From Obscurity to Spotlight: The Section 962 Election

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In case you missed it's release right before the President's Day holiday weekend, our International Tax Group addressed an election under Section 962 available to individual U.S. shareholders of certain foreign corporations to be taxed as a C corporation, which before tax reform was a rarely utilized and often forgotten tool that has recently been thrust into the spotlight due to its potential benefits. The rise in popularity of the Section 962 election Smith v. Commissioner, an unfavorable ruling for U.S. shareholders receiving distributions of foreign earnings subject to a Section 962 [...]Read more

Taxpayer Win on Retroactivity: An Important Step for New York Tax Law

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Earlier this week, our State & Local Tax Team examined the New York Appellate Division’s rejection of the state’s attempt to retroactively unwind already-claimed taxed credits after a New York court invalidates the state’s retroactive application of tax legislation as violating the Due Process Clause. Applying New York’s three-factor standard to determine whether a retroactive tax law is constitutional Comparing a taxpayer-friendly outcome to a taxpayer defeat It all comes down to how and why Read the full advisory here. [...]Read more

Bonus Depreciation

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Our Federal Tax Group points out that for every upside, there’s a downside, even for bonus depreciation. We consider unexpected avenues to explore under proposed regulations. Investment bankers aren’t impressed The bird-in-the-hand benefit The proposed regulation’s main topic of interest Read the full advisory here. [...]Read more

The BEAT (Still) Goes On – New Final and Proposed BEAT Regulations

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Earlier this week, our International Tax Group analyzed some of the most interesting and significant provisions of the new Treasury and IRS regulations for the base erosion and anti-abuse tax. Clarifications about base erosion payments Clarifications about aggregate groups Election to waive deductions Read the full advisory here. [...]Read more

Foreign Books and Records

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Our Federal Tax Group explores how a foreign person’s books can become relevant for U.S. tax purposes even when it has no contact with the U.S. tax system. For example, a Section 351 exchange When the basis in U.S. stock isn’t irrelevant Preparing for the day of relevance Read the full advisory here. [...]Read more

Federal Tax Update to IRAs Will (Further) Impact State Escheat Requirements

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Last week, our Unclaimed Property Group examined the recently enacted SECURE Act and the significant changes the new law makes to the treatment of IRAs for state escheatment purposes. Lengthens required minimum distribution age from 70.5 to 72 Repeals maximum age for traditional IRA contributions Latest federal tax development to impact the unclaimed property treatment of IRAs Read the full advisory here. [...]Read more

Federal Circuit Court of Appeals Weighs In on Willful FBAR Penalties

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Recently, a federal appellate court ruled in the ongoing battle between the IRS and taxpayers over the maximum penalty for willfully failing to file an FBAR to report offshore accounts as required under the Bank Secrecy Act. Our International Tax Group discusses: Federal Circuit rules in favor of the IRS, upholding higher statutory ceiling Lower courts have split on the issue What’s next? Read the full advisory here. [...]Read more

Amendment to NYS Tax Law Affects Recording of Deeds for LLCs

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New York’s new real estate transfer tax recording requirements for LLCs raise questions on whether the scope and complexity of the changes can be enforced or noncompliance monitored. Our State & Local Tax Group explores: Disclosing all LLC members Who is a “natural person”? Compliance and confidentiality concerns Read the full advisory here. [...]Read more

Selling Contracts

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If you think about it, franchises aren’t just fast food restaurants and auto parts stores within a specified area. Our Federal Tax Group reveals how nearly any contract to buy or sell goods or services can lead to favorable capital-gains treatment. Defining “franchise” under Section 1253 Examples of franchise contracts How limiting is the “specified area” requirement? Read the full advisory here. [...]Read more

Is the IRS “HODLing” Out on Us? IRS Issues Additional Cryptocurrency Guidance Addressing Hard Forks, Soft Forks, and Airdrops

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The IRS provided some much-needed guidance on protocol changes to blockchain. Our International Tax Group breaks it down.

  • What the forking wallet?
  • Two scenarios for hard forks
  • What about airdrops?

Read the full advisory here.