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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 29 – May 3, 2024

by Kevin Spencer, Evan Walters and Jeremy Kass | May 7, 2024 | IRS Guidance, Tax Reform

Check out our summary of significant Internal Revenue Service (IRS) guidance and relevant tax matters for the week of April 29, 2024 – May 3, 2024.

April 29, 2024: The IRS released Internal Revenue Bulletin 2024-18, which includes the following:

Notice 2024-33, which provides a limited waiver of the addition to tax under Section 6655 of the Internal Revenue Code (Code) to the extent the addition to tax would be attributable to an underpayment of estimated corporate alternative minimum tax under Section 55 due April 15, 2024.
Notice 2024-34, which provides guidance on the corporate bond monthly yield curve, the corresponding spot segment rates used under Section 417(e)(3) of the Code, the 24-month average segment rates under Section 430(h)(2), the interest rate on 30-year Treasury securities under Section 417(e)(3)(A)(ii)(II) as in effect for plan years beginning before 2008, and the 30-year Treasury weighted average rate under Section 431(c)(6)(E)(ii)(I).

April 29, 2024: The IRS issued Notice 2024-36, which provides guidance on the procedures for allocating credits under Section 48C and announces a second round of credits under Section 48C(e) for participation in the Qualifying Advanced Energy Project Credit program.

April 29, 2024: The IRS reminded small businesses to take advantage of the many tax resources available to them through the Small Business and Self-Employed Tax Center on IRS.gov.

April 30, 2024: The IRS announced that it is accepting applications for Tax Counseling for the Elderly and Volunteer Income Tax Assistance grants, which allows eligible organizations to apply for annual funding to provide free federal tax return preparation assistance for up to three years.

April 30, 2024: The IRS issued Notice 2024-37, which provides additional guidance and safe harbors regarding sustainable aviation fuel credits under Sections 40B and 6426(k) of the Code.

May 1, 2024: The IRS warned taxpayers and tax professionals about common scams and schemes, including online account help from third-party scammers, phishing, unscrupulous tax return preparers, offer in compromise mills and employee retention credit scams.

May 1, 2024: The IRS encouraged entrepreneurs to put data security safeguards in place to protect their financial, personal and employee information from scams and cybercriminals.

May 1, 2024: The IRS reminded taxpayers that it provides relief when an emergency measures declaration is issued, supplementing governmental efforts to provide emergency services. The IRS also provides relief when a major disaster declaration offering “individual assistance” is issued, which allows individuals and households to apply to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for financial and direct services.

May 1, 2024: The IRS issued Revenue Procedure 2024-24, which outlines procedures for requesting private letter rulings involving “spin-off” transactions subject to Section 355. Notice 2024-38, issued in conjunction with Revenue Procedure 2024-24, requests feedback on these procedures.

May 1, 2024: The IRS reminded taxpayers to [...]

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Weekly IRS Roundup January 22 – January 26, 2024

by Kevin Spencer, Evan Walters and Jeremy Kass | Jan 30, 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 January 22, 2024 – January 26, 2024.

January 22, 2024: The IRS released Internal Revenue Bulletin 2024-4, which includes Revenue Procedure 2024-8. This revenue procedure lists qualified census tracts used to determine income limits for targeted area residences for purposes of Internal Revenue Code (Code) § 143(a), dealing with qualified mortgage bonds, and Code § 25(c), dealing with mortgage credit certificates.

January 22, 2024: The IRS announced that individuals and businesses in parts of Connecticut affected by severe storms, flooding and a potential dam breach that began on January 10 now have until June 17, 2024, to file various federal individual and business tax returns and make tax payments.

January 22, 2024: The IRS reminded taxpayers that they must disclose whether they received or disposed of digital assets, such as cryptocurrency, on their 2023 personal income tax returns.

January 22, 2024: The IRS announced that IRS Free File is now available for the 2024 filing season. IRS Free File is generally available to taxpayers with adjusted gross income of $79,000 or less. Additional information can be accessed here.

January 23, 2024: The IRS announced that work is underway on the Simple Notice Initiative, which will review and redesign various IRS notices. The IRS intends to focus first on the notices that are most commonly sent to individual taxpayers.

January 23, 2024: The IRS published a Request for Information from the US Department of the Treasury, Employee Benefits Security Administration, US Department of Labor, and Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation following the directive provided under the SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022 to review the existing reporting and disclosure requirements for retirement plans. Comments are due by April 22, 2024, and each agency will be required to report to US Congress on December 29, 2025. Reports will offer recommendations for simplifying, standardizing and improving reporting and disclosure requirements.

January 25, 2024: The IRS issued Notice 2024-23, which provides special relief under Code § 529 for certain rollovers to or from Maryland Prepaid College Trust (MPCT) accounts. Due to accounting discrepancies and administrative issues, access to MPCT interest earnings was frozen in April 2022 and restored in July 2023. As a result of the freeze, many taxpayers executed a qualified rollover out of MPCT accounts. Notice 2024-23 permits taxpayers to transfer funds back into an MPCT account in a qualified rollover even though the transfer of funds out of the MPCT account may have occurred within 12 months of the transfer back into an MPCT account.

January 26, 2024: In the spirit of the IRS’s annual Earned Income Tax Credit Awareness Day outreach campaign, the IRS posted information on the Earned Income Tax Credit to help educate low- to middle-income taxpayers who may be eligible to [...]

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Weekly IRS Roundup December 12 – December 16, 2022

by McDermott Will & Emery | Dec 19, 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 December 12, 2022 – December 16, 2022.

December 12, 2022: The IRS released Internal Revenue Bulletin 2022-50, which highlights the following:

Revenue Procedure 2022-41: This guidance specifies when information shown on an income tax return will be an adequate disclosure for purposes of reducing an understatement of income tax under Section 6662(d) and for purposes of avoiding the Section 6694(a) preparer penalty. This revenue procedure updates Revenue Procedure 2021-52 and applies to any income tax return filed on 2022 tax forms for a taxable year beginning in 2022 and any income tax return filed in 2023 on 2022 tax forms for short taxable years beginning in 2023.

December 12, 2022: The IRS reminded people over the age of 72 to start withdrawals from individual retirement arrangements (IRAs) and retirement plans in order to avoid penalties. Required minimum distributions (RMDs) are the minimum amounts that many retirement plan and IRA account owners must withdraw annually after they reach age 72. Account owners can delay taking their first RMD until April 1 following the later of the calendar year in which they reach age 72 or, with a workplace retirement plan, when they retire. RMDs are taxable income and may be subject to penalties if not timely taken.

December 12, 2022: The IRS and the US Department of the Treasury (Treasury) announced a new revenue procedure that sets out key processes for manufacturers and sellers of clean vehicles. Revenue Procedure 2022-42 provides guidance on new rules added as part of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 on how to enter into a written agreement with the IRS to provide periodic written reports containing specified information related to a manufactured clean vehicle. The revenue procedure also provides the procedures for people selling vehicles to report information to the IRS in order for the vehicle to be eligible for the credit.

December 13, 2022: The IRS urged families and people paying for disability-related expenses to consider using an Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) savings account. ABLE accounts do not affect a person’s eligibility for government assistance programs and can also provide tax advantages.

December 13, 2022: The IRS released Revenue Procedure 2022-43, which sets out the final qualified intermediary withholding agreement (QI agreement) entered into under Section 1.1441-1(e)(5) of the regulations, which begins on January 1, 2023. The QI agreement allows certain people to enter into an agreement with the IRS to simplify their obligations as withholding agents and as payors for amounts paid to their account holders and allows certain people to act as qualified derivatives dealers and assume primary withholding and reporting responsibilities on all dividend equivalent payments they make.

December 14, 2022: The IRS Independent Office of Appeals selected Elizabeth (Liz) [...]

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Weekly IRS Roundup February 20 – February 26, 2022

by McDermott Will & Emery | Feb 28, 2022 | 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 February 20, 2022 – February 26, 2022. Additionally, for continuing updates on the tax impact of COVID-19, please visit our resource page here.

February 22, 2022: The IRS issued a correction to final regulations published on January 25, 2022, relating to the treatment of domestic partnerships that hold stock in foreign corporations.

February 22, 2022: The IRS issued a news release announcing the release of an updated list containing information about Low Income Taxpayer Clinics available around the country.

February 23, 2022: The IRS issued Revenue Ruling 2022-05 and an accompanying news release, setting forth the overpayment and underpayment interest rates under Section 6621 of the Code for Q2 2022.

February 24, 2022: The IRS issued final regulations relating to required minimum distributions under Section 401 of the Code with respect to certain employee pension and retirement plans.

February 24, 2022: The IRS issued a further correction to final regulations published on January 25, 2022, relating to the treatment of domestic partnerships that hold stock in foreign corporations.

February 24, 2022: The IRS issued a news release promoting its “Where’s My Refund?” online and mobile tools as ways for taxpayers to check on the status of their tax refunds.

February 24, 2022: The IRS issued a news release, providing an update to a Fact Sheet containing answers to frequently asked questions regarding the Premium Tax Credit under Section 36B of the Code, as expanded by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA).

February 25, 2022: 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 Washington, DC, office for this week’s roundup.

Weekly IRS Roundup July 12 – July 16, 2021

by McDermott Will & Emery | Jul 19, 2021 | 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 July 12, 2021 – July 16, 2021. Additionally, for continuing updates on the tax impact of COVID-19, please visit our resource page here.

July 12, 2021: The IRS issued a news release announcing the launch of a Spanish-language version of the Child Tax Credit Eligibility Assistant, an online tool designed to assist families in determining their eligibility for advance payments of the Child Tax Credit.

July 13, 2021: The IRS issued a news release announcing the imminent issuance of another round of tax refunds to taxpayers who paid taxes on unemployment compensation in 2020, pursuant to the retroactive exclusion of such compensation from 2020 taxable income under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.

July 14, 2021: The IRS issued a news release announcing the start of a summer campaign by the Security Summit, a partnership between the IRS, state tax agencies and private organizations to raise awareness within the tax community about identity theft and data security.

July 15, 2021: The IRS issued Revenue Ruling 2021-14, providing various prescribed interest rates for federal income tax purposes for August 2021.

July 15, 2021: The IRS issued Notice 2021-44, providing the monthly update to certain interest rates used for pension plan funding and distribution purposes.

July 15, 2021: The IRS issued a news release announcing the disbursement of the July round of advance payments of the Child Tax Credit, consisting of approximately 35 million payments worth approximately $15 billion.

July 16, 2021: The IRS issued Revenue Procedure 2021-30, updating the procedures for the correction programs under the Employee Plans Compliance Resolution System (EPCRS), a program for retirement plans to come into compliance with certain requirements under sections 401, 403 and 408 of the Code.

July 16, 2021: 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 Washington, DC, office for this week’s roundup.

Weekly IRS Roundup December 21 – December 26, 2020

by McDermott Will & Emery | Dec 30, 2020 | IRS Guidance, Tax Reform

Presented below is our summary of significant Internal Revenue Service (IRS) guidance and relevant tax matters for the week of December 21 – December 26, 2020. Additionally, for continuing updates on the tax impact of COVID-19, please visit our resource page here.

December 21, 2020: The IRS released TD 9941 containing final regulations regarding the timing of income inclusion under an accrual method of accounting, including the treatment of advance payments for goods, services and certain other items.

December 22, 2020: The IRS issued Notice 21-02 providing the standard mileage rate for 2021.

December 22, 2020: The IRS issued Notice 21-03 extending temporary relief from the physical presence requirement for spousal consents under certain qualified retirement plans.

December 22, 2020: The IRS issued Notice 21-04 extending temporary relief for certain dyed fuel removals related to the West Shore Pipeline shutdown.

December 23, 2020: The IRS released TD 9942 containing final regulations implementing simplifications to certain tax accounting provisions for certain businesses with annual gross receipts less than $25 million (as adjusted for inflation).

December 24, 2020: The IRS released its weekly list of written determinations (e.g., Private Letter Rulings, Technical Advice Memorandums and Chief Counsel Advice).

December 26, 2020: The IRS released Internal Revenue Bulletin 2020-53, dated December 28, 2020, containing the following highlights: Rev. Proc. 2020-55 (Administrative); Notice 2020-88 (Administrative, Income Tax); Rev. Proc. 2020-54 (Administrative, Income Tax); Notice 2020-86 (Employee Plans); Notice 2020-87 (Employee Plans); Notice 2020-78 (Income Tax); TD 9921 (Income Tax).

Special thanks to Brian Moore in our Washington, DC, office for this week’s roundup.

Weekly IRS Roundup July 15 – July 19, 2024

Weekly IRS Roundup April 29 – May 3, 2024

Weekly IRS Roundup January 22 – January 26, 2024

Weekly IRS Roundup December 12 – December 16, 2022

Weekly IRS Roundup February 20 – February 26, 2022

Weekly IRS Roundup July 12 – July 16, 2021

Weekly IRS Roundup December 21 – December 26, 2020

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