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.
IRS Practice & Procedure
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.
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.
2020 Form W-4 has been revised
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.
Taxpayer Bill of Rights violation does not invalidate notice of deficiency
The IRS’s failure to follow principles in the Taxpayer Bill of Rights did not deprive a taxpayer of her right to challenge deficiency determinations in the Tax Court.
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 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.
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.
Sec. 1341: What is the claim-of-right doctrine?
The TCJA's reduction of corporate tax rates and the increase for QBI deductions is likely to pique interest in the claim-of-right provision.
AICPA requests further guidance on QBI deduction
The AICPA asked Treasury and the IRS to issue additional guidance on Sec. 199A beyond the recently finalized regulations and a proposed revenue procedure in the form of a notice on a safe harbor for rental real estate.
Regulations take precedence over common law mailbox rule
The Ninth Circuit agrees that Treasury regulations provide the exclusive exceptions to the physical-delivery rule, so the common law mailbox rule does not apply.
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.
Tax time travel: Securing relief from unforced errors, missed elections, and other mistakes
This item provides a quick overview of several tools available to taxpayers who have made mistakes.
Final Sec. 6707A regulations on penalty for failing to disclose reportable transactions
The IRS issued final regulations under Sec. 6707A, which imposes a penalty on taxpayers who fail to disclose a reportable transaction on their tax returns.
Excise tax refunds for purchases of frequent flyer miles
Banks, hotel groups, large retailers, utilities, and car rental companies may be eligible for refunds of federal excise tax paid when purchasing frequent flyer miles from domestic airlines to use in reward and loyalty programs.
Power of attorney and extension forms do not change taxpayers’ last known address
Power of attorney and return filing extension forms do not meet the requirements for notifying the IRS of a taxpayer’s change of address.
IRS proposes rules for reporting life insurance transactions
The IRS proposed regulations under Sec. 6050Y, which governs reporting obligations for reportable policy sales of life insurance contracts and payments of reportable death benefits.
Future mineral production advance payments may be sooner than you think
The TCJA revised Sec. 451(c), changing the timing of taxation for certain advance payments, including advance payments for future mineral production and delivery.
