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Adoption Tax Credit Guidance Released

The IRS issued interim guidance September 29 on the child adoption credit and income exclusion for employer reimbursements of adoption expenses, as expanded by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

Taxpayer Denied Exclusion for Gain on the Sale of a Principal Residence

The Tax Court held that taxpayers who demolished a home they had lived in for more than two years, built a new home on the same lot, and then sold the new home without ever living in it were not entitled to exclude the gain from the sale from income under Sec. 121.

Dependency Exemption Issues for College Students

Parents and tax professionals can no longer assume that a college student will remain a dependent of the parent until he or she graduates. With the variety of funding sources students use to pay for the ever-increasing cost of higher education, many are likely to provide over one-half of their support at some point during their college years.

IRS Issues Regs. on New Indoor Tanning Tax

On June 11, the IRS issued final, temporary, and proposed regulations to provide guidance on the new 10% indoor tanning services excise tax (T.D. 9486; REG-112841-10).

Appeals Court Overturns Taxpayer Win in Tax Shelter Case

The Tenth Circuit held that a taxpayer’s investment in a “son of boss” tax shelter lacked economic substance and therefore did not generate deductible losses, reversing a taxpayer win on the issue in which a district court had allowed the taxpayer to deduct losses from the investment.

Tax Benefits for Education

An array of tax benefits are available to taxpayers, including income exclusions for educational assistance, scholarships, and distributions from qualified tuition plans and educational IRAs, as well as credits for tuition and certain education-related expenses and a deduction for tuition payments.

A Little-Known Tax Benefit: The Gift of Inventory

Tax incentives are available for contributions of inventory for the care of the ill, needy, or infants, but many taxpayers may be unaware of them. This item outlines the current rules for an increased deduction and analyzes events leading up to the current rules.

Energy Star Rebates Reduce Basis

The Office of Chief Counsel (OCC) advised that a taxpayer should treat a rebate for purchasing an Energy Star product as a reduction of the basis of the product purchased and not as income.