written determinations
Subscribe to written determinations's Posts

IRS roundup: February 17 – February 27, 2026

Check out our summary of significant Internal Revenue Service (IRS) guidance and relevant tax matters for February 17, 2026 – February 27, 2026.

February 17, 2026: The IRS released Revenue Ruling 2026-6, which provides the March 2026 applicable federal rates.

February 18, 2026: The IRS released Notice 2026-7, which provides additional interim guidance and updates existing guidance on the application of the corporate alternative minimum tax (CAMT) under Internal Revenue Code (Code) Sections 55, 56A, and 59. The notice modifies previously issued CAMT guidance, particularly Notices 2025‑49 and 2025‑46. It also introduces several new updates to adjusted financial statement income regarding intangibles and repairs under Code Section 197 and changes to domestic research amortization expenses based on changes brought by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA).

February 19, 2026: The IRS released Notice 2026-14, which provides the 24-month average corporate bond segment rates for February 2026, the yield curve and segment rates for single-employer plans, and the 30-year Treasury securities interest rates.

February 20, 2026: The IRS released Notice 2026-16, which provides interim guidance and announces forthcoming proposed regulations addressing the special depreciation allowance for qualified production property under Code Section 168(n), as created by the OBBBA.

The notice provides interim guidance regarding the definitions of “qualified production property” and “qualified production activity,” how to determine the special depreciation allowance for qualified production property, and how and when an election to treat property as qualified production property is made. Qualified production property generally includes nonresidential real property used as an integral part of a qualified production activity, such as manufacturing, chemical production, agricultural production, or refining, that results in the substantial transformation of a qualified product. The notice also explains how the depreciation recapture rules apply to property that ceases to meet the requirements to be qualified production property. Taxpayers may rely on Notice 2026-16 until proposed regulations are issued. Comments on the interim guidance are requested within 60 days.

February 23, 2026: The IRS released Announcement 2026-7, which states that certain portions of final regulations relating to required minimum distributions under Code Section 401(a)(9) will apply for the distribution calendar year that begins no earlier than six months after the date the final regulations are issued in the Federal Register.

February 25, 2026: The IRS released Notice 2026-17, which announces forthcoming proposed regulations under Code Section 987. The notice allows taxpayers to elect the equity and basis pool method for determining taxable income or loss and foreign currency gain or loss with respect to a qualified business unit.

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




read more

IRS roundup: February 9 – February 17, 2026

Check out our summary of significant Internal Revenue Service (IRS) guidance and relevant tax matters for February 9, 2026 – February 17, 2026.

IRS guidance

February 9, 2026: The IRS issued Revenue Procedure 2026-13, providing discount factors for insurance companies to compute Section 846 discounted unpaid losses and recoverable Section 832 discounted estimated salvage for the 2025 accident year. This revenue procedure also provides discount factors to be used in tax years beginning in 2025 for losses incurred in the 2024 accident year and earlier accident years. Discount factors for tax years prior to 2025 were previously provided in Revenue Procedure 2025-15 and Revenue Procedure 2023-10.

February 12, 2026: The IRS issued Notice 2026-15, describing interim guidance on restrictions for certain energy credits related to the status of, and sourcing from, a prohibited foreign entity (PFE). These restrictions were enacted by Public Law 119- 21, 139 Stat. 72 (July 4, 2025) and provide:

  • Descriptions of rules the US Department of the Treasury (Treasury) and the IRS intend to provide in proposed regulations regarding material assistance from a PFE.
  • Descriptions of the Sections 45X, 45Y, and 48E interim safe harbor guidance for determining a qualified facility’s, energy storage technology’s, or eligible component’s material assistance cost ratio related to determining whether there was material assistance from a PFE.
  • PFE restrictions that the Treasury and the IRS will include in forthcoming proposed regulations.
  • A glossary of defined terms, a request for comments, and guidance on substantiation and taxpayer ability to rely on guidance provided in Sections 3 – 5 of the notice.

February 17, 2026: The IRS released Internal Revenue Bulletin No. 2026-8, which includes Revenue Ruling 2026-5. This revenue ruling provides Section 6621 interest rates for underpayments and overpayments for Q2 2026, as described below:

  • 6% for overpayments generally
  • 5% for overpayments in the case of a corporation, which drops to 3.5% for the portion of a corporate overpayment exceeding $10,000
  • 6% for underpayments generally
  • 8% for large corporate underpayments 

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

Penalty disclosure guidance

February 9, 2026: The IRS released Internal Revenue Bulletin No. 2026-7, which includes Revenue Procedure 2026-12. This revenue procedure specifies when information shown on a return is considered an adequate disclosure for purposes of reducing an understatement of income tax under Section 6662(d) and avoiding a Section 6694(a)’s preparer penalty.

Under Revenue Procedure 2026-12, taxpayers generally “must furnish all required information in accordance with the applicable forms and instructions, and the money amounts entered on these forms must be verifiable.” An amount is verifiable where, “on audit, the taxpayer can prove the origin of the amount (even if that number is not ultimately accepted by the Service) and the taxpayer can show good faith in entering that number on the appli­cable form.” And where an item is being reported does not [...]

Continue Reading




read more

IRS roundup: January 21 – February 9, 2026

Check out our summary of significant Internal Revenue Service (IRS) guidance and relevant tax matters for January 21, 2026 – February 9, 2026.

January 26, 2026: The IRS released Notice 2026-9, which provides a one-year extension to make certain amendments to individual retirement arrangements (IRAs), simplified employee pension arrangements, and savings incentive match plan for employees IRA plans. The new deadline is December 31, 2027. The extension gives the IRS additional time to issue model language for the various changes resulting from compliance with the SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022 and related legislation.

January 27, 2026: The IRS released Fact Sheet 2026-2, which provides updated questions and answers regarding the implementation of Executive Order 14247, Modernizing Payments To and From America’s Bank Account. The executive order advances the transition to fully electronic federal payments both to and from IRS.

January 29, 2026: The IRS announced that it is accepting applications for the Electronic Tax Administration Advisory Committee (ETAAC) through February 28, 2026. The ETAAC provides an organized public forum for discussing electronic tax administration issues, such as prevention of identity theft and refund fraud.

February 2, 2026: The IRS released Internal Revenue Bulletin No. 2026-6, which includes Announcement 2026-3. The announcement provides a copy of the arrangement entered into by the competent authorities of the United States and Spain regarding the implementation of the arbitration process provided for in paragraphs 5 and 6 of Article 26 of the US-Spain income tax treaty and its protocol.

February 2, 2026: The IRS announced that it would continue operations under the current lapse in appropriations until further notice, using funding from the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA).

February 3, 2026: The US Department of the Treasury and the IRS issued proposed regulations regarding the clean fuel production credit enacted by the IRA and amended by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The new law made important changes to what is often referred to as the 45Z credit. The proposed regulations would provide rules for determining clean fuel production credits. They also would amend three sets of final regulations: the elective payment election regulations and the credit transfer election regulations (to clarify language relating to ownership of clean fuel production facilities) and the federal excise tax registration regulations (to make them clearer and more consistent with the clean fuel production credit registration requirements in these proposed regulations). The proposed regulations would affect domestic producers of clean transportation fuel, taxpayers that may claim a credit for a related producer’s fuel, and excise tax registrants. Comments must be received by April 6, 2026. There is a public hearing that will be held on May 28, 2026, and requests to speak at the public hearing will be accepted until May 26, 2026.

Recent court decisions

January 28, 2026: The US Tax Court issued its opinion in Aventis Inc. v. Commissioner, rejecting Aventis’s attempt to treat [...]

Continue Reading




read more

IRS roundup: December 12, 2025 – January 12, 2026

Check out our summary of significant Internal Revenue Service (IRS) guidance and relevant tax matters for December 12, 2025 – January 12, 2026.

December 12, 2025: The IRS issued Treasury Decision 10042, which modified and clarified the Internal Revenue Code (Code) Section 892 rules. The Treasury Decision contains final regulations regarding the taxation of income earned by foreign governments from investments in the United States. The regulations clarify how to determine when a foreign government is engaged in commercial activity and when an entity qualifies as a controlled commercial entity. These rules apply to foreign governments that earn income from US sources.

December 12, 2025: The IRS issued proposed regulations, which provided additional guidance under Section 892 and focus on:

  • Determining when an acquisition of debt by a foreign government is treated as a commercial activity
  • Determining when a foreign government has effective control of an entity engaged in a commercial activity
  • Clarifying that partnerships, including partnerships wholly owned by a single foreign sovereign, are not controlled entities under Section 892 for US tax purposes.

December 15, 2025: The IRS issued proposed regulations, updating points of contact within the US Department of Justice (DOJ) and the IRS to identify points of contact for matters involving internal revenue laws following a reorganization within the DOJ. The regulations would also update points of contact at the IRS for taxpayers submitting administrative claims for civil damages related to certain unauthorized collection actions or awards of administrative costs in specified administrative proceedings.

December 15, 2025: The IRS withdrew two notices of proposed rulemaking regarding innocent spouse relief.

December 22, 2025: The IRS issued proposed updates, which set forth a clearer, more predictable system for its Voluntary Disclosure Practice and a more streamlined penalty framework. The IRS seeks public comment on the proposed updates by March 22, 2026.

December 29, 2025: The IRS released Internal Revenue Bulletin 2026-1, which includes the following:

  • Revenue Procedure 2026-1, which contains the revised procedures for letter rulings and information letters issued by the different associate chief counsel offices. This revenue procedure also contains the revised procedures for determination letters issued by the Large Business and International Division, the Small Business/Self-Employed Division, the Wage and Investment Division, and the Tax Exempt & Government Entities (TE/GE) Division.
  • Revenue Procedure 2026-2, which explains when and how associate chief counsel offices should provide advice in technical advice memoranda (TAM) as well as taxpayers’ rights when a field office requests a TAM.
  • Revenue Procedure 2026-3, which provides a revised list of Code areas under the jurisdiction of the following associate chief counsel offices:
    • Corporate
    • Financial Institutions and Products
    • Income Tax and Accounting
    • Passthroughs and Special Industries
    • Procedure and Administration
    • Energy, Credits, and Excise Tax
    • Employee Benefits, Exempt Organizations, and Employment Taxes.

These relate to matters in which the IRS will not issue letter rulings [...]

Continue Reading




read more

IRS roundup: December 15 – December 22, 2025

Check out our summary of significant Internal Revenue Service (IRS) guidance and relevant tax matters for December 15, 2025 – December 22, 2025. 

December 15, 2025: The IRS issued Notice 2026-2, providing an update on weighted average interest rates, yield curves, and segment rates. The notice specifically focused on the corporate bond monthly yield curve, corresponding spot segment rates used for purposes of Internal Revenue Code (Code) Section 417(e)(3), and 24-month average segment rates for purposes of Code Section 430(h)(2). Notice 2026-2 also provides the interest rate for 30-year Treasury securities for purposes of Code Section 417(e)(3)(A)(ii)(II), as in effect for plan years beginning before 2008, as well as the 30-year Treasury weighted average rate for purposes of Code Section 431(c)(6)(E)(ii)(I).

December 15, 2025: The IRS issued Revenue Ruling 2026-2, providing various prescribed rates for federal income tax purposes for January 2026. The prescribed rates include:

  • Short-, mid-, and long-term applicable federal rates for certain debt instruments in the Code.
  • Section 42(b)(1) housing credit appropriate percentages.
  • The deemed rate of return for calendar year 2026 transfers made to pooled income funds, as described in Section 642(c)(5).
  • The average of the applicable federal mid-term rates for the 60-month period ending December 31, 2025.

December 19, 2025: The IRS issued Notice 2026-1, providing interim guidance related to the credit for carbon oxide sequestration under Code Section 45Q pending the forthcoming proposed regulations removing reporting obligations related to the geological sequestration of carbon dioxide imposed under subpart RR of 40 CFR part 98. The notice specifically provides a safe harbor for determining eligibility for qualified carbon oxide, captured and disposed of in secure geological storage and not used as a tertiary injectant in a qualified enhanced oil or natural gas recovery project, during calendar year 2025. Notice 2026-1’s safe harbor applies if the US Environmental Protection Agency does not launch the electronic Greenhouse Gas Reporting Tool for filers to prepare and submit information required under subpart RR by June 10, 2026. Taxpayers can rely on the safe harbor to demonstrate compliance with subpart RR requirements when determining the Code Section 45Q credit related to the 2025 Calendar Year Secure Geological Storage.

December 19, 2025: The IRS issued Notice 2026-6, extending the transition period in Revenue Ruling 2025-4 for states administering paid family and medical leave (PFML) programs and employers participating in PFML programs. The extension is for an additional year and only as it relates to the medical leave benefits a state pays to an individual that can be attributed to employer contributions.

December 22, 2025: The IRS issued Notice 2026-3, providing relief from Code Section 6654 and 6655 additions of tax for underpayments of estimated income tax by taxpayers making valid Code Section 1062(a) elections.

December 22, 2025: In Announcement 2026-1, the IRS declared its intent to issue guidance related to Code Section 6435. That guidance, intended for taxpayers that paid Code [...]

Continue Reading




read more

IRS roundup: November 7 – November 24, 2025

Check out our summary of significant Internal Revenue Service (IRS) guidance and relevant tax matters for November 7, 2025 – November 24, 2025.

November 10, 2025: The IRS released Internal Revenue Bulletin No. 2025-46, which includes proposed regulations 109742-25. The proposed regulations would remove a rule in previous final regulations that uses the shareholders of certain domestic corporations to determine whether foreign persons hold – directly or indirectly – stock in a domestically controlled qualified investment entity (QIE). If a QIE was not domestically controlled following the changes from the proposed regulations, stock owned by foreign persons in a QIE would qualify as a US real property interest.

November 10, 2025: The IRS released Revenue Procedure 2025-31, providing guidance on a safe harbor that allows trusts qualifying as investment trusts under Section 301.7701-4(c) and as grantor trusts to stake digital assets without losing their tax status and offering a limited period for existing trusts to amend their governing instruments to meet the safe harbor requirements.

November 13, 2025: The IRS released Notice 2025-67, which announces the annual cost-of-living adjustments to the limits on benefits and contributions for qualified retirement plans under Section 415 of the Internal Revenue Code (Code). These adjustments, required by Section 415(d), follow procedures similar to those used for Social Security benefit updates and apply to certain amounts under deferred compensation plans.

November 13, 2025: The IRS released Revenue Ruling 2025-22, announcing that interest rates will remain unchanged for the calendar quarter beginning January 1, 2026. The rates are as follows:

  • 7% for individual overpayments and 6% for corporate overpayments
  • 5% on the portion of a corporate overpayment exceeding $10,000
  • 7% for underpayments and 9% for large corporate underpayments

Under the Code, these rates are recalculated quarterly based on the federal short-term rate. For noncorporate taxpayers, both overpayment and underpayment rates equal the federal short-term rate plus three percentage points. For corporations, the underpayment rate is also the short-term rate plus three points while the overpayment rate is the short-term rate plus two points. Large corporate underpayments add five points, and corporate overpayments exceeding $10,000 add 0.5 points. The current rates are based on the federal short-term rate determined in October 2025.

November 19, 2025: The IRS announced that it would resume its regular activities following the 2025 lapse in appropriations during the government shutdown. In its announcement, the IRS included specific frequently asked questions regarding the resumption of regular activities for audits, collections, and appeals and stated that determination letter applications for tax exempt and government entities would resume.

Recent court decisions

November 5, 2025: The US District Court for the Northern District of Texas issued an opinion in Ryan, LLC v. IRS. Check out our recent insight on the case, including an analysis of the district court’s holdings and practice points for taxpayers.

November 12, 2025: The US [...]

Continue Reading




read more

IRS roundup: October 23 – November 6, 2025

Check out our summary of significant Internal Revenue Service (IRS) guidance and relevant tax matters for October 23, 2025 – November 6, 2025.

October 23, 2025: The IRS issued frequently asked questions, addressing its revisions and updates to Form 1099-K following changes resulting from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). The OBBBA retroactively reinstated the reporting threshold in effect prior to the passage of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA). This means that a third-party settlement organization (TPSO), which is a type of payment settlement entity, is generally not required to file a Form 1099-K. However, TPSOs will be required to file a Form 1099-K if the gross amount of reportable payment transactions to a payee exceeds $20,000 and if the number of reportable payment transactions exceeds 200. Previously, under the ARPA reporting threshold, TPSOs had to file a Form 1099-K for any payee that received more than $600 in total payments for the sales of goods or services, regardless of the number of reportable payment transactions.

October 27, 2025: The IRS reminded tax preparers that preparer tax identification numbers (PTINs) must be renewed annually and that the 2026 renewal period is now open. All 2025 PTINs will expire on December 31, 2025.

November 3, 2025: The IRS released Internal Revenue Bulletin No. 2025-45, which includes Notice 2025-61. Notice 2025-61 provides guidance on the adjusted applicable dollar amount for the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Trust Fund (PCORTF) fee, which is imposed on issuers of specified health plans and plan sponsors of applicable self-insured health plans to fund PCORTF. Notice 2025-61 specifically provides the increased adjusted applicable dollar amount for determining the PCORTF fee as $3.84 (from the previous set amount of $3.47) for all policies and plans ending on or after October 1, 2025, and before October 1, 2026. The IRS explained that the amount was calculated by US Department of the Treasury economists based on the percentage increase in the projected per capita amount of National Health Expenditures, which was published by the US Department of Health and Human Services in June 2025.

November 5, 2025: The IRS issued Notice 2025-62, providing guidance on penalty relief for taxable year 2025 in connection with the implementation of new information reporting requirements related to the deductions for qualified tips and qualified overtime compensation to reflect amendments resulting from the OBBBA. Notice 2025-62 specifically provides relief for taxable year 2025 from the penalty under Section 6721 for failure to file correct information returns and the penalty under Section 6722 for failure to furnish correct payee statements. The IRS also announced that guidance on how taxpayers can claim these deductions on their tax return for the 2025 tax year is forthcoming.

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




read more

IRS roundup: October 7 – October 23, 2025

Check out our summary of significant Internal Revenue Service (IRS) guidance and relevant tax matters for October 7, 2025 – October 23, 2025.

October 7, 2025: The IRS issued Notice 2025-55, providing guidance on relief from failure to deposit penalties under Internal Revenue Code (Code) Section 6656 as it relates to a new excise tax being imposed on particular remittance transfers under Section 4475 for the first three quarters of 2026. The notice also includes guidance on the deposit safe harbor under Treas. Reg. § 40.6302(c)-1(b)(2), explaining that a remittance transfer provider will not be affected by failure to make deposits of the remittance transfer tax if they satisfy certain requirements.

October 16, 2025: The IRS issued Revenue Ruling 2025-21, providing various prescribed rates (for federal income tax purposes) for November 2025, including:

  • The short-, mid-, and long-term applicable federal rates (AFRs) for November 2025 as it relates to Section 1274(d).
  • The short-, mid-, and long-term adjusted AFRs for November 2025 as it relates to Section 1288(b).
  • The adjusted federal long-term rate and the long-term tax-exempt rate described in Section 382(f).

October 17, 2025: The IRS issued Revenue Procedure 2025-32, modifying certain sections of Revenue Procedure 2024-40 to reflect amendments resulting from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). Revenue Procedure 2024-40, which displays IRS inflation-adjusted items for 2025, was specifically revised by removing the existing sections on standard deductions and the election to expense certain depreciable assets. Revenue Procedure 2025-32 also describes inflation-adjusted items for 2026 for various Code provisions.

October 21, 2025: The IRS issued Notice 2025-57, providing guidance on returns related to certain interest on specified passenger vehicle loans received in a trade or business from individuals, which are required to be filed under the new Section 6050AA as enacted in the OBBBA. Recognizing the need for efficient administration of Section 6050AA, Section 3 of Notice 2025-57 provides a means for interest recipients to report obligations under Section 6050AA.

October 22, 2025: The IRS issued frequently asked questions (FAQs) addressing Employee Retention Credits (ERC) under the ERC compliance provisions of the OBBBA. Although not final guidance, “a taxpayer who reasonably and in good faith relies on these FAQs will not be subject to a penalty that provides a reasonable cause standard for relief, including a negligence penalty or other accuracy-related penalty, to the extent that reliance results in an underpayment of tax.”

October 23, 2025: The IRS issued Notice 2025-63, announcing the US Department of the Treasury and IRS’s intentions to issue proposed regulations providing that certain borrow fees are sourced based on the recipient’s residence. Currently, neither the Code nor Treasury regulations specify how to determine borrow fees as they relate to securities lending transactions and sale-repurchase transactions. Thus, the Treasury and the IRS intend to clarify this in Notice 2025-63.

The IRS also released its weekly list of written determinations (e.g., Private [...]

Continue Reading




read more

EDITOR IN CHIEF

STAY CONNECTED

TOPICS

ARCHIVES

jd supra readers choice top firm 2023 badge
US Tax Disputes Firm of the Year 2025
2026 Best Law Firms - Law Firm of the Year (Tax Law)