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TOPICS / CORPORATIONS

Merger Termination Fee Deductible

The Tax Court held that a termination fee paid by the taxpayer to cancel a merger agreement in order to consummate a more lucrative merger was deductible.

Sec. 199 Issues Arising from Contract Manufacturing Arrangements

In order to determine whether the taxpayer or the contract manufacturer is entitled to the Sec. 199 deduction for the same manufacturing activity, the Sec. 199 rules require an analysis of which party in a contract manufacturing relationship has the “benefits and burdens of ownership” under judicially developed federal income tax principles.

IRS Increases Scrutiny of Performance-Based Plans Under Sec. 162(m)

Editor: Frank J. O’Connell Jr., CPA, Esq. Sec. 162(m) governs the deductibility of certain excessive employee compensation. In recent months the IRS has issued Rev. Rul. 2008-13 and Rev. Rul. 2008-32, providing for additional clarification related to certain components of the performance-based compensation rules contained within Sec. 162(m)(4)(C) and Regs.

The Economic Stimulus Act of 2008

The tax benefits the Economic Stimulus Act provides affect both individuals and businesses. The legislation’s purpose is to increase consumer and business spending in an effort to stimulate the economy.

Sec. 199 Final Regs. on TIPRA Amendments and More

This item discusses how recent final regulations interpret statutory changes to Sec. 199 and how the regulations eliminate a potential issue in calculating taxable income for purposes of the Sec. 199 deduction.

Maximizing the Benefits of Sec. 199 in an Asset Sale

This article addresses the opportunity to claim a Sec. 199 deduction when a business is sold in an asset sale or in a stock sale that is treated as an asset sale under a Sec. 338(h)(10) election.

Hurricane GO Zones: An Update on Relevant Tax Provisions

The widespread devastation left in the wake of hurricanes has resulted in numerous tax provisions aimed at revitalizing and rebuilding the affected areas. Congress passed the Gulf Opportunity Zone Act of 2005, P.L. 109-135 (the GO Zone Act), in response to Hurricane Katrina and then revised it as Hurricanes Rita

New Prop. Regs. Clarify Tax Deductible Entertainment Use of Private Aircraft

Editor: Kevin F. Reilly, J.D., CPA The use of private aircraft eliminates the inconvenience of commercial flights, but clients do not normally call their CPAs in midflight to inquire about the tax ramifications of taking a detour with the family on the company jet to visit Aunt Margaret. Nevertheless, it

Tax Considerations for Corporate Aircraft

Editor: Joel E. Ackerman, CPA, MST In recent years, the number of entrepreneurs acquiring airplanes for their business operations has increased dramatically. Often the aircraft will be placed in a separate entity for legal liability protection and other reasons. Tax advisers need to be aware of the numerous federal income

Payments for Future Remediation Expenses Are Not Insurance Premiums

Editor: Joel E. Ackerman, CPA, MST The IRS ruled in Rev. Rul. 2007-47 that payments to an insurance company to cover future capped costs were not insurance payments for tax purposes. The “premium” was an amount equal to the present value of estimated future remediation costs required by the government.

Deductibility of Nonqualified Deferred Compensation in Mergers and Acquisitions

Editor: Frank J. O’Connell, Jr., CPA, Esq Determining the tax treatment and timing of an employer corporation’s deduction for amounts paid under nonqualified deferred-compensation arrangements under Sec. 404 can be a daunting task, depending on the circumstances. Even if such arrangements have not triggered any of the pitfalls in Sec.

Expensing Restaurant Smallwares

Editor: Albert B. Ellentuck, Esq. Restaurants and taverns can deduct the cost of smallwares in the year in which the smallwares are received and used, instead of having to capitalize those expenditures; see Rev. Proc. 2002-12. The smallwares method applies to businesses engaged in the trade or business of preparing

Sec. 199 Final Regs. Affect Online Software and Advertising

Editor: Annette B. Smith, CPA Sec. 199 generally provides a deduction for qualifying domestic production activities equal to 9% (3% for tax years beginning in 2005 or 2006 and 6% for tax years beginning 2007–2009) of the lesser of the taxpayer’s (1) qualified production activities income for the tax year