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Weekly IRS Roundup July 15 – July 19, 2024

by Evan Walters, Kevin Spencer and Sama Kaseer | Jul 26, 2024 | IRS Guidance, Tax Reform

Check out our summary of significant Internal Revenue Service (IRS) guidance and relevant tax matters for the week of July 15, 2024 – July 19, 2024.

July 15, 2024: The IRS released Internal Revenue Bulletin 2024-29, which includes:

Announcement 2024-29, which revokes the Internal Revenue Code (Code) 501(c)(3) determination for specified organizations and stipulates that contributions made to said organizations by individual donors are no longer deductible under Code § 170(b)(1)(A).

July 15, 2024: The IRS warned taxpayers about social media promotions of a non-existent “Self Employment Tax Credit” that are misleading individuals into improperly claiming the Paid Sick and Family Leave Credit that is intended for employees, not self-employed taxpayers.

July 16, 2024: The IRS released Revenue Ruling 2024-15, which provides the August 2024 applicable federal rates.

July 16, 2024: The IRS warned tax professionals about ongoing threats of phishing emails and cloud-based attacks aimed at stealing sensitive taxpayer information.

July 17, 2024: The IRS updated the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) website to require users to establish multifactor authentication when registering to enhance identity verification. This change, effective as of July 14, 2024, mandates taxpayers to use IRS service providers Login.gov or ID.me to access their FATCA accounts.

July 19, 2024: The IRS released Notice 2024-59, which provides the 24-month average corporate bond segment rates for July 2024, yield curve and segment rates for single-employer plans, and 30-year Treasury securities interest rates.

July 19, 2024: The IRS issued proposed regulations and final regulations on the rules for required minimum distributions from retirement plans under Code § 401(a)(9). The final regulations largely adhere to the previously proposed rules, including the requirement for certain beneficiaries to continue receiving annual distributions until the end of the 10-year period, and will take effect on September 17, 2024.

July 19, 2024: The IRS released its weekly list of written determinations (e.g., Private Letter Rulings, Technical Advice Memorandums and Chief Counsel Advice).

Weekly IRS Roundup April 22 – April 26, 2024

by Kevin Spencer, Evan Walters and Jeremy Kass | May 2, 2024 | IRS Guidance, Tax Reform, Tax Refunds

Check out our summary of significant Internal Revenue Service (IRS) guidance and relevant tax matters for the week of April 22, 2024 – April 26, 2024.

April 22, 2024: The IRS released Internal Revenue Bulletin 2024-17, which includes the following:

Proposed regulations, which would facilitate the transfer of tax return information to the US Census Bureau and permit the disclosure of additional tax return information to the US Secretary of Commerce.
Announcement 2024-19, which provides guidance on the federal income tax treatment for amounts paid toward the purchase of energy efficient property and improvements under the US Department of Energy’s Home Energy Rebates program pursuant to the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.

April 22, 2024: The IRS encouraged tax professionals to register for the 2024 IRS Nationwide Tax Forum, which is coming to Chicago, Orlando, Baltimore, Dallas and San Diego this summer.

April 23, 2024: The IRS announced that it will accept applications for Low Income Taxpayer Clinic matching grants until June 12, 2024. Funding and performance of these grants will occur from January 1, 2025, to December 31, 2025.

April 23, 2024: The IRS reminded taxpayers that it offers resources to help those who may be unable to pay their tax bill in total and that payments are still due by the April 15 deadline, even if a taxpayer requested an extension to file a tax return.

April 24, 2024: The IRS announced the formation of a new Alternative Dispute Resolution Program Management Office, which will collaborate with the IRS Business Operating Divisions to help taxpayers resolve tax disputes earlier and more efficiently.

April 24, 2024: The IRS reminded taxpayers to consider applying for an offer in compromise, which settles a tax debt for less than the full amount owed, if they cannot pay their full tax debt or if paying would cause financial hardship.

April 25, 2024: The IRS issued final regulations on the transfer of the eligible manufacturing investment, clean energy investment and production tax credits, including specific rules for partnerships and S corporations.

April 25, 2024: The IRS advised taxpayers that they can file an amended federal tax return if they discover a math error, missing income or another mistake.

April 25, 2024: The IRS announced that it will create new, fully electronic processes and systems, update legacy systems, and improve compliance and fraud mitigation.

April 26, 2024: The IRS announced the closure of the Direct File pilot, with several hundred thousand taxpayers across 12 states signing up for Direct File accounts and more than 140,000 taxpayers filing their federal tax returns using the new service.

April 26, 2024: The IRS reminded taxpayers that they have the right to a fair and just tax system under the
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Weekly IRS Roundup October 3 – October 7, 2022

by McDermott Will & Emery | Oct 10, 2022 | IRS Appeals, IRS Guidance, Tax Reform, Tax Refunds

Presented below is our summary of significant Internal Revenue Service (IRS) guidance and relevant tax matters for the week of October 3, 2022 – October 7, 2022.

October 3, 2022: The IRS released Internal Revenue Bulletin 2022-40, which highlights the following:

Notice 2022-40: This notice provides updates on the corporate bond monthly yield curve and corresponding spot segment rates and the 24-month average segment rates for September 2022. The notice also provides guidance as to interest rates on 30-year Treasury securities and 30-year Treasury weighted average rates.

Notice 2022-39: This notice provides rules related to the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. Claimants must follow this guidance in order to make a one-time claim for the credit and payment allowable for alternative fuels sold or used during the first, second and third calendar quarters of 2022.

Revenue Procedure 2022-35: This guidance adds Turkey to the list of jurisdictions that the US Department of the Treasury (Treasury) and the IRS have a relevant information exchange agreement with. The agreement relates to information collected under Treas. Reg. §§ 1.6049-8 and 1.6049-4(b)(5), with respect to certain deposit interest paid to residents of the jurisdictions.

Revenue Procedure 2022-36: This ruling provides the domestic asset/liability percentages and domestic investment yields needed by foreign life insurance companies and foreign property and liability insurance companies to compute their minimum effectively connected net investment income under Section 842(b) for taxable years beginning in 2021.

Revenue Ruling 2022-18: This ruling provides the federal rates, adjusted federal rates, adjusted federal long-term rate and long-term tax-exempt rate for October 2022.

October 3, 2022: The IRS released Tax Tip 2022-151, providing information on the tax implications when someone is employed by a family member. The list includes married people in business together, children employed by their parents and parents employed by their child.

October 4, 2022: The IRS announced that the IRS Independent Office of Appeals (IRS Appeals) made two revisions to its initial contact letters in response to feedback from taxpayers and practitioners. The revised letters clarify that taxpayers and representatives can choose how they meet with IRS Appeals, whether it be by telephone, video or in-person. In addition, the initial contact letters now include the name and phone number of the IRS Appeals Officer’s manager. For more information, see our post here.

October 4, 2022: The IRS released Tax Tip 2022-152, reminding farmers and ranchers in drought stricken regions that they may have additional time to replace livestock and defer tax on any gains from the forced sales. Notice 2022-43 lists the applicable regions, counties and jurisdictions that are eligible for federal assistance. The relief extends to 44 states, two US territories and two independent nations and generally applies to capital gains realized on sales of livestock held [...]

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IRS Appeals Will Not Consider Regulatory Invalidity and Subregulatory Procedural Invalidity Challenges

by Kevin Spencer and McDermott Will & Emery | Sep 21, 2022 | Appellate Courts, Court Procedure Matters, IRS Appeals, IRS Guidance, Tax Reform, Trial Courts

In Mayo Found. for Med. Educ. & Rsch. v. United States, 131 S.Ct. 704 (2011), the Supreme Court of the United States made clear that administrative law rules apply to tax guidance like they do to other federal agency guidance. Since Mayo, the Supreme Court and other courts have provided further guidance—both in the tax and non-tax contexts—regarding the proper analysis in determining the validity of, and deference to, regulatory guidance.

Over the past decade, the number of taxpayer challenges to guidance issued by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), whether in the form of regulations or subregulatory guidance (i.e., revenue rulings, revenue procedures, notices and announcements), has increased significantly. These challenges have taken a variety of forms, such as regulatory invalidity under Chevron USA, Inc. v. NRDC, 467 U.S. 837 (1984) and procedural invalidity under the Administrative Procedure Act (APA). Some successful challenges to the validity of IRS guidance and the ability to challenge such guidance in a pre-enforcement context include CIC Servs., LLC v. IRS, 141 S.Ct. 1582 (2021); United States v. Home Concrete & Supply, LLC, 132 S.Ct. 1836 (2012); Mann Construction, Inc. v. Commissioner, 27 F. 4th 1138 (6th Cir. 2022); Good Fortune Shipping SA v. Commissioner, 897 F.3d 256 (2018) and Liberty Global, Inc. v. United States, No. 1:20-cv-03501-RBJ (D. Colo. 2022). Many other challenges are pending both at the administrative level and in court.

The IRS and the US Department of the Treasury (Treasury) have noticed the increase in challenges to its published guidance. One important change is the more detailed discussions in preambles to final regulations regarding comments received and how the IRS views and incorporates said comments. This is a welcome development, although sometimes a tortuous one for taxpayers who must wade through hundreds of pages of preambles in some regulation packages. Another change, and the subject of this post, is the IRS’s views on how to deal with such challenges during the administrative process.

A federal tax controversy can involve three levels of review: Examination, Appeals and litigation. At the Examination stage, revenue agents and other IRS personnel develop the facts and determine whether an adjustment is warranted. Importantly, “hazards of litigation” are not considered at the Examination level, meaning, issues are viewed as binary—in favor of the IRS or the taxpayer—and not negotiated as a percentage of the item. However, at the Appeals level, the Appeals team weighs “hazards of litigation” to determine whether a case can be settled by the parties. Hazards of litigation are also considered at the litigation level.

Validly promulgated tax regulations are approved at the highest levels of the IRS, Treasury generally carry the force and effect of law and are binding on taxpayers and the IRS. Subregulatory guidance is also approved at senior levels of the IRS and the Treasury. At the Examination level, the IRS will not entertain challenges to the validity of [...]

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Weekly IRS Roundup February 25 – March 1, 2019

by McDermott Will & Emery | Mar 4, 2019 | IRS Guidance, Tax Reform, Uncategorized

Presented below is our summary of significant Internal Revenue Service (IRS) guidance and relevant tax matters for the week of February 25 – March 1, 2019.

February 25, 2019: The IRS issued Revenue Ruling 2019-05, announcing the interest rates for underpayments and overpayments under section 6621 of the Code, applicable for the calendar quarter beginning April 1, 2019.

February 26, 2019: The IRS issued a news release as part of its new Tax Time Guide series, providing information and online resources to help taxpayers understand the changes made by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.

February 27, 2019: The IRS released final regulations amending the utility allowance regulations concerning the low-income housing credit under section 42 of the Code.

February 27, 2019: The IRS issued a news release reminding taxpayers who owe federal taxes about potential restrictions on their ability to obtain or renew passports.

February 27, 2019: The IRS scheduled a public hearing for March 14, 2019, on the proposed regulations implementing the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act as it relates to the foreign tax credit.

February 28, 2019: The IRS issued Notice 2019-17, providing relief from underpayment penalties to farmers and fishermen in certain circumstances.

February 28, 2019: The IRS issued a news release as part of its new Tax Time Guide series, providing information and online resources to taxpayers about how to check refund status or pay additional tax owed.

March 1, 2019: The IRS released its weekly list of written determinations (e.g., Private Letter Rulings, Technical Advice Memorandums and Chief Counsel Advice).

Special thanks to Le Chen in our DC office for this week’s roundup.

Weekly IRS Roundup January 14 – 18, 2019

by McDermott Will & Emery | Jan 22, 2019 | IRS Guidance, Tax Reform, Uncategorized

Presented below is our summary of significant Internal Revenue Service (IRS) guidance and relevant tax matters for the week of January 14 – 18, 2019.

January 15, 2019: The IRS issued final regulations implementing the transition tax under section 965 of the Code, enacted as part of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.

January 15, 2019: The IRS released an updated contingency plan describing its actions and activities in light of the partial federal government shutdown.

January 16, 2019: The IRS released Notice 2019-11, providing a penalty waiver, under certain conditions, for an individual taxpayer’s underpayment of withholding and estimated income tax, in light of the major changes made by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.

January 18, 2019: The IRS issued final regulations providing guidance on the deduction for qualified business income under section 199A of the Code, enacted as part of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.

January 18, 2019: The IRS released proposed regulations dealing with previously suspended losses and ownership interests in certain entities for purposes of calculating the deduction under section 199A of the Code, enacted as part of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.

January 18, 2019: The IRS released Revenue Procedure 2019-11, providing methods for calculating W-2 wages for purposes of the deduction under section 199A of the Code, enacted as part of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.

January 18, 2019: The IRS released Notice 2019-07, proposing a safe harbor for rental real estate enterprises for purposes of the deduction under section 199A of the Code, enacted as part of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.

Special thanks to Le Chen in our DC office for this week’s roundup.

Weekly IRS Roundup July 30 – August 3, 2018

by McDermott Will & Emery | Aug 7, 2018 | IRS Guidance, Uncategorized

Presented below is our weekly roundup for July 30 – August 3, 2018 on significant IRS guidance and relevant tax matters.

July 31, 2018: In Notice 2018-58, the IRS stated that it intends to issue regulations clarifying new rules governing section 529 contributions.

July 31, 2018: The IRS published three new frequently asked questions (Certifications and Period Reviews FAQs 14-16) regarding Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) compliance for qualified intermediaries and qualified derivatives dealers related to account documentation review.

August 1, 2018: The IRS issued proposed regulations addressing the one-time section 965 “transition tax” imposed on US shareholders of certain foreign corporations.

August 1, 2018: Final regulations granted taxpayers a single non-automatic 30-day extension to file Form W-2.

August 2, 2018: A report published by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) made eight recommendations to the IRS for improving security over taxpayer data.

August 3, 2018: The IRS released proposed regulations under section 168(k), providing guidance regarding the additional first-year depreciation deduction for certain property placed in service between September 28, 2017 and December 31, 2022. The proposed regulations address the interaction of section 168(k) and certain partnership tax rules as well as other topics.

Special thanks to Kevin Hall in our DC office for this week’s roundup.

Weekly IRS Roundup July 9 – 13, 2018

by McDermott Will & Emery | Jul 16, 2018 | IRS Guidance, Uncategorized

Presented below is our weekly roundup for July 9 – 13, 2018 on significant IRS matters.

July 9, 2018: The IRS released Internal Revenue Bulletin No. 2018-28 including: Notice 2018-48 (lists the population census tracts designated as qualified opportunity zones); Notice 2018-59 (provides two methods for taxpayers to begin construction for the investment tax credit under Section 48); Announcement 2018-11 (Office of Professional Responsibility [OPR] announces recent disciplinary sanctions); Rev. Rul. 2018-20 (rendering obsolete several previous revenue rulings); and Rev. Proc. 2018-35 (modifying Rev. Proc. 2018-31 regarding accounting methods for citrus plant replanting costs).

July 11, 2018: The IRS issued final regulations (T.D. 9834) addressing inversion transactions structured to avoid the purposes of sections 7874 and 367 and other post-inversion tax avoidance transactions.

July 13, 2018: The IRS issued proposed regulations (REG-103474-18) related to the Code section 6695(g) return preparer penalty amending previous guidance to reflect changes made by 2017 federal tax reform.

July 13, 2018: The IRS released it weekly list of written determination (e.g., Private Letter Rulings, Technical Advice Memorandum and Chief Counsel Advice).

Special thanks to Christy Vouri-Misso and Greg Berson in our DC office for this week’s roundup.

The Slow Death of the Section 385 Regulations

by McDermott Will & Emery and McDermott Will & Emery | Nov 9, 2017 | IRS Guidance, Uncategorized

Internal Revenue Code (Code) Section 385 provides that the US Department of the Treasury (Treasury) is authorized to issue regulations to determine whether an interest in a corporation is to be treated for purposes of the Code as stock or indebtedness. After decades of inaction, proposed regulations were issued on April 14, 2016. The proposed regulations were not well-received; the tax bar had serious and substantial comments to the proposed regulations. Among the most important critiques, there were criticisms for the potential overbreadth of the regulations’ application to foreign-to-foreign transactions, the lack of a de minimis exception for smaller companies and for the anticipated burden of the contemporaneous documentation requirements.

Treasury released final regulations under Code Section 385, which are effective as of October 21, 2016. Although the proposed regulations were changed in some respects, the final regulations retained strict documentation requirements.

In Executive Order 13789, the President called on Treasury to identify and reduce tax regulatory burdens that impose undue financial burdens on US taxpayers, or otherwise add undue complexity to federal tax law. In response, Treasury indicated on October 2, 2017, that it would potentially revoke the documentation requirements under the proposed regulations. (more…)

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