Underpayment penalty relief now automatic for eligible filers
Some taxpayers who paid 2018 underpayment penalties will receive refund checks because the penalties will be automatically waived for those who qualify, the IRS announced.
News
Alimony tax gap swells to $3.2 billion, TIGTA finds
Discrepancies between the amount of alimony deducted by payers and reported as income by its recipients increased by 38% in six years, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration reported.
Rules proposed for classifying cloud and digital content transactions
The Internal Revenue Service proposed regulations to clarify how to classify transactions involving digital content and cloud computing.
IRS changes its third-party contact procedures
The IRS issued updated procedures for third-party contacts to reflect changes enacted in the recent Taxpayer First Act, requiring the IRS to notify taxpayers at least 45 days before it contacts a third party to determine or collect a tax.
Federal court rejects change to substantial-donor reporting requirement
If the IRS wishes to no longer require tax-exempt organizations to report information about their substantial financial donors, it must follow a proper notice-and-comment process.
Taxpayers may revoke or make late bonus depreciation elections
The IRS will permit taxpayers to change their bonus depreciation treatment for property acquired after Sept. 27, 2017, and placed in service during a tax year that includes Sept. 28, 2017.
IRS permits certain partnerships to file superseding partnership returns
The IRS is permitting certain partnerships that timely filed their tax returns for the 2018 tax year an extension of time to file superseding returns and Schedules K-1 for their partners.
IRS alerts virtual currency owners of nonfiling consequences
The IRS has begun sending what it calls “educational letters” to taxpayers it has identified as not reporting virtual currency transactions or reporting them incorrectly.
Guidance adds preventive care items to high-deductible health plans
The IRS added 14 types of preventive care items that qualify to be provided under a high-deductible health plan to treat chronic medical conditions.
Final rules permit truncated TINs on W-2s
As part of its effort to reduce identity theft, the IRS issued final rules permitting employers to provide truncated taxpayer identification numbers on Forms W-2, Wage and Tax Statement, they provide to employees.
Congress approves IRS reform bill, drops Free File language
The bill establishes an independent appeals office and requires the IRS to develop a customer service strategy. A controversial provision codifying the Free File program was dropped from the bill.
Supreme Court holds North Carolina cannot tax trust
The U.S. Supreme Court issued a unanimous decision holding that North Carolina’s attempt to tax a trust based solely on the residence of a beneficiary violates the Due Process Clause of the 14th Amendment.
Virtual currency not FBAR reportable (at least for now)
The AICPA Virtual Currency Task Force reached out to Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) to help practitioners answer the question of whether virtual currency (or cryptocurrency) must be reported on FinCEN Form 114, Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FBAR).
W-2 methods proposed for Sec. 199A(g) deduction by agricultural co-ops
The IRS issued methods for calculating W-2 wages for the Sec. 199A(g) deduction for agricultural and horticultural cooperatives, similar to the former Sec. 199 domestic production activities deduction.
Final HRA rules permit integration with individual health insurance
The IRS issued final regulations on health reimbursement arrangements, which may be offered to individuals as individual coverage HRAs and integrated into health insurance plans.
Final rules govern GILTI, Subpart F income, and foreign tax credits
The IRS issued final regulations on the Sec. 951A global low-taxed income inclusion and foreign tax credits, finalizing proposed rules issued in October and December 2018.
SALT deduction cap rules finalized, safe harbor proposed
Here are details on the new rules that deny a federal tax deduction to taxpayers who donate to a state charitable fund and receive a state or local tax credit in return.
Ninth Circuit upholds IRS cost-sharing regulation
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a Tax Court decision that had held that a cost-sharing regulation that required allocation of stock-based compensation was invalid.
Changes coming to tax transcript availability
To fight identity theft, starting June 28 the IRS will no longer fax transcripts to taxpayers, tax professionals, and other third parties. And in July it will stop providing an option for mailing transcripts to third parties.
IRS issues draft of revised Form W-4 for 2020
The new draft form, which has been extensively redesigned, is intended to simplify the calculation of income tax withholding after the changes made by the law known as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
