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IRS Reminds Taxpayers of Upcoming Deadline to File for 2019 Tax Refunds

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued a news release reminding taxpayers to submit their 2019 income tax returns by July 17, 2023, to claim their refunds. Internal Revenue Code Section 6511 provides the period in which a taxpayer may request a refund or credit:

Claim for credit or refund of an overpayment of any tax imposed by this title in respect of which tax the taxpayer is required to file a return shall be filed by the taxpayer within 3 years from the time the return was filed or 2 years from the time the tax was paid, whichever of such periods expires the later, or if no return was filed by the taxpayer, within 2 years from the time the tax was paid.

Practice Point: There is a misconception that the IRS will automatically refund an overpayment to a taxpayer, however, that is not typically the case. Indeed, you may have an overpayment sitting in an account for a specific tax year (e.g., 2020) but the IRS will not typically provide notice of the overpayment. Many times, the only way to know whether you have a credit balance on an account is to request a transcript of the account (e.g., Form 945, 1040 or 1120) for a specific tax year. It’s good practice to request a transcript for a tax year before the period outlined in IRC Section 6511 has expired. That way you can file a claim for a refund before the period expires. If you don’t, the IRS can (and routinely does) take the overpayment.




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Weekly IRS Roundup May 30 – June 2, 2023

Check out our summary of significant Internal Revenue Service (IRS) guidance and relevant tax matters for the week of May 30, 2023 – June 2, 2023.

May 30, 2023: The IRS released Internal Revenue Bulletin 2023-22, which highlights the following:

  • Notice 2023-39: This notice describes proposed amendments to Section 148 that the US Department of the Treasury (Treasury) and the IRS intend to issue regarding an exception to arbitrage investment restrictions applicable to bonds on which the interest is excludable from gross income under Section 103(a) (tax-exempt bonds). Specifically, the forthcoming proposed regulations will amend Section 1.148-11(d)(1)(i)(F) regarding whether certain perpetual trust funds created and controlled by states that are pledged as credit enhancements to guarantee tax-exempt bonds will be treated as replacement proceeds of the guaranteed bonds for purposes of the arbitrage investment restrictions on tax-exempt bonds under Section 148.
  • Revenue Procedure 2023-23: This procedure provides the 2024 inflation-adjusted amounts for Health Savings Accounts as determined under Section 223, as well as the maximum amount that may be made newly available for excepted benefit health reimbursement arrangements provided under Section 54.9831-1(c)(3)(viii) of the Pension Excise Tax Regulations.
  • Notice 2023-40: This notice sets forth updates on the corporate bond monthly yield curve, the corresponding spot segment rates used under Sec. 417(e)(3)(D) and the 24-month average segment rates applicable for May 2023. This notice also provides the 30-year Treasury rates, as reflected by the application of Sec. 430(h)(2)(C)(iv).
  • Notice 2023-38: This notice provides the general rules taxpayers must satisfy to qualify for the domestic content bonus credit amounts and the related recordkeeping and certification requirements. The guidance also describes a safe harbor regarding the classification of certain components in representative types of qualified facilities, energy projects or energy storage technologies.

May 30, 2023: The IRS released Tax Tip 2023-73, reminding taxpayers that the extended deadline to file their 2019 tax returns for unclaimed refunds is July 17, 2023. Taxpayers usually have three years to file; however, the deadline was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

May 30, 2023: The IRS requested comments on Form 1041, U.S. Income Tax Return for Estates and Trusts, related Schedules D, I, J and K-1, and Form 1041-V. Comments should be received on or before July 31, 2023.

May 30, 2023: The IRS reminded taxpayers living and working abroad to file their 2022 federal income tax return by the June 15 deadline. This applies to both US citizens and resident aliens abroad, including those with dual citizenship.

May 31, 2023: The Treasury and the IRS announced guidance for applicants investing in solar- and wind-powered electricity generation facilities. Notice 2023-17 established the Low-Income Communities Bonus Credit Program back in February 2023 and provided initial guidance for potential applicants. The proposed regulations request comments on certain definitions [...]

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Weekly IRS Roundup May 22 – May 26, 2023

Check out our summary of significant Internal Revenue Service (IRS) guidance and relevant tax matters for the week of May 22, 2023 – May 26, 2023.

May 22, 2023: The IRS released Internal Revenue Bulletin 2023-21, which highlights the following:

  • Notice 2023-36: This notice from the US Department of the Treasury (Treasury) and the IRS invites recommendations for the 2023-2024 Priority Guidance Plan. The Priority Guidance Plan is used to identify and prioritize tax issues that should be addressed through regulations, revenue rulings, revenue procedures, notices and other published administrative guidance.
  • Announcement 2023-15: This announcement provides the revocation of IRC 501(c)(3) organizations for failure to meet the code section requirements. Contributions made to the organization by individual donors are no longer deductible under Section 170(c).
  • REG-124064-19: These proposed regulations related to Section 367(d), Rules for Certain Repatriations of Intangible Property, would (in certain instances) terminate the continued application of certain tax provisions after the previous transfer of intangible property to a foreign corporation when the intangible property is repatriated to certain US persons.

May 22, 2023: The IRS announced that interest rates will remain the same for the calendar quarter beginning July 1, 2023. Revenue Ruling 2023-11 establishes the interest rates as follows:

  • Overpayments: 7%
  • Overpayments for corporations: 6%
  • Corporate overpayments for portions exceeding $10,000: 4.5%
  • Underpayments: 7%
  • Large corporate underpayments: 9%

May 23, 2023: The IRS released Tax Tip 2023-70, reminding taxpayers that requesting an Identity Protection PIN can help stop identity thieves from filing fraudulent tax returns. An Identity Protection PIN is a six-digit number used to prove taxpayers’ identities when filing their federal tax returns.

May 24, 2023: The IRS released Tax Tip 2023-71, providing guidance on how taxpayers can best prepare to request an appeal after the IRS rejects an offer in compromise. After the IRS rejects an offer in compromise, taxpayers have 30 days to request an appeal of the decision.

May 25, 2023: The IRS renewed an alert for businesses to watch out for the telltale signs of misleading claims by aggressive promoters that misrepresent who can qualify for the Employee Retention Credit. The alert reminds taxpayers that businesses improperly claiming the credit must pay it back, possibly with penalties and interest.

May 25, 2023: The IRS released Notice 2023-43, which provides guidance with respect to Section 305 of the SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022. Section 305 provides for the expansion of the Employee Plans Compliance Resolution System, currently set forth in Revenue Procedure 2021-30. This notice provides interim guidance in advance of any updates to Revenue Procedure 2021-31 and is not intended to be comprehensive.

May 25, 2023: The IRS released Tax Tip 2023-72, announcing that improvements to IRS phone service and online options are coming as a result of the Inflation [...]

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Weekly IRS Roundup May 15 – May 19, 2023

Check out our summary of significant Internal Revenue Service (IRS) guidance and relevant tax matters for the week of May 15, 2023 – May 19, 2023.

May 15, 2023: The IRS released Internal Revenue Bulletin 2023-20, which highlights the following:

  • Announcement 2023-16: The IRS announced that it will no longer conduct public hearings on notices of proposed rulemaking solely by telephone for proposed regulations that are published in the Federal Register after May 11, 2023. The change comes with the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. A telephonic option will remain available for those who prefer to attend or testify at a public hearing by telephone.

May 15, 2023: The IRS released a letter from Commissioner Daniel Werfel to the US Senate regarding the request for information about racial disparity in the selection of tax returns for audit and the IRS’s plan to address the issue.

May 15, 2023: The IRS released Tax Tip 2023-67, announcing that tax relief is available for people living in areas that are declared disasters by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Click here to find out which areas qualify for federal disaster relief.

May 15, 2023: The IRS released Notice 2023-40, which provides the corporate bond monthly yield curve and corresponding spot segment rates and the 24-month average segment rates for May 2023. This notice also provides guidance as to interest rates on 30-year Treasury securities and 30-year Treasury weighted average rates.

May 15, 2023: The IRS released Revenue Ruling 2023-10, providing the applicable federal rates for federal income tax purposes for June 2023. The short-term federal interest rate is 4.43%, the mid-term rate will drop to 3.56% and the long-term rate is 3.79%.

May 16, 2023: The IRS released Tax Tip 2023-68, reminding taxpayers that installing solar panels or making other home improvements may qualify them for the home energy credit.

May 16, 2023: The IRS released Revenue Procedure 2023-23, which provides the 2024 inflation-adjusted amounts for Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) as determined under Section 223 and the maximum amount that may be made newly available for excepted benefit health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs) provided under Section 54.9831-1(c)(3)(viii) of the Pension Excise Tax Regulations.

May 16, 2023: The IRS announced the release of the IRS’s report from Commissioner Werfel evaluating the feasibility of providing taxpayers with a free Direct File option. The evaluation of the system focused on three areas: taxpayer opinions, cost and feasibility. The report also includes an analysis conducted by an independent third party. The IRS plans to pilot the project for the 2024 filing season.

May 17, 2023: The IRS released Tax Tip 2023-69, reminding taxpayers that emergency preparedness plans should include financial records and tax information.

May 19, 2023: The IRS released its weekly list of written determinations (e.g., Private [...]

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Weekly IRS Roundup May 8 – May 12, 2023

Check out our summary of significant Internal Revenue Service (IRS) guidance and relevant tax matters for the week of May 8, 2023 – May 12, 2023.

May 8, 2023: The IRS released Internal Revenue Bulletin 2023-19, which highlights the following:

  • Revenue Procedure 2023-22: This revenue procedure provides qualified mortgage bond issuers and mortgage credit certificate issuers with (1) the nationwide average purchase price for residences located in the United States, and (2) the average area purchase price safe harbors for residences located in statistical areas in each state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, the Virgin Islands and Guam.
  • Announcement 2023-14: This announcement provides the revocation of IRC 501(c)(3) Organizations for failure to meet the code section requirements. Contributions made to the organizations by individual donors are no longer deductible under IRC 170(b)(1)(A).
  • Notice 2023-34: This notice provides that convertible virtual currency should be treated as property for federal tax purposes and general tax principles applicable to property transactions apply to transactions using convertible virtual currency. This notice modifies Notice 2014-21 by revising a sentence in the background section to remove the statement that virtual currency does not have legal tender status in any jurisdiction, among other changes.
  • Revenue Procedure 2023-21: This revenue procedure 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 after December 31, 2021.
  • Revenue Ruling 2023-9: This revenue ruling provides the applicable federal rates for federal income tax purposes for May 2023. The short-term federal interest rate is 4.30%, the mid-term rate will drop to 3.57% and the long-term rate will fall to 3.72%

May 8, 2023: The IRS announced Saturday hours for May 13 in more than 40 locations across 25 states. The Saturday hours were to help taxpayers who may have a tax concern or questions about an IRS notice.

May 8, 2023: The IRS released Tax Tip 2023-63, providing IRS websites and other publications with tax-related disaster relief information that can help taxpayers.

May 9, 2023: The IRS announced that it will accept applications for Low Income Taxpayer Clinic (LITC) matching grants from May 8, 2023, to June 26, 2023. The funding will be for the 2023 calendar year. The IRS awards matching grants to qualifying organizations to develop, expand or maintain an LITC. An LITC must match every dollar of funding awarded by the IRS.

May 9, 2023: The IRS released Tax Tip 2023-64, highlighting the Taxpayer Bill of Rights and the right to challenge the IRS’s position.

May 10, 2023: The IRS released Notice 2023-39, which describes proposed amendments to [...]

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IRS Appeals Is Looking for Suggestions on Improving Conference Access

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has invited suggestions on improving conference options at the Independent Office of Appeals (IRS Appeals) for taxpayers and representatives who are not located near an IRS Appeals office. Specifically, IRS Appeals is inviting comments on:

  • Revising or replacing the “circuit riding” policy in IRM 8.6.1.5.1.1 to expand opportunities for timely in-person conferences for taxpayers living in certain states
  • Facilitating participation at in-person conferences when taxpayers and their representatives are not co-located
  • Best practices for conducting hybrid conferences, where some participants meet in person and others join by video or telephone
  • If a case must be transferred within IRS Appeals to facilitate an in-person conference, how best to avoid substantial delay in resolving the underlying tax dispute and
  • Encouraging participation in in-person and video conferences by taxpayers in historically marginalized communities or with limited English proficiency and ensuring accessibility by persons with disabilities.

Comments should be sent to ap.taxpayer.experience@irs.gov by July 10 for consideration.

Practice Point: COVID-19 prompted many modernizations at the IRS, including the expansion of remote technology resources. Taxpayers get to choose how to interact with IRS Appeals, but that choice, whether via telephone, video conference or in person, could impact their experience. Requests like these by the IRS are valuable opportunities that can affect how IRS Appeals operates in the future.




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Weekly IRS Roundup May 1 – May 5, 2023

Check out our summary of significant Internal Revenue Service (IRS) guidance and relevant tax matters for the week of May 1, 2023 – May 5, 2023.

May 1, 2023: The IRS released Internal Revenue Bulletin 2023-18, which highlights the following:

  • Announcement 2023-13: The Office of Professional Responsibility announced recent disciplinary sanctions involving lawyers, certified public accountants, enrolled agents, enrolled actuaries, enrolled retirement plan agents and appraisers.
  • Revenue Procedure 2023-15: This revenue procedure provides a safe harbor method of accounting that taxpayers may use to determine whether expenses to repair, maintain, replace or improve natural gas transmission and distribution property must be capitalized. This revenue procedure also provides procedures for obtaining automatic consent to change to the safe harbor method for linear property and non-linear property.
  • Notice 2023-33: This notice provides the corporate bond monthly yield curve and corresponding spot segment rates and the 24-month average segment rates for April 2023. This notice also provides guidance as to interest rates on 30-year Treasury securities and 30-year Treasury weighted average rates.
  • Revenue Ruling 2023-8: This revenue ruling obsoletes Revenue Ruling 58-74 relating to the deductibility of research or experimental expenditures for prior taxable years to which the expense method is applicable. There are insufficient facts in Revenue Ruling 58-74 to properly analyze whether a taxpayer’s failure to deduct certain research or experimental expenditures (when it deducted other research or experimental expenditures) constituted a method of accounting or an error.

May 1, 2023: The IRS released Tax Tip 2053-59, highlighting the Small Business Virtual Tax Workshop. This resource can help business owners learn how to navigate their federal tax responsibilities and is an easy and convenient way for both new and experienced small business owners to learn or review topics relevant to their businesses.

May 2, 2023: The IRS announced that Florida storm victims now have until August 15, 2023, to file various federal individual and business tax returns and make tax payments as a result of tornados, severe storms and flooding that occurred from April 12 to April 14, 2023. Relief is available to anyone in an area designated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as qualifying for individual or public assistance. The current list of eligible localities is available here.

May 2, 2023: The IRS released Tax Tip 2023-60, suggesting tools and resources to help small businesses.

May 2, 2023: The IRS urged business taxpayers to begin planning now to take advantage of tax benefits and to prepare for reporting changes that take effect in 2023. This reminder comes as part of National Small Business Week, where the IRS is joining the Small Business Administration and others in both the public and private sector to celebrate the hard work, ingenuity and dedication of small businesses and their contributions to [...]

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Weekly IRS Roundup April 24 – April 28, 2023

Check out our summary of significant Internal Revenue Service (IRS) guidance and relevant tax matters for the week of April 24, 2023 – April 28, 2023.

April 24, 2023: The IRS released Internal Revenue Bulletin 2023-17, which highlights the following:

  • REG 121709-19: This document provides proposed regulations regarding supervisory approval of penalties. The purpose is to address the uncertainty surrounding various aspects of supervisory approval of penalties due to recent judicial decisions.
  • Announcement 2023-12: This announcement informs taxpayers and practitioners that the IRS has revised Form 3115, Application for Change in Accounting Method, and its instructions. This announcement also provides guidance to allow for a reasonable period for taxpayers to transition to the December 2022 Form 3115.
  • Announcement 2023-11: This announcement notifies the public that a proposed regulation identifies certain micro-captive transactions as “listed transactions” and certain other micro-captive transactions as “transactions of interest.”
  • Revenue Procedure 2023-12: This revenue procedure modifies specific language in Revenue Procedure 2023-5 to allow for the new electronic submission process of Form 8940, Request for Miscellaneous Determination. This revenue procedure also provides a 90-day transition relief period, during which paper Forms 8940 and letter applications will be accepted and processed by EO Determinations.
  • Notice 2023-30: This notice publishes the safe harbor deed language for extinguishment and boundary line adjustment clauses required by Section 605(d)(1). This notice also clarifies the process certain donors may use to amend an easement deed to substitute the safe harbor language for the corresponding language in the original deed.
  • Announcement 2023-07: This announcement informs federal civilian employees and other civilians who received certain reimbursement payments in 2022 and 2023 from the US Department of Defense for lodging, meals, and personal property damage expenses after the release of petroleum from the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility on O‘ahu, Hawaii, that such payments are excludable from gross income for federal income tax purposes under Section 139.
  • REG 109309-22: These proposed regulations identify transactions that are the same as, or substantially similar to, certain micro-captive transactions as listed transactions and certain other micro-captive transactions as transactions of interest. The proposed regulations also provide guidance as to the reporting requirements for participants and material advisors to the transactions.

April 24, 2023: The IRS released Notice 2023-34, which provides that convertible virtual currency is treated as property for federal tax purposes and that general tax principles applicable to property transactions apply to transactions using convertible virtual currency. This notice modifies Notice 2014-21 by revising a sentence in the background section to remove the statement that virtual currency does not have legal tender status in any jurisdiction.

April 24, 2023: The IRS released Tax Tip 2023-55, reminding taxpayers that they don’t need to panic when they get a letter [...]

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Weekly IRS Roundup April 17 – April 21, 2023

Check out our summary of significant Internal Revenue Service (IRS) guidance and relevant tax matters for the week of April 17, 2023 – April 21, 2023.

April 17, 2023: The IRS released Internal Revenue Bulletin 2023-16, which highlights the following:

  • Announcement 2023-10: This announcement was issued pursuant to the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999, which requires the US Secretary of the Treasury to annually report advance pricing agreements and the Advance Pricing and Mutual Agreement Program (APMA Program). This year’s report describes the experience, structure and activities of the APMA Program during 2022.
  • REG-105954-22: This notice provides guidance related to Sections 4661, 4662, 4671 and 4672, collectively referred to as the Superfund chemical taxes. Section 4661(a) imposes an excise tax on the sale or use of “taxable chemicals” by manufacturers, producers or importers. Section 4671(a) imposes an excise tax on the sale or use of “taxable substances” by importers. The Superfund chemical taxes previously expired on December 31, 1995, but were reinstated with certain modifications, effective July 1, 2022, by Section 80201 of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
  • Notice 2023-31: This notice announces that when proposed regulations under Section 903 (REG-112096-22) are finalized, the US Department of the Treasury and the IRS intend to extend the transition period for the single-country exception’s documentation requirement from May 17, 2023, to 180 days after the final regulations are filed. The single-country exception provides relief from the source-based attribution requirement under Section 903 for foreign withholding taxes on royalties paid for the use of intellectual property within the withholding jurisdiction.
  • REG-120080-22: This document contains proposed regulations regarding the clean vehicles credit under Section 30D. These proposed regulations will affect persons seeking to claim the credit and qualified manufacturers of clean vehicles. The IRS also issued a reminder that the proposed regulations went into effect on April 18.
  • Revenue Ruling 2023-2: This revenue ruling confirms that the basis adjustment under Section 1014 generally does not apply to the assets of an irrevocable grantor trust not included in the deceased grantor’s gross estate for federal estate tax purposes.

April 17, 2023: The IRS released Revenue Ruling 2023-9, which provides the applicable federal rates for federal income tax purposes for May 2023. The short-term federal interest rate is 4.30%, the mid-term rate will drop to 3.57% and the long-term rate will fall to 3.72%.

April 17, 2023: The IRS reminded taxpayers who need additional time to file their taxes that they can get an extension via IRS Free File.

April 17, 2023: The IRS released Tax Tip 2023-51, providing information to taxpayers regarding how to file a final federal tax return for someone who has died.

April 17, 2023: The IRS reminded last-minute tax [...]

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Weekly IRS Roundup April 10 – April 14, 2023

Check out our summary of significant Internal Revenue Service (IRS) guidance and relevant tax matters for the week of April 10, 2023 – April 14, 2023.

April 10, 2023: The IRS released Internal Revenue Bulletin 2023-15, which highlights the following:

  • Revenue Procedure 2023-20: This revenue procedure modifies the effective date of additions to the taxable substances or chemicals list under Section 4672(a). Specifically, this revenue procedure changes the date on which substances are added to the list for purposes of refund claims under Section 4662(e).
  • Notice 2023-27: This notice announces that the US Department of the Treasury and the IRS intend to issue guidance related to the tax treatment of certain non-fungible tokens (NFTs). The guidance requests comments on the treatment of NFTs as collectibles and describes how the IRS intends to determine whether an NFT is a collectible until further guidance is issued.
  • Notice 2023-28: This notice extends temporary relief regarding deposits of the excise tax imposed on certain chemicals under Section 4661 and the excise tax imposed on certain imported chemical substances under Section 4671 (collectively, Superfund chemical taxes). The extended relief is available in connection with deposits of the Superfund chemical taxes for semimonthly periods in the second, third and fourth calendar quarters of 2023.
  • REG-120653-22: These proposed regulations implement the advanced manufacturing investment credit, a new current-year business tax credit under Section 48D to incentivize the manufacture of semiconductors and semiconductor manufacturing equipment within the United States. The regulations address the credit’s eligibility requirements, an election that eligible taxpayers may make to be treated as making a payment of tax (including an overpayment of tax) or for an eligible partnership or S corporation to receive an elective payment instead of claiming a credit, and a special 10-year credit recapture rule that applies if there is a significant transaction involving the material expansion of semiconductor manufacturing capacity in a foreign country of concern.
  • Revenue Ruling 2023-7: This revenue ruling provides the fringe benefits aircraft valuation formula. For purposes of Section 1.61-21(g) of the regulations, relating to the rule for valuing non-commercial flights on employer-provided aircrafts, the Standard Industry Fare Level (SIFL) cents-per-mile rates and terminal charge in effect for the first half of 2023 are as follows:

April 10, 2023: The IRS released Tax Tip 2023-47, providing guidance on when to file an amended income tax return.

April 10, 2023: The IRS and the Treasury issued Notice 2023-30, providing safe harbor deed language for extinguishment and boundary line adjustment clauses as required by the SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022. Section 605(d)(2) provides donors with the opportunity to amend certain conservation easement deeds to substitute the [...]

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