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Weekly IRS Roundup August 23 – August 27, 2021

by McDermott Will & Emery | Aug 30, 2021 | IRS Guidance, Tax Reform

Presented below is our summary of significant Internal Revenue Service (IRS) guidance and relevant tax matters for the week of August 23, 2021 – August 27, 2021. Additionally, for continuing updates on the tax impact of COVID-19, please visit our resource page here.

August 23, 2021: The IRS announced that the application period for the 2022 Compliance Assurance Process (CAP) program will run September 1 to November 1, 2021. Acceptance notices will be delivered in February 2022. The CAP program employs real-time issue resolution between taxpayers and the IRS to improve federal tax compliance by resolving problems prior to the filing of a tax return. To be eligible, applicants must: (1) have assets worth $10 million or more; (2) be a US publicly traded corporation with a legal requirement to prepare and submit US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K and (3) not under investigation by—or in litigation with—any government agency that would limit the IRS’s access to current tax records. The IRS’s CAP webpage can be found here.

August 25, 2021: The IRS announced that interest rates for the calendar quarter starting October 1, 2021, will remain the same and will be issued in Rev. Rul. 2021-17, dated September 13, 2021.

August 27, 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 Emily Mussio in our Chicago office for this week’s roundup.

When Virtual Currency Positions Are Subject to the Wash Sales Rule

by McDermott Will & Emery | Aug 19, 2020 | IRS Guidance, Tax Reform

Under the wash sales rule, taxpayers cannot deduct a loss on the sale of stock or securities if the taxpayer purchases the same or substantially similar assets a short time before or after the sale that triggered the loss. This article examines possible application of the wash sales rule to virtual currencies.

Access the full article here.

Can a Virtual Currency Position Be Treated as a Security for Tax Purposes?

by McDermott Will & Emery | Aug 12, 2020 | IRS Guidance, Tax Reform

Some virtual currency units and positions are treated as securities by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and US courts. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS), however, has told taxpayers that it views convertible virtual currency as property, not foreign currency, for federal tax purposes. Lacking clear guidance from the IRS or the Department of the Treasury, this article addresses issues that may help determine whether Internal Revenue Code provisions that apply to securities might also apply to transactions involving virtual currencies and positions.

Access the full article here.