Advertisement
TOPICS / CORPORATIONS

Prop. Regs. Provide Guidance on Meals and Entertainment Expenditures

Proposed regulations clarify the definition of a reimbursement or other expense allowance arrangement and provide guidance on the applicability of the Sec. 274(e)(3) exception under various circumstances including employer/employee, two-party, and multiparty arrangements.

Nonrefundable Milestone Fees Do Not Qualify as Success-Based

A business can expense 70% of “success-based fees,” meaning amounts that are contingent on the successful closing of a covered transaction. It is important to remember this safe-harbor election can apply to both sides of the transaction.

Deductibility of LEED Certification Costs

Tax professionals may be in the best position to support their clients or company in identifying LEED certification costs and determining the appropriate tax treatment as either a current-period expense or a capital expenditure.

LB&I Guidance on Benefits-and-Burdens-of-Ownership Analysis Under Sec. 199

The IRS LB&I Division issued guidance to field examiners in determining whether a taxpayer conducting production activities under a contract manufacturing arrangement with an unrelated third party meets the benefits-and-burdens-of-ownership requirement outlined in the domestic production activities deduction rules under Sec. 199.

Guidance on Characterizing Gross Receipts from Telecommunications Services

In Rev. Rul. 2011-24, the IRS provided guidance for determining whether a taxpayer that provides telecommunications services derives gross receipts from services, leasing or renting property, or a combination of the two, for purposes of the domestic production activities deduction under Sec. 199.

Transaction Cost Considerations: Rev. Proc. 2011-29 and Other Related Matters

To eliminate the controversy over the allocation of success-based fees and corresponding documentation requirements, Rev. Proc. 2011-29 povides a safe-harbor election for allocating 70% of success-based fees paid or incurred in a covered transaction to activities that do not facilitate the transaction.