently authored an article for Law360 entitled, “A Look At Tax Code Section 199’s Last Stand.” The article discusses the IRS’s contentious history in handling Code Section 199 and the taxpayers’ continued battle to claim the benefit – even after its recent repeal.
Presented below is our summary of significant Internal Revenue Service (IRS) guidance and relevant tax matters for the week of October 29 – November 2, 2018:
October 30, 2018: The IRS issued a notice of public hearing on November 28, 2018, regarding the proposed regulations the first-year additional depreciation deductions under section 168(k).
October 30, 2018: The IRS Large Business and International Division in an announcement identified five compliance campaigns it approved, which are Individual Foreign Tax Credit Phase II, Offshore Service Providers, FATCA Filing Accuracy, 1120-F Delinquent Returns Campaign and Work Opportunity Tax Credit. We recently blogged about this here.
October 31, 2018: The IRS and the Treasury submitted proposed regulations that would reduce the amount determined under Internal Revenue Code Section 956 with respect to certain domestic corporations.
November 2, 2018: The IRS released its weekly list of written determinations (e.g., Private Letter Rulings, Technical Advice Memorandum and Chief Counsel Advice).
Special thanks to Alex Cheng-Yi Lee in our DC office for this week’s roundup.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Large Business and International (LB&I) Division continues to churn out new audit “campaigns.” The most recent announcement on October 30, 2018, identifies five new campaigns, which were identified through LB&I data analysis and suggestions from IRS employees. With the addition of these new campaigns, LB&I has now identified 50 campaigns since the program’s initial release on January 13, 2017.
The five new LB&I campaigns are listed verbatim by title and description.
Individual Foreign Tax Credit Phase II
Section 901 of the Internal Revenue Code alleviates double taxation through a dollar-for-dollar credit against U.S. tax on foreign-sourced income in the amount of foreign taxes paid on that income.
Individuals who meet certain requirements may qualify for the foreign tax credit. This campaign addresses taxpayers who have claimed the credit but do not meet the requirements. The IRS will address noncompliance through a variety of treatment streams, including examination. (more…)
Presented below is our summary of significant Internal Revenue Service (IRS) guidance and relevant tax matters for the week of October 22 – 26, 2018:
October 23, 2018: The IRS released an updated Form 1040 Schedule B for reporting interest and ordinary dividends and draft Form 1120 Schedule D instructions for reporting capital gains and losses. Both documents include changes made to reflect the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
October 25, 2018: The IRS released IRS Tax Reform Tax Tip 2018-166, which advises business owners of the basics regarding potential deductions under Internal Revenue Code Section 199A for domestic businesses operated as sole proprietorships or through partnerships, S corporations, trusts and estates.
October 25, 2018: The IRS released Internal Revenue Bulletin 2018-44, dated October 29, 2018, which includes REG-104872-18, Notice 2018-82 and Revenue Procedure 2018-51.
October 26, 2018: The IRS released its weekly list of written determinations (e.g., Private Letter Rulings, Technical Advice Memorandum and Chief Counsel Advice).
Special thanks to Alex Cheng-Yi Lee in our DC office for this week’s roundup.
Presented below is our summary of significant Internal Revenue Service (IRS) guidance and relevant tax matters for the week of October 15 – 19, 2018:
October 16, 2018: The IRS issued Rev. Proc. 2018-54, which sets forth procedural rules for certain taxpayers that hold investments in one or more segregated asset accounts to elect to treat certain mortgage-backed securities as having deemed issuers for purposes of the diversification requirements of Internal Revenue Code (Code) Section 817(h).
October 17, 2018: The IRS, in Qualified Intermediaries News, reminded entities seeking Qualified Intermediary, Withholding Partnership or Withholding Foreign Trust status with a withholding agreement effective in 2018 that the deadline for submitting the applications is November 16, 2018.
October 18, 2018: The IRS issued Notice 2018-81, which describes the manner in which taxpayers should notify the IRS of revocation of an election to aggregate or disaggregate certain church-related organizations from treatment as a single employer under Code Section 414(c)(2)(C) and (D).
October 18, 2018: The IRS issued Notice 2018-84, which clarifies the suspension of the personal exemption deduction in the newly-added section 151(d)(5) under certain rules in section 36B and section 6011.
October 19, 2018: The IRS issued proposed regulations for investment in opportunity zones, providing guidance on under new Code Section 1400Z-2 relating to gains that may be deferred as a result of a taxpayer’s investment in a qualified opportunity fund.
October 19, 2018: The IRS issued Rev. Rul. 2018-19, which provides guidance on the requirement of original use with respect to land purchased after 2017 in qualified opportunity zones.
October 19, 2018: The IRS released its weekly list of written determinations (e.g., Private Letter Rulings, Technical Advice Memorandum and Chief Counsel Advice).
Special thanks to Alex Cheng-Yi Lee in our DC office for this week’s roundup.
Presented below is our summary of significant Internal Revenue Service (IRS) guidance and relevant tax matters for the week of October 8 – 12, 2018:
October 8, 2018: IRS issued a special update in Questions and Answers about Reporting Related to Section 965 on 2017 Tax Returns, providing that transfer agreements under Prop. Reg. § 1.965-7 filed in accordance with the future guidance after the deadline, October 9, 2018, will nevertheless be considered timely filed.
October 9, 2018: IRS advised small business owners and self-employed individuals to use the resources it has provided, including a fact sheet highlighting the changes by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act affecting them, to understand their tax responsibilities.
October 12, 2018: IRS released proposed regulations scheduled to be published in the Federal Register on October 17, 2018, which clarify how taxpayers may waive penalties for low-dollar mistakes as a result of incorrect information returns or inaccurate payee statements.
October 12, 2018: IRS filed proposed regulations removing Treas. Reg. § 1.451-5, which currently allow taxpayers to defer the inclusion of income from advance payments for goods and long-term contracts. Comments and public hearing requests are due by January 14, 2019.
October 12, 2018: The IRS released its weekly list of written determinations (e.g., Private Letter Rulings, Technical Advice Memorandum and Chief Counsel Advice).
Special thanks to Alex Cheng-Yi Lee in our DC office for this week’s roundup.
Presented below is our summary of significant Internal Revenue Service (IRS) guidance and relevant tax matters for the week of October 1 – 5, 2018:
October 1, 2018: The IRS announced in Notice 2018-78 that the deadline for the basis election under Treas. Reg. § 1.965-2 was extended from prior to the publication of final Internal Revenue Code (Code) Section 965 regulations to 90 days after the issuance of the final Code Section 965 regulations.
October 3, 2018: The IRS issued Rev. Proc. 2018-53, which sets out the procedure for taxpayers requesting private letter rulings with respect to divisive reorganizations under Code Sections 355 and 368(a)(1)(D).
October 3, 2018: The IRS issued Notice 2018-76 providing transitional guidance on the deductibility of expenses for certain business meals under Code Section 274 in an entertainment context and stated that it intended to publish proposed regulations on the matter. For more information, see our post here.
October 4, 2018: The IRS released a reminder that calendar-year taxpayers who placed qualifying property in service during 2017 but intend to elect not to claim the new 100 percent depreciation deduction under Code Section 168(k) must file the election before October 15, 2018.
October 5, 2018: The IRS released its weekly list of written determinations (e.g., Private Letter Rulings, Technical Advice Memorandum and Chief Counsel Advice).
Special thanks to Alex Lee in our DC office for this week’s roundup.
Subscribe
