The IRS encouraged taxpayers to make essential preparations and be aware of significant changes that may affect their 2024 tax returns. The deadline for submitting Form 1040, U.S. Individual Income Ta...
The IRS reminded taxpayers to choose the right tax professional to help them avoid tax-related identity theft and financial harm. Following are key tips for choosing a tax preparer:Look for a preparer...
The IRS provided six tips to help taxpayers file their 2024 tax returns more easily. Taxpayers should follow these steps for a smoother filing process:Gather all necessary tax paperwork and records to...
The IRS released the optional standard mileage rates for 2025. Most taxpayers may use these rates to compute deductible costs of operating vehicles for:business,medical, andcharitable purposesSome mem...
The IRS, in partnership with the Coalition Against Scam and Scheme Threats (CASST), has unveiled new initiatives for the 2025 tax filing season to counter scams targeting taxpayers and tax professio...
The IRS reminded disaster-area taxpayers that they have until February 3, 2025, to file their 2023 returns, in the entire states of Louisiana and Vermont, all of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands and...
The IRS has announced plans to issue automatic payments to eligible individuals who failed to claim the Recovery Rebate Credit on their 2021 tax returns. The credit, a refundable benefit for individ...
The California Film Commission announced additional application windows for Film & Television Tax Credit Program 3.0 during the 2024-2025 fiscal year. The additional application windows have been ...
The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) has announced that the mandatory beneficial ownership information (BOI) reporting requirement under the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) is back in effect. Because reporting companies may need additional time to comply with their BOI reporting obligations, FinCEN is generally extending the deadline 30 calendar days from February 19, 2025, for most companies.
The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) has announced that the mandatory beneficial ownership information (BOI) reporting requirement under the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) is back in effect. Because reporting companies may need additional time to comply with their BOI reporting obligations, FinCEN is generally extending the deadline 30 calendar days from February 19, 2025, for most companies.
FinCEN's announcement is based on the decision by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas (Tyler Division) to stay its prior nationwide injunction order against the reporting requirement (Smith v. U.S. Department of the Treasury, DC Tex., 6:24-cv-00336, Feb. 17, 2025). This district court stayed its prior order, pending appeal, in light of the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent order to stay the nationwide injunction against the reporting requirement that had been ordered by a different federal district court in Texas (McHenry v. Texas Top Cop Shop, Inc., SCt, No. 24A653, Jan. 23, 2025).
Given this latest district court decision, the regulations implementing the BOI reporting requirements of the CTA are no longer stayed.
Updated Reporting Deadlines
Subject to any applicable court orders, BOI reporting is now mandatory, but FinCEN is providing additional time for companies to report:
- For most reporting companies, the extended deadline to file an initial, updated, and/or corrected BOI report is now March 21, 2025. FinCEN expects to provide an update before that date of any further modification of the deadline, recognizing that reporting companies may need additional time to comply.
- Reporting companies that were previously given a reporting deadline later than March 21, 2025, must file their initial BOI report by that later deadline. For example, if a company’s reporting deadline is in April 2025 because it qualifies for certain disaster relief extensions, it should follow the April deadline, not the March deadline.
Plaintiffs in National Small Business United v. Yellen, DC Ala., No. 5:22-cv-01448, are not required to report their beneficial ownership information to FinCEN at this time.
The IRS has issued Notice 2025-15, providing guidance on an alternative method for furnishing health coverage statements under Code Secs. 6055 and 6056. This method allows insurers and applicable large employers (ALEs) to comply with their reporting obligations by posting an online notice rather than automatically furnishing statements to individuals.
The IRS has issued Notice 2025-15, providing guidance on an alternative method for furnishing health coverage statements under Code Secs. 6055 and 6056. This method allows insurers and applicable large employers (ALEs) to comply with their reporting obligations by posting an online notice rather than automatically furnishing statements to individuals.
Under Code Sec. 6055, entities providing minimum essential coverage must report coverage details to the IRS and furnish statements to responsible individuals. Similarly, Code Sec. 6056 requires ALEs, generally those with 50 or more full-time employees, to report health insurance information for those employees. The Paperwork Burden Reduction Act amended these sections to introduce an alternative furnishing method, effective for statements related to returns for calendar years after 2023.
Instead of automatically providing statements, reporting entities may post a clear and conspicuous notice on their websites, informing individuals that they may request a copy of their statement. The notice must be posted by the original furnishing deadline, including any automatic 30-day extension, and must remain accessible through October 15 of the following year. If a responsible individual or full-time employee requests a statement, the reporting entity must furnish it within 30 days of the request or by January 31 of the following year, whichever is later.
For statements related to the 2024 calendar year, the notice must be posted by March 3, 2025. Statements may be furnished electronically if permitted under Reg. § 1.6055-2 for minimum essential coverage providers and Reg. § 301.6056-2 for ALEs.
This alternative method applies regardless of whether the individual shared responsibility payment under Code Sec. 5000A is zero. The guidance clarifies that this method applies to statements required under both Code Sec. 6055 and Code Sec. 6056. Reg. § 1.6055-1(g)(4)(ii)(B) sets forth the requirements for the alternative manner of furnishing statements under Code Sec. 6055, while the same framework applies to Code Sec. 6056 with relevant terminology adjustments. Form 1095-B, used for reporting minimum essential coverage, and Form 1095-C, used by ALEs to report health insurance offers, may be provided under this alternative method.
The IRS has issued the luxury car depreciation limits for business vehicles placed in service in 2025 and the lease inclusion amounts for business vehicles first leased in 2025.
The IRS has issued the luxury car depreciation limits for business vehicles placed in service in 2025 and the lease inclusion amounts for business vehicles first leased in 2025.
Luxury Passenger Car Depreciation Caps
The luxury car depreciation caps for a passenger car placed in service in 2025 limit annual depreciation deductions to:
- $12,200 for the first year without bonus depreciation
- $20,200 for the first year with bonus depreciation
- $19,600 for the second year
- $11,800 for the third year
- $7,060 for the fourth through sixth year
Depreciation Caps for SUVs, Trucks and Vans
The luxury car depreciation caps for a sport utility vehicle, truck, or van placed in service in 2025 are:
- $12,200 for the first year without bonus depreciation
- $20,200 for the first year with bonus depreciation
- $19,600 for the second year
- $11,800 for the third year
- $7,060 for the fourth through sixth year
Excess Depreciation on Luxury Vehicles
If depreciation exceeds the annual cap, the excess depreciation is deducted beginning in the year after the vehicle’s regular depreciation period ends.
The annual cap for this excess depreciation is:
- $7,060 for passenger cars and
- $7,060 for SUVS, trucks, and vans.
Lease Inclusion Amounts for Cars, SUVs, Trucks and Vans
If a vehicle is first leased in 2025, a taxpayer must add a lease inclusion amount to gross income in each year of the lease if its fair market value at the time of the lease is more than:
- $62,000 for a passenger car, or
- $62,000 for an SUV, truck or van.
The 2025 lease inclusion tables provide the lease inclusion amounts for each year of the lease.
The lease inclusion amount results in a permanent reduction in the taxpayer’s deduction for the lease payments.
The leadership of the Senate Finance Committee have issued a discussion draft of bipartisan legislative proposals to make administrative and procedural improvements to the Internal Revenue Service.
The leadership of the Senate Finance Committee have issued a discussion draft of bipartisan legislative proposals to make administrative and procedural improvements to the Internal Revenue Service.
These fixes were described as "common sense" in a joint press release issued by committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.)
"As the tax filing season gets underway, this draft legislation suggests practical ways to improve the taxpayer experience," the two said in the joint statement. "These adjustments to the laws governing IRS procedure and administration are designed to facilitate communication between the agency and taxpayers, streamline processes for tax compliance, and ensure taxpayers have access to timely expert assistance."
The draft legislation, currently named the Taxpayer Assistance and Services Act, covers a range of subject areas, including:
- Tax administration and customer service;
- American citizens abroad;
- Judicial review;
- Improvements to the Office of the Taxpayer Advocate;
- Tax Return Preparers;
- Improvements to the Independent Office of Appeals;
- Whistleblowers;
- Stopping tax penalties on American hostages;
- Small business; and
- Other miscellaneous issues.
A summary of the legislative provisions can be found here.
Some of the policies include streamlining the review of offers-in-compromise to help taxpayers resolve tax debts; clarifying and expanding Tax Court jurisdiction to help taxpayers pursue claims in the appropriate venue; expand the independent of the National Taxpayer Advocate; increase civil and criminal penalties on tax professionals that do deliberate harm; and extend the so-called "mailbox rule" to electronic submissions to provide more certainty that submissions to the IRS are done in a timely manner.
National Taxpayer Advocate Erin Collins said in a statement that the legislation "would significantly strengthen taxpayer rights in nearly every facet of tax administration."
Likewise, the American Institute of CPAs voiced their support for the legislative proposal.
Melaine Lauridsen, vice president of Tax Policy and Advocacy at AICPA, said in a statement that the proposal "will be instrumental in establishing a foundation that helps simplify some of the laborious tax filing processes and allows taxpayers to better meet their tax obligation. We look forward to working with Senators Wyden and Crapo as this discussion draft moves forward."
By Gregory Twachtman, Washington News Editor
A limited liability company (LLC) classified as a TEFRA partnership could not claim a charitable contribution deduction for a conservation easement because the easement deed failed to comply with the perpetuity requirements under Code Sec. 170(h)(5)(A) and Reg. § 1.170A-14(g)(6). The Tax Court determined that the language of the deed did not satisfy statutory requirements, rendering the claimed deduction invalid.
A limited liability company (LLC) classified as a TEFRA partnership could not claim a charitable contribution deduction for a conservation easement because the easement deed failed to comply with the perpetuity requirements under Code Sec. 170(h)(5)(A) and Reg. § 1.170A-14(g)(6). The Tax Court determined that the language of the deed did not satisfy statutory requirements, rendering the claimed deduction invalid.
Easement Valuation
The taxpayer asserted that the highest and best use of the property was as a commercial mining site, supporting a valuation significantly higher than its purchase price. However, the Court concluded that the record did not support this assertion. The Court found that the proposed mining use was not financially feasible or maximally productive. The IRS’s expert relied on comparable sales data, while the taxpayer’s valuation method was based on a discounted cash-flow analysis, which the Court found speculative and not supported by market data.
Penalties
The taxpayer contended that the IRS did not comply with supervisory approval process under Code Sec. 6751(b) prior to imposing penalties. However, the Court found that the concerned IRS revenue agent duly obtained prior supervisory approval and the IRS satisfied the procedural requirements under Code Sec. 6751(b). Because the valuation of the easement reported on the taxpayer’s return exceeded 200 percent of the Court-determined value, the misstatement was deemed "gross" under Code Sec. 6662(h)(2)(A)(i). Accordingly, the Court upheld accuracy-related penalties under Code Sec. 6662 for gross valuation misstatement, substantial understatement, and negligence.
Green Valley Investors, LLC, TC Memo. 2025-15, Dec. 62,617(M)
The Tax Court ruled that IRS Appeals Officers and Team Managers were not "Officers of the United States." Therefore, they did not need to be appointed under the Appointments Clause.
The Tax Court ruled that IRS Appeals Officers and Team Managers were not "Officers of the United States." Therefore, they did not need to be appointed under the Appointments Clause.
The taxpayer filed income taxes for tax years 2012 (TY) through TY 2017, but he did not pay tax. During a Collection Due Process (CDP) hearing, the taxpayer raised constitutional arguments that IRS Appeals and associated employees serve in violation of the Appointments Clause and the constitutional separation of powers.
No Significant Authority
The court noted that IRS Appeals officers do not wield significant authority. For instance, the officers do not have authority to examine witnesses, unlike Tax Court Special Trial Judges (STJs) and SEC Administrative Law Judges (ALJs). The Appeals officers also lack the power to issue, serve, and enforce summonses through the IRS’s general power to examine books and witnesses.
The court found no reason to deviate from earlier judgments in Tucker v. Commissioner (Tucker I), 135 T.C. 114, Dec. 58,279); and Tucker v. Commissioner (Tucker II), CA-DC, 676 F.3d 1129, 2012-1 ustc ¶50,312). Both judgments emphasized the court’s observations in the current case. In Buckley v. Valeo, 424 U.S. 1 (per curiam), the Supreme Court similarly held that Federal Election Commission (FEC) commissioners were not appointed in accordance with the Appointments Clause, and thus none of them were permitted to exercise "significant authority."
The taxpayer lacked standing to challenge the appointment of the IRS Appeals Chief, and said officers under the Appointments Clause, and the removal of the Chief under the separation of powers doctrine.
IRC Chief of Appeals
The taxpayer failed to prove that the Chief’s tenure affected his hearing and prejudiced him in some way, under standards in United States v. Smith, 962 F.3d 755 (4th Cir. 2020) and United States v. Castillo, 772 F. App’x 11 (3d Cir. 2019). The Chief did not participate in the taxpayer's CDP hearing, and so the Chief did not injure the taxpayer. The taxpayer's injury was not fairly traceable to the appointment (or lack thereof) of the Chief, and the Chief was too distant from the case for any court order pointed to him to redress the taxpayer's harm.
C.C. Tooke III, 164 TC No. 2, Dec. 62,610
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Thank you for selecting Gray, Proctor & McMannis as your accountants. We are pleased to have you as a client Experience has shown us that the client/accountant relationship is enhanced when there is a mutual understanding about the nature of fees and expectations regarding payment of them. This letter contains general information regarding fees and billing practices, which we hope you will find informative.
Thank you for selecting Gray, Proctor & McMannis as your accountants. We are pleased to have you as a client Experience has shown us that the client/accountant relationship is enhanced when there is a mutual understanding about the nature of fees and expectations regarding payment of them. This letter contains general information regarding fees and billing practices, which we hope you will find informative.
Fees and Rates: Our fees are based on the professional and staff time which your engagement requires and the sophistication, complexity and creativity of the work to be performed. Usually our fees are determined by the number of hours actually spent on your work. Hourly fees for accountants' time range from $140 to $480 per hour, depending on the experience of the accountant. The amount of time which may be spent on any given engagement is inherently unpredictable, and, accordingly, "estimates" of fees are only that and not a guaranty or limitation. In limited cases, our professional services are provided on a fixed-fee basis.
Engagement Letter: When practical, prior to beginning your accounting or tax engagement, we will give you an engagement letter specifying whether services will be performed for you on a fixed-fee or hourly basis. If a fixed fee has been established, the amount that you will be obligated to pay will be stated.
Understanding your Bill: We try to have our bills accurately reflect time and charges. Often, however, time expended by accountants is not "visible" to the client. This can sometimes cause misunderstandings with respect to billing. Therefore, if you have any questions about the services delineated on a particular bill, please contact the accountant assigned to the engagement. Any questions you may have about your account in general, however, should be directed to our billing and collection administrator.
Billing Procedure/Payment of Fees: Our bills are normally prepared monthly and will be sent to you on approximately the tenth of each month. The bill will be dated at the end of the month and will reflect work performed as of the end of the month. Generally, the amount owed is due and payable upon receipt of the bill. Unless otherwise agreed, on accounts paid on an extended or a deferred basis, a charge of .833 percent per month on the unpaid balance will be made. This compensates us for having to wait for a period of time before collecting all of our fees and costs and for the additional expenses incurred in maintaining the open account on our books. Unless special arrangements are made, if an account remains delinquent for longer than 60 days, we may discontinue services for you and will take appropriate steps to collect amounts owing on the account.
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