1. The court will appoint an administrator, for a fee. The administrator will distribute your money and your belongings according to state law. You don't want this to happen because a court-appointed administrator won't know your personal interests and keep your needs in mind. With a will, you choose the person, called an executor, who sees to it that your property is distributed according to your specific wishes.

2. Your spouse may end up with less than s/he needs. Your surviving spouse may not have enough funds to make ends meet because, for example, more money may go to your children than you wanted. In your will, you can make sure that your spouse gets enough money to live comfortably.

3. Your assets may be divided equally among your heirs. If there is no surviving spouse, your assets will be parceled out equally among your heirs. You may not want this to happen. For example, you won't be able to protect your assets from an adult child's creditors or the financial ravages of a divorce decree. Or, one adult child may be well off and not need the money while another child really could use some financial assistance. Also, you may have another family member or friend you want to help and, without a will, it won't be possible.

4. Your grandchildren may not get a cent. When no beneficiaries have been specified, most state courts will grant an estate's assets first to a surviving spouse, then children, often leaving out the generation after. With a will you can allocate assets to go to grandchildren and, through a trust, you can name a guardian to manage their financial affairs until they're ready to do so on their own.

5. Your stepchildren may get nothing. Because most states define heirs as "blood" relatives, stepchildren may not be recognized as heirs. An exception may be made when a stepchild has been legally adopted. A will, however, can insure stepchildren are not left out.

6. You can't name a guardian for minor children. Without a will, you may not get the guardian you want for minor children. With neither parent alive, the grandparents are the natural guardians of minor children, but it may be up to a court to decide which set of grandparents.

7. You won't be able to minimize estate taxes your children or other heirs might have to pay. You and a spouse can shelter as much as $1.3 million of assets from federal estate taxes by setting up trusts within your wills. You'll need the help of a lawyer to draft the wills for you.

8. You can't leave your favorite things to your favorite people. With a will, and an adjoining letter of intent, you can specify who gets what. It's a good way to avoid family fights. A letter of intent is like a laundry list of items with the corresponding beneficiary. (Note: In some states, letters of intent can be changed from time to time without having to re-do the will).

9. You can't leave contributions to a church or charity. State laws do not consider religious and charitable institutions as heirs. Only a will can spell out how your money can be passed to non-heirs and insure your favorite charity gets a donation.

10. Your loved one could lose his/her benefits. You may cause a problem if money ends up going to a parent or other family member who's being cared for by Medicaid in a nursing facility. Medicaid has strict income qualifications. The added income may disqualify your loved one for continuing to receive benefits.

The IRS has announced the launch of two new online tools to help families verify, manage and monitor monthly payments of child tax credits under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARP) ( P.L. 117-2). These are in addition to the Non-filer Sign-up tool announced last week, which helps families register for child tax credits. The tools are both available through the Update Portal at https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/child-tax-credit-update-portal.

The IRS has announced the launch of two new online tools to help families verify, manage and monitor monthly payments of child tax credits under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARP) (P.L. 117-2). These are in addition to the Non-filer Sign-up tool announced last week, which helps families register for child tax credits. The tools are both available through the Update Portal at https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/child-tax-credit-update-portal.

The Treasury and IRS have urged taxpayers to use a special online tool to determine eligibility for the Child Tax Credit (CTC) and the special monthly advance payments beginning on July 15. The new CTC Eligibility Assistant is interactive and easy to use. It is particularly useful to those who do not normally file a federal tax return and have not yet filed either a 2019 or 2020 return.

"This new tool provides an important first step to help people understand if they qualify for the CTC, which is especially important for those who don’t normally file a tax return," said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. "The eligibility assistant works in concert with other features on IRS.gov to help people receive this important credit. The IRS is working hard to deliver the expanded Child Tax Credit, and we will be rolling out additional help for taxpayers in the near future. Where possible, please help us help others by distributing CTC information in your communities," he added.

The CTC Eligibility Assistant does not request any personally-identifiable information for any family member. The tool can be found at https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/advance-child-tax-credit-eligibility-assistant.

In addition to verification of their eligibility, the Update Portal allows a taxpayer to unenroll from receiving monthly payments, in order to receive a lump sum. The tool can be found at https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/advance-child-tax-credit-payments-in-2021. The unenroll feature is helpful to families that no longer qualify for the child tax credit or believe they will not qualify when they file their 2021 return. This could happen if:

• their income in 2021 is too high to qualify for the credit;
• someone else (an ex-spouse or another family member, for example) qualifies to claim their child or children as dependents in 2021; or
• their main home was outside of the United States for more than half of 2021.

Further, future versions and new features of the tool are planned for the summer and fall. These updates will allow taxpayers to view their payment history, adjust bank account information or mailing addresses. In general, these payments will go to families who:

• filed either a 2019 or 2020 federal income tax return;
• used the Non-Filers tool register for an Economic Impact Payment; or
• registered for the advance child tax credit using the new Non-filer Sign-up tool.

Next, eligible families will receive advance payments, either by direct deposit or check. Each payment will be up to $300 per month for each child under age six and up to $250 per month for each child ages six through 17. Filing soon will ensure that the IRS has taxpayers’ most current bank account information and key details about qualifying family members. This includes individuals who do not normally file tax returns, including families experiencing homelessness and individuals in undeserved groups.

The IRS also announced pertinent child tax credit changes. The ARP raised the maximum child tax credit to $3,600 for children under the age of six and to $3,000 per child for children ages six through 17. Finally, the IRS urged community groups, non-profits, associations, education organizations and taxpayers with connections to individuals with children to share this critical information about the child tax credit as well as other important benefits.

The IRS has announced the launch of two new online tools to help families verify, manage and monitor monthly payments of child tax credits under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARP) ( P.L. 117-2). These are in addition to the Non-filer Sign-up tool announced last week, which helps families register for child tax credits. The tools are both available through the Update Portal at https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/child-tax-credit-update-portal.

The IRS has announced the launch of two new online tools to help families verify, manage and monitor monthly payments of child tax credits under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARP) (P.L. 117-2). These are in addition to the Non-filer Sign-up tool announced last week, which helps families register for child tax credits. The tools are both available through the Update Portal at https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/child-tax-credit-update-portal.

The Treasury and IRS have urged taxpayers to use a special online tool to determine eligibility for the Child Tax Credit (CTC) and the special monthly advance payments beginning on July 15. The new CTC Eligibility Assistant is interactive and easy to use. It is particularly useful to those who do not normally file a federal tax return and have not yet filed either a 2019 or 2020 return.

"This new tool provides an important first step to help people understand if they qualify for the CTC, which is especially important for those who don’t normally file a tax return," said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. "The eligibility assistant works in concert with other features on IRS.gov to help people receive this important credit. The IRS is working hard to deliver the expanded Child Tax Credit, and we will be rolling out additional help for taxpayers in the near future. Where possible, please help us help others by distributing CTC information in your communities," he added.

The CTC Eligibility Assistant does not request any personally-identifiable information for any family member. The tool can be found at https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/advance-child-tax-credit-eligibility-assistant.

In addition to verification of their eligibility, the Update Portal allows a taxpayer to unenroll from receiving monthly payments, in order to receive a lump sum. The tool can be found at https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/advance-child-tax-credit-payments-in-2021. The unenroll feature is helpful to families that no longer qualify for the child tax credit or believe they will not qualify when they file their 2021 return. This could happen if:

• their income in 2021 is too high to qualify for the credit;
• someone else (an ex-spouse or another family member, for example) qualifies to claim their child or children as dependents in 2021; or
• their main home was outside of the United States for more than half of 2021.

Further, future versions and new features of the tool are planned for the summer and fall. These updates will allow taxpayers to view their payment history, adjust bank account information or mailing addresses. In general, these payments will go to families who:

• filed either a 2019 or 2020 federal income tax return;
• used the Non-Filers tool register for an Economic Impact Payment; or
• registered for the advance child tax credit using the new Non-filer Sign-up tool.

Next, eligible families will receive advance payments, either by direct deposit or check. Each payment will be up to $300 per month for each child under age six and up to $250 per month for each child ages six through 17. Filing soon will ensure that the IRS has taxpayers’ most current bank account information and key details about qualifying family members. This includes individuals who do not normally file tax returns, including families experiencing homelessness and individuals in undeserved groups.

The IRS also announced pertinent child tax credit changes. The ARP raised the maximum child tax credit to $3,600 for children under the age of six and to $3,000 per child for children ages six through 17. Finally, the IRS urged community groups, non-profits, associations, education organizations and taxpayers with connections to individuals with children to share this critical information about the child tax credit as well as other important benefits.

Partnerships, S corporations, and U.S. persons with interests in foreign partnerships may rely on transition relief from penalties for tax years beginning in 2021 with respect to new Schedules K-2 and K-3.

Partnerships, S corporations, and U.S. persons with interests in foreign partnerships may rely on transition relief from penalties for tax years beginning in 2021 with respect to new Schedules K-2 and K-3. These schedules may be required for:

• Form 1065, U.S. Return of Partnership Income,
• Form 1120-S, U.S. Income Tax Return for an S Corporation, and
• Form 8865, Return of U.S. Persons With Respect to Certain Foreign Partnerships.

The IRS also released new draft instructions for Schedules K-2 and K-3. Comments are requested.

Reporting Requirement for Interests in Foreign Partnerships
For tax years beginning in 2021, two new forms may be required when a partnership files Form 1065 or Form 8865, or an S corporation files Form 1120-S (1) Schedule K-2, Partners’ Distributive Share Items—International, and (2) Schedule K-3, Partner’s Share of Income, Deductions, Credits, etc.

The IRS released final versions of these schedules on June 3 and 4, 2021, after receiving comments on draft versions it released in July of 2020.

Waived Penalties for Failing to File or Furnish Schedules K-2 and K-3
The IRS recognizes that a filer may not have systems or procedures in place to obtain information about its partners, shareholders, or the controlled foreign partnership (CFP) to determine whether and how it must file a part of Schedules K-2 and K-3.

Accordingly, for tax years beginning in 2021, penalties will not be imposed for incorrect or incomplete reporting on Schedules K-2 and K-3 if the partnership or S corporation establishes to the satisfaction of the IRS that it made a good faith effort to comply with the requirements to file or furnish the schedules. A Schedule K-2 or K-3 filer that does not establish that it made a good faith effort to comply with the new requirements is not eligible for this penalty relief.

Good Faith Effort to Complete Schedules K-2 and K-3
In determining whether a filer makes a good faith effort to complete Schedules K-2 and K-3, the IRS will take into account:

• the extent to which the filer has changed its systems, processes, and procedures for collecting and processing relevant information;
• the extent to which the filer has obtained information from partners, shareholders, or the CFP, or applied reasonable assumptions when information is not obtained; and
• the steps the filer has taken to modify the partnership or S corporation agreement or governing instrument to facilitate the sharing of information with partners and shareholders that is relevant to determining whether and how to file Schedules K-2 and K-3.

With respect to relevant information about partners, shareholders, or the CFP, the IRS will assess the effort the Schedule K-2/K-3 filer made to obtain this information and the reasonableness of any assumptions, taking into account the relationship between the Schedule K-2/K-3 filer and its partners, shareholders or the CFP. For example, the appropriate level of diligence and/or the reasonableness of an assumption may differ with respect to a partner that manages or controls the partnership, or a partner with a significant interest in the partnership, as compared to partners holding small interests for which there may not be the same ease of access to information. A Schedule K-2/K-3 filer may have made a good faith effort despite being unsuccessful in obtaining information from its partners, shareholders, or the CFP.

Comments Requested
The IRS requests comments on the new draft instructions to Schedules K-2 and K-3 for tax years beginning in 2021. The IRS is especially in comments regarding:

• instances where the instructions do not provide sufficient guidance on how to complete the returns or where additional clarity is needed;
• suggestions for addressing structures and situations that make it difficult to determine certain information (for example, tiered partnership structures or publicly-traded partnerships; and
• reasonable assumptions Schedule K-2/K-3 filers could make in determining whether and how to complete Schedules K-2 and K-3 for tax years beginning after 2021, and whether these assumptions may differ between various parts of the Schedules K-2 and K-3.

Comments must be submitted in writing and should include a reference to Notice 2021-39. The IRS strongly encourages electronic comments submitted via the Federal eRulemaking Portal at https://www.regulations.gov (type IRS-2021-0006 in the search field on the regulations.gov homepage to find this notice and submit comments). However, to the extent practicable, the IRS will also consider paper comments it receives by mail.

The Departments of the Treasury, Labor, and Health and Human Services (the Departments), have issued interim final rules and identical proposed regulations to implement provisions of the No Surprises Act.

The Departments of the Treasury, Labor, and Health and Human Services (the Departments), have issued interim final rules and identical proposed regulations to implement provisions of the No Surprises Act. On December 27, 2020, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (CAA), which included the No Surprises Act, was signed into law. The No Surprises Act provides federal protections against surprise billing and limits out-of-network cost sharing under many of the circumstances in which surprise bills arise most frequently. The regulations are generally applicable for plan years (in the individual market, policy years) beginning on or after January 1, 2022.

Application of No Surprises Rules
The interim and proposed Treasury regulations implement the rules under the new Code Sec. 9816 regarding the prevention of surprise medical bills, Code Sec. 9817 regarding surprise ambulance bills, and Code Sec. 9822 regarding the choice of health care professional. The regulations apply to group health plans, including grandfathered plans. They do not apply to excepted benefits, short-term, limited-duration insurance, or health reimbursement arrangements or other account-based group health plans.

The interim regulations also include largely overlapping HHS and DOL regulations that apply to health insurance issuers offering group or individual health insurance coverage, and carriers in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Act (FEHB) Program to provide protections against balance billing and out-of-network cost sharing with respect to emergency services, non-emergency services furnished by nonparticipating providers at certain participating health care facilities, and air ambulance services furnished by nonparticipating providers of air ambulance services.

The new regulations prohibit nonparticipating providers, health care facilities, and providers of air ambulance services from balance billing participants, beneficiaries, and enrollees in certain situations, and permit these providers and facilities to balance bill individuals if certain notice and consent requirements in the No Surprises Act are satisfied. They also require certain health care facilities and providers to provide disclosures of federal and state patient protections against balance billing.

The regulations recodify certain patient protections that initially appeared in the Affordable Care Act and provide that the No Surprises Act applies to grandfathered plans. They also set forth complaints processes with respect to violations of the protections against balance billing and out-of-network cost sharing under the No Surprises Act.

These new rules protect individuals from surprise medical bills for emergency services, air ambulance services furnished by nonparticipating providers, and non-emergency services furnished by nonparticipating providers at participating facilities in certain circumstances. Among other requirements, they require emergency services to be covered without any prior authorization, without regard to whether the health care provider furnishing the emergency services is a participating provider or a participating emergency facility with respect to the services, and without regard to any other term or condition of the plan or coverage other than the exclusion or coordination of benefits or a permitted affiliation or waiting period.

Additionally, emergency services include certain services in an emergency department of a hospital or an independent freestanding emergency department, as well as post-stabilization services in certain instances.

Effective Dates and Comments
The regulations are generally applicable for plan years (in the individual market, policy years) beginning on or after January 1, 2022. However, the HHS-only regulations that apply to health care providers, facilities, and providers of air ambulance services are applicable beginning on January 1, 2022. The OPM-only regulations that apply to health benefits plans are applicable to contract years beginning on or after January 1, 2022.

Comments must be received no later than 5 p.m. on September 7, 2021. Comments, including mass comment submissions, must be submitted in one of the following three ways: electronically at https://www.regulations.gov by entering the file code in the search window and then clicking on “Comment”; by regular mail to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Department of Health and Human Services, Attention: CMS-9909-IFC, P.O. Box 8016, Baltimore, MD 21244-8016; or by express or overnight mail to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Department of Health and Human Services, Attention: CMS-9909-IFC, Mail Stop C4-26-05, 7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244-1850.

The IRS has proposed regulations that would amend the rules for filing electronically and affects persons required to file partnership returns, corporate income tax returns, unrelated business income tax returns, withholding tax returns, certain information returns, registration statements, disclosure statements, notifications, actuarial reports, and certain excise tax returns.

The IRS has proposed regulations that would amend the rules for filing electronically and affects persons required to file partnership returns, corporate income tax returns, unrelated business income tax returns, withholding tax returns, certain information returns, registration statements, disclosure statements, notifications, actuarial reports, and certain excise tax returns.

The proposed amendments reflect changes made by the Taxpayer First Act of 2019 (TFA), P.L. 116-25, and are consistent with the TFA’s emphasis on increasing electronic filing.

The IRS is also withdrawing proposed regulations ( REG-102951-16) published in the Federal Register on May 31, 2018, that would amend the rules for determining whether information returns must be filed electronically.

Electronic Filing
Amendments are proposed to:

• income tax regulations under Code Secs. 1461 and 1474, which provide that persons required to deduct and withhold tax are liable for such tax; and Code Sec. 6050I, which requires persons to report information about financial transactions to the IRS;
• pension excise tax regulations under Code Sec. 6011, which require persons to report information for certain excise taxes related to employee benefit plans;
• regulations under Code Secs. 1474, 6011, 6012, 6033, 6057, 6058, and 6059, for determining whether returns must be filed using magnetic media; and
• regulations under Code Sec. 6011 to remove the option available to a person required to report certain excise taxes on Form 4720, Return of Certain Excise Taxes Under Chapters 41 and 42 of the Internal Revenue Code, to designate a Form 4720 filed by a private foundation or trust as that person’s return if the foundation is reporting the same transaction.

Under Code Sec. 6011(e) and related regulations, filers are already required to file returns and statements electronically if, during a calendar year, they are required to file 250 or more returns. Eight related proposed rules would lower the 250-return threshold as authorized by Code Sec. 6011(e), as amended by section 2301 of the TFA. A filer can request that the IRS waive the electronic-filing requirement if the filer’s cost to comply with the rule would cause a financial hardship, and the IRS routinely grants meritorious hardship waiver requests.

Under Code Sec. 6050I and related regulations, filers are required to file Form 8300, Report of Cash Payments Over $10,000 Received in a Trade or Business, if, in the course of their trade or business, they receive more than $10,000 in cash in one transaction or in two or more related transactions. The related proposed rule would require filers of Forms 8300 to file those forms electronically if such filers are also required to file returns electronically under Reg. §§301.6011-2(b)(1) and (2). The Treasury Department and the IRS expect filers of Form 8300 to use FinCEN’s BSA E-Filing System, which is free, requiring only an internet connection.

Under Code Sec. 6011(e)(4) and related regulations, financial institutions defined in Code Sec. 1471(d)(5) already are required to electronically file Forms 1042-S, Foreign Person’s U.S. Source Income Subject to Withholding. The related proposed rule would extend this filing requirement to Forms 1042, Annual Withholding Tax Return for U.S. Source Income of Foreign Persons, filed by the same financial institutions.

Under Code Sec. 6011(h), as amended by section 3101 of the TFA, organizations required to file annual returns relating to any tax imposed by Code Sec. 511 must file those returns in electronic form. A proposed regulation implements this statutory requirement.

Under Code Sec. 6033(n), as amended by section 3101 of the TFA, organizations required to file returns under Code Sec. 6033 must file those returns in electronic form. Proposed regulations implement this statutory requirement.

Seven proposed regulations would require electronic filing for certain returns not currently required to be filed electronically. Because electronic filing has become more common, accessible, and economical, the economic impact of these proposed rules on small entities is expected be insignificant. If the cost to comply with these electronic-filing requirements would cause a financial hardship, an entity may request a waiver, and the IRS routinely grants meritorious hardship waiver requests.

Comments Requested
The proposed rules are scheduled to be published in the Federal Register on July 23, 2021, and available online at federalregister.gov/d/2021-15615, and on govinfo.gov. Written or electronic comments must be received by September 21, 2021, the date that is 60 days after the date the proposed rules are published in the Federal Register. Comments may be submitted electronically at www.regulations.gov (indicate IRS and REG-102951-16), or by mail.

The public hearing is being held by teleconference on September 22, 2021, at 10 a.m. EST. Requests to speak and outlines of topics to be discussed at the public hearing must be received by September 21, 2021. If no outlines are received by that date, the public hearing will be cancelled. Requests to attend the public hearing must be received by 5:00 p.m. EST on September 20, 2021.

Secretary of the Treasury Janet L.Yellen addressed the support for a global minimum tax for corporations at a press conference at the close of the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meetings, on July 11, 2021.

Secretary of the Treasury Janet L.Yellen addressed the support for a global minimum tax for corporations at a press conference at the close of the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meetings, on July 11, 2021, see https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy0270. Secretary Yellen stated that now 132 countries, representing more than 90 percent of global GDP have agreed to the outline of a global tax deal. Secretary Yellen praised what she sees as a "revival of multilateralism" on taxation and other issues. She stated, "we continue to see consensus around – and enthusiasm for – a global corporate minimum tax rate of at least 15%, as well as a partial reallocation of taxing rights to reflect the realities of the modern business world. … This deal will end the race to the bottom. Instead of asking the question: ‘Who can offer the lowest tax rate?,’ it will allow all of our countries to compete on the basis of economic fundamentals – on the skill of our workforces, our capacity to innovate, and the strength of our legal and economic institutions. And this deal will give our nations the ability to raise the necessary funding for important public goods like infrastructure, R & D, and education."

Implementation in the United States
In response to a question on OECD Pillar One (nexus and source rules), Secretary Yellen said the details of Pillar One remain to be negotiated, and she would say that OECD Pillar Two is further along. Secretary Yellen stated, "Pillar Two [the minimum tax rate], we're hoping to have incorporated in the coming budget resolution and reconciliation bill the changes that are necessary to put it into effect, but Pillar One will be on a slightly slower track. We will work with Congress. Maybe it will be ready in the Spring of 2022 and we will try to determine at that point what's necessary for implementation."

The IRS has provided a procedure for making elections and revocations under Act Sec. 2303(e) of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) ( P.L. 116-136) for taxpayers with a net operating loss (NOL) for any tax year beginning in 2018, 2019, or 2020, all or a portion of which consists of a farming loss (farming loss NOLs). The procedure is effective on the date of its release, June 30, 2021.

The IRS has provided a procedure for making elections and revocations under Act Sec. 2303(e) of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) ( P.L. 116-136) for taxpayers with a net operating loss (NOL) for any tax year beginning in 2018, 2019, or 2020, all or a portion of which consists of a farming loss (farming loss NOLs). The procedure is effective on the date of its release, June 30, 2021.

Specifically, the procedure:

• prescribes when and how to make an election with regard to all NOLs of the taxpayer, regardless of whether the NOL is a farming loss NOL;
• provides that a taxpayer is treated as having made a deemed election under Act Sec. 2303(e)(1) of the CARES Act if the taxpayer, before December 27, 2020, filed one or more original or amended tax returns, or applications for tentative refund, that disregard the CARES Act amendments with regard to a farming loss NOL; and
• prescribes when and how to revoke an election made under Code Sec. 172(b)(1)(B)(iv) or (b)(3) to waive the two-year carryback period for the farming loss portion of a farming loss NOL incurred in a tax year beginning in 2018 or 2019.

TCJA Amendments to NOL Rules
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) ( P.L. 115-97) amended the NOL rules to provide that, with regard to NOLs arising in a tax year beginning after 2017, the amount allowed as an NOL deduction cannot exceed 80 percent of the taxable income computed without regard to any NOL deduction (the 80-percent limitation). The 80-percent limitation does not apply in the case of a non-life insurance company. The TCJA also eliminated NOL carrybacks, except that a two-year carryback period is allowed for the portion of an NOL that is a farming loss. Taxpayers entitled to this two-year carryback period may make an irrevocable election to waive it. A separate rule provides that any taxpayer entitled to an NOL carryback period may irrevocably elect to relinquish the entire carryback period with respect to that NOL for any tax year. The TCJA changes relating to loss carrybacks apply to NOLs arising in tax years beginning after 2017.

CARES Act Amendments to NOL Rules
The CARES Act temporarily suspended the 80-percent limitation so that it applies only to NOLs arising in tax years beginning after 2017 that are deducted in tax years beginning after 2020. In addition, it provided a five-year carryback period for any NOL arising in a tax year beginning after 2017 and before 2021. The two-year carryback period for farming losses does not apply to any such NOL.

CTRA 2020 Amendments to CARES Act
The COVID-related Tax Relief Act of 2020 (CTRA 2020), which was enacted as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (CAA 2021) ( P.L. 116-260) amended Act Sec. 2303 of the CARES Act by adding a new subsection (e), which took effect as if originally included in that CARES Act, to provide that a taxpayer with a farming loss NOL for any tax year beginning in 2018, 2019, or 2020, may make an election to disregard the CARES Act amendments.

If a taxpayer makes the election: (i) the 80-percent limitation applies to determine the NOL deduction for each tax year beginning in 2018, 2019, or 2020 to the extent the deduction is attributable to NOLs arising in tax years beginning after 2017, but the 80-percent limitation does not apply to determine the NOL deduction for any tax year beginning before 2018, (ii) the modified taxable income rule applies with regard to each tax year beginning in 2018, 2019, or 2020, and (iii) the NOL carryback period is determined under Code Sec. 172(b), as amended by the TCJA and effective prior to enactment of the CARES Act, for any NOL arising in any tax year beginning in 2018, 2019, or 2020.

An election to disregard the CARES Act amendments (an affirmative election) must be made in the manner prescribed by the IRS. Once made, an election is irrevocable. An affirmative election must be made by the due date, including extensions of time, for filing the taxpayer’s tax return for the first tax year ending after December 27, 2020.

In the case of any taxpayer with a farming loss NOL that files a tax return before December 27, 2020, that disregards the CARES Act amendments, the taxpayer is treated as having made a deemed election (a deemed election) unless the taxpayer amends the return to reflect such amendments by the due date (including extensions of time) for filing the taxpayer’s tax return for the first tax year ending after December 27, 2020.

A taxpayer can revoke an election made under Code Sec. 172(b)(1)(B)(iv) or (b)(3) to waive the two-year carryback period if the election (i) was made before December 27, 2020; and (ii) relates to the two-year carryback period for the portion of any farming loss NOL that is a farming loss arising in tax years beginning in 2018 or 2019.

Procedure for Making Elections to Disregard CARES Act Amendments
Affirmative election. A taxpayer with a farming loss NOL, other than a taxpayer making a deemed election described below, may make an affirmative election under Act Sec. 2303(e)(1) of the CARES Act if: (i) the farming loss NOL arose in any tax year beginning in 2018, 2019, or 2020; and (ii) the taxpayer:

• makes the affirmative election on a statement described below by the due date, including extensions of time, for filing the taxpayer’s tax return for the first tax year ending after December 27, 2020; and
• attaches a statement to its tax return for the first tax year ending after December 27, 2020, that provides at the top: "The taxpayer elects under § 2303(e)(1) of the CARES Act and Revenue Procedure 2021-14 to disregard the amendments made by § 2303(a) of the CARES Act for taxable years beginning in 2018, 2019, and 2020, and the amendments made by § 2303(b) of the CARES Act that would otherwise apply to any net operating loss arising in any taxable year beginning in 2018, 2019, or 2020. The taxpayer incurred a Farming Loss NOL, as defined in section 1.01 of Revenue Procedure 2021-14, in [list each applicable taxable year beginning in 2018, 2019, or 2020]." The taxpayer should also attach a copy of the statement to any original or amended tax return or application for tentative refund on which the taxpayer claims a deduction attributable to a two-year NOL carryback pursuant to the affirmative election.

Deemed election. A taxpayer is treated as having made a deemed election under Act Sec. 2303(e)(1) of the CARES Act if the taxpayer, before December 27, 2020, filed one or more original or amended tax returns, or applications for tentative refund, that disregard the CARES Act amendments with regard to a farming loss NOL. Special procedure is provided for certain taxpayers whose two-year carryback claims filed before December 27, 2020, were rejected. Generally, if such a taxpayer wants to continue to pursue those claims, the taxpayer should submit complete copies of their rejected applications or claims, including the original or amended tax returns for the tax years in which the NOLs arose, in the manner set forth in the procedure.

A taxpayer will not be treated as having made a deemed election if, for each tax year for which the taxpayer filed an original or amended tax return or an application for tentative refund that treated a farming loss NOL in a manner that disregards the CARES Act amendments, the taxpayer subsequently files either (i) an amended return by the due date, including extensions of time, for filing the taxpayer’s tax return for the first tax year ending after December 27, 2020, or (ii) an application for tentative refund within the required time for filing such an application and also by the due date, including extensions of time, for filing the taxpayer’s tax return for the first tax year ending after December 27, 2020. The amended return or application must properly reflect the treatment of each farming loss NOL under the CARES Act amendments.

Procedure for Revocation of Election Not to Apply the Two-year Carryback Period for Farming Losses
A taxpayer that elected under Code Sec. 172(b)(1)(B)(iv) or (b)(3) not to have the two-year carryback period apply to the farming loss portion of a farming loss NOL incurred in a tax year beginning in 2018 or 2019 may revoke that election, if the taxpayer:

• made that election before December 27, 2020;
• makes the revocation by the date that is three years after the due date, including extensions of time, for filing the return for the tax year the farming loss NOL was incurred; and
• attaches a statement to an amended return for the loss year that provides at the top: "Pursuant to section 4.01 of Rev. Proc. 2021-14 the taxpayer is revoking a prior §172(b)(1)(B)(iv) or § 172(b)(3) election not to have the two-year carryback period provided by § 172(b)(1)(B)(i) apply to the Farming Loss NOL, as defined in section 1.01 of Rev. Proc. 2021-14, incurred in the taxable year."

Consolidated Groups
The procedure provides special rules for consolidated groups for making an affirmative election, consequences of affirmative and deemed elections, and reliance on rules in Reg. §1.1502-21 regarding the application of the 80-percent limitation.

The IRS has provided answers to questions that certain transportation companies may have regarding Treasury grants and related taxes.

The IRS has provided answers to questions that certain transportation companies may have regarding Treasury grants and related taxes, https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/coronavirus-economic-relief-for-transportation-services-certs-frequently-asked-questions. These companies must largely prioritize the use of the grants for payroll costs, though grants may be used for operating expenses, including the acquisition of services and any equipment needed to protect workers and customers from COVID-19. In addition, the funds may also be used for the repayment of debt accrued to maintain payroll. The IRS reminded the companies that funds not used for eligible activities within one year of receipt of the grant, must be returned to the Treasury.

The Service reminded the companies that the Coronavirus Economic Relief for Transportation Services (CERTS) Act ( P.L. 117-24) authorizes the Treasury to provide grants to transportation service providers that experienced annual revenue losses of 25 percent or more as a result of COVID-19. Under which, the IRS posted answers to two questions:

• are the grants taxable? Yes, the receipt of a CERTS Act grant is not excluded from the recipient’s gross income under the Code and therefore is taxable; and
• are costs for which the grants are used deductible? Yes, the costs are deductible to the extent that they are otherwise deductible under the law. The tax law generally permits the payment of wages, salaries, and benefits to employees and other amounts paid to carry on a trade or business to be deducted as ordinary and necessary business expenses.

The IRS reminded taxpayers that their website (www.irs.gov) provides millions of visitors with the answers they need to fit their busy summer schedules.

The IRS reminded taxpayers that their website ( www.irs.gov) provides millions of visitors with the answers they need to fit their busy summer schedules. Taxpayers who requested an extension to October 15 or missed the May 17 deadline can still prepare and e-file tax returns for free with the IRS Free File tool. Further, taxpayers can view, download or print tax products, and do the following:

Use the "File" tab on the home page for most federal income tax needs. Access the Interactive Tax Assistant tool that can answer many tax law questions.
See their tax account with the View Your Account tool. With this, they can find information such as a payoff amount, the balance for each tax year owed, up to 24 months of their payment history and key information from their current tax year return as originally filed.
Use the Get Transcript tool to view, print or download their tax transcripts after the IRS has processed the return.
Find the most up-to-date information about tax refunds using the Where's My Refund? tool on the IRS website and on the official IRS mobile app, IRS2Go. Taxpayers can start checking on the status of their refund 24 hours after the IRS acknowledges receipt of an e-filed return.
Additionally, many pages on the IRS website are now available in Spanish, Vietnamese, Russian, Korean, Haitian, Creole, and Chinese—simplified and traditional. Earlier this year, the agency posted a Spanish language version of Form 1040 PDF and the related instructions.

Assistive Technology
Moreover, at the online Alternative Media Center (AMC), taxpayers can find a variety of accessible products like screen reading software, refreshable Braille displays, and screen magnifying software. These products include tax forms, instructions, and publications that can be downloaded or viewed online as Section 508 compliant PDF, HTML, eBraille, text, and large print. However, every product is not available in all formats. For example, tax forms are not available as HTML. To request paper copies of tax forms, instructions or publications in Braille or large print, taxpayers must call the tax form telephone number at 800-829-3676.

Coronavirus Tax Relief Information
Further, the IRS has published ready-to-use articles, e-posters, videos, and much more on the website about Economic Impact Payments, the Recovery Rebate Credit, and the Advance Child Tax Credit. The IRS placed a special emphasis on partnering with organizations that work with groups focusing on veterans, homeless and low-income taxpayers as well as non-English speaking audiences to share information. In all, the IRS worked with thousands of partners across the country reaching organizations representing hundreds of millions of taxpayers.

IRS Tax Withholding Estimator
Finally, the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator helps employees assess their income tax, credits, adjustments and deductions and determine whether they need to change their withholding by submitting a new Form W-4, Employee's Withholding Allowance Certificate. However, taxpayers should remember that, if needed, they should submit their new W-4 to their employer, not the IRS.

Incentive stock options (ISOs) give employees a "piece of the action" while allowing employers to attract workers at relatively inexpensive costs. However, before you accept that job offer, there are some intricate rules regarding the taxation of ISOs that you should understand.

ISOs give employees a "piece of the action" while allowing employers to attract workers at relatively inexpensive costs. However, before you accept that job offer, there are some intricate rules regarding the taxation of ISOs that you should understand.

How are ISOs taxed?

An incentive stock option is an option granted to you as an employee which gives you the right to purchase the stock of your employer without realizing income either when the option is granted or when it is exercised. You are first taxed when you sell or otherwise dispose of the option stock. You then have capital gain equal to the sale proceeds minus the option price, provided that the holding period requirement is met.

Note. The IRS has temporarily suspended collection of ISO alternative minimum tax (AMT) liabilities through September 30, 2008.

How long do I need to hold ISOs to get capital gain treatment?

To obtain favorable tax treatment, the stock acquired under an incentive stock option qualifies for favorable long-term capital gain tax treatment only if it is not disposed of before the later of two years from the date of the grant of the option, or one year from the date of the exercise of the option. If this holding period is not satisfied, the portion of the gain equal to the difference between the fair market value (FMV) of the stock at the time of exercise and the option price is taxed as compensation income rather than capital gain. In this case, you may be subject to the higher rate of income imposed on ordinary income.

For example, your employer granted you an incentive stock option on April 1, 2006, and you exercised the option on October 1, 2006, you must not sell the stock until April 1, 2008, to obtain favorable tax treatment (the later of two years from the date of the grant or one year from the date of exercise).

What key dates should I remember?

Because of the importance of receiving capital gain treatment, it is important that you keep in mind key dates such as the date of grant of the ISO and its date of exercise. These periods are measured from the date on which all acts necessary to grant the option or exercise the option have been completed. Therefore, the date of grant is treated as the date on which the board of directors or the stock option committee completes the corporate action which constitutes an offer of stock, rather than the date on which the option agreement is prepared. The date of exercise is the date on which the corporation receives notice of the exercise of the option and payment for the stock, rather than the date the shares of stock are actually transferred.

Will I be subject to alternative minimum tax?

The effect of the alternative minimum tax (AMT) on ISOs can amount to a potential trap for the unwary. This is because under the regular tax there is no tax until the stock is sold or otherwise disposed of. Under the AMT, however, the trap takes place when the ISO is exercised, since alternative minimum taxable income includes the difference between the FMV of the stock on the date the ISO is exercised and the price paid for the stock (the "ISO spread").

If you pay AMT, you are given a credit against regular income tax for the portion of the AMT attributable to ISOs and other tax preference items that result in deferral of income tax. The credit is taken in later years when no AMT is due, and may be taken to the extent that regular tax liability exceeds tentative minimum tax liability. The effect of this is that the AMT is a prepayment of tax, rather than an additional tax.

Since the AMT only applies if it is higher than your regular income tax, one strategy is to time the exercise of ISOs each year to come under the AMT exemption levels. Purely from a tax standpoint, the ideal situation is to exercise ISOs each year that would result in AMT equal to your regular tax. Of course, other factors, such as market conditions, financial needs, etc. may play a greater role in deciding when to exercise an option. If you pay high property tax or state income tax, you may find it more challenging to calculate the optimum exercise of ISOs in relation to the AMT, since both of these deductions are counted against their annual AMT exemption.

ISOs can be a nice additional employee benefit when considering a job offer. However, because the tax implications surrounding certain key trigger events related to ISOs can have a significant impact on your tax liability, we suggest that you contact the office for additional guidance.

Business travel expenses are not created equal - some special rules apply to certain types of expenditures. Before you pack your bags for your next business trip, make sure that you have planned ahead to optimize your business travel deductions.

Business travel expenses are not created equal - some special rules apply to certain types of expenditures. Before you pack your bags for your next business trip, make sure that you have planned ahead to optimize your business travel deductions.

The basic rule for the deductibility of business travel is relatively simple--travel expenses incurred while you are away from home in pursuit of a trade or business are deductible so long as they are not lavish or extravagant. Business travel can take many different forms, however--conventions, educational seminars, cruise ship meetings and foreign travel, in addition to the run-of-the-mill business trip--and each has its own special rules which you should know about prior to departure so that optimum use is made of the business travel deduction.

The basic rules

Taxpayers who travel away from their tax home on business may deduct the expenses they incur, including fares, meals, lodging, and incidental expenses, if they are not lavish or extravagant. A business trip is considered travel away from home if you may reasonably need sleep or rest to complete a round trip. Your tax home is generally your principal place of business or your residence if you are temporarily employed away from the area of your residence.

To be deductible, traveling expenses must be incurred in pursuit of an existing trade or business. If the expenses are in connection with acquiring a new business, they are not deductible. Of course, there is no rule that prohibits you from enjoying yourself or from pursuing some recreational activities during your travel, but the primary purpose of the trip must be related to the taxpayer's trade or business.

Travel expenses of your spouse, dependents or other individuals are only deductible if the person accompanying you is an employee of the company, the travel is for a bona fide business purpose, and the expenses are otherwise deductible.

Special rules apply

Because special rules may apply, the following types of business travel may require some additional planning in advance in order to maximize your business travel deduction:

Foreign travel

Foreign travel expenses are subject to special rules that are not applicable if the business trip is within the United States. If your travel overseas takes longer than a week, or if less than 75 percent of the time is spent on business, expenses are allocated between business and leisure activities on a day-to-day basis. Each day is either entirely a business day, or it is considered to be a nonbusiness day. A day counts as entirely for business if your principal activity on that day was in pursuit of your trade or business. Travel days are counted as business days, as are days when events beyond your control prevent the conducting of business. Saturdays, Sunday, legal holidays, and other reasonably necessary stand-by days also count as business days.

Educational travel

Although the Tax Code prohibits deducting expenses for travel as a form of education, a recent Tax Court decision allowed a schoolteacher to deduct her travel and tuition costs for two university courses overseas. The court decided that the reason for taking the courses went beyond mere travel and helped the teacher maintain and improve skills needed in her employment.

Conventions and seminars

If there is a sufficient relationship of the convention to your trade or business, expenses for both self-employed persons and employees to attend a convention in the United States may be deducted. A special rule prohibits the deduction of costs of attending seminars or conventions for investment purposes.

Cruises

Although the IRS does not look favorably on cruise ship conventions, a limited deduction is available (to a maximum of $2,000 annually) if you can satisfy some rigorous reporting requirements, and the cruise ship is of US registry, all ports of call are in the US or its possessions, and the meeting is directly related to your trade or business. Reporting requirements include written statements by both you and the officer of the sponsoring organization, containing information as to the number of hours of each day of the trip devoted to scheduled business activities, and a program of the activities of each day of the meeting.

Foreign conventions

While the rule for stateside conventions (and those in Canada, Mexico, a US possession, or the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands) merely require that your business be related to the agenda of the convention, you are held to a higher standard for conventions held overseas. You must show that the meeting is directly related to the active conduct of your business and that it is as reasonable to be held overseas as it would have been to hold it in the US.

Stayovers

Sometimes costs can be decreased if you stay over at the out-of-town location on Saturday night, even though business was wrapped up on Friday. This occurs when, due to airline pricing policies, the additional lodging expense is more than offset by lower airfare. When this is the case, the additional meal and lodging expenses will still be deductible.

If you have any questions regarding the deductibility of business travel expenses or the related reporting requirements, please contact the office for more information and guidance.

For homeowners, the exclusion of all or a portion of the gain on the sale of their principal residence is an important tax break.

For homeowners, the exclusion of all or a portion of the gain on the sale of their principal residence is an important tax break. The maximum amount of gain from the sale or exchange of a principal residence that may be excluded from income is generally $250,000 ($500,000 for joint filers).

Unfortunately, the $500,000/$250,000 exclusion has a few traps, including a "loophole" closer that reduces the homesale exclusion for periods of "nonqualifying use." Careful planning, however, can alleviate many of them. Here is a review of the more prominent problems that homeowners may experience with the homesale exclusion and some suggestions on how you might avoid them:

Reduced homesale exclusion. The Housing Assistance Tax Act of 2008 modifies the exclusion of gain from the sale of a principal residence, providing that gain from the sale of principal residence will no longer be excluded from income for periods that the home was not used as a principal residence. For example, if you used the residence as a vacation home prior to using it as a principal residence. These periods are referred to as "nonqualifying use." This income inclusion rule applies to home sales after December 31, 2008 and is based on nonqualified use periods beginning on or after January 1, 2009, under a generous transition rule. A specific formula is used to determine the amount of gain allocated to nonqualifying use periods.

Use and ownership. Moreover, in order to qualify for the $250,000/$500,000 exclusion, your home must be used and owned by you as your principal residence for at least 2 out of the last 5 years of ownership before sale. Moving into a new house early, or delaying the move, may cost you the right to exclude any and all gain on the home sale from tax.

Incapacitated taxpayers. If you become physically or mentally incapable of self-care, the rules provide that you are deemed to use a residence as a principal residence during the time in which you own the residence and reside in a licensed care facility (e.g., a nursing home), as long as at least a one-year period of use (under the regular rules) is already met. Moving in with an adult child, even if professional health care workers are hired, will not lower the use time period to one year since care is not in a "licensed care facility." In addition, some "assisted-living" arrangements may not qualify as well.

Pro-rata sales. Under an exception, a sale of a residence more frequently than once every two years is allowed, with a pro-rata allocation of the $500,000/$250,000 exclusion based on time, if the sale is by reason of a change in place of employment, health, or other unforeseen circumstances to be specified under pending IRS rules. Needless to say, it is very important that you make certain that you take steps to make sure that you qualify for this exception, because no tax break is otherwise allowed. For example, health in this circumstance does not require moving into a licensed care facility, but the extent of the health reason for moving must be substantiated.

Tax basis. Under the old rules, you were advised to keep receipts of any capital improvements made to your house so that the cost basis of your residence, for purposes of determining the amount of gain, may be computed properly. In a rapidly appreciating real estate market, you should continue to keep these receipts. Death or divorce may unexpectedly reduce the $500,000 exclusion of gain for joint returns to the $250,000 level reserved for single filers. Even if the $500,000 level is obtained, if you have held your home for years, you may find that the exclusion may fall short of covering all the gain realized unless receipts for improvements are added to provide for an increased basis when making this computation.

Some gain may be taxed. Even if you move into a new house that costs more than the selling price of the old home, a tax on gain will be due (usually 20%) to the extent the gain exceeds the $500,000/$250,000 exclusion. Under the old rules, no gain would have been due.

Home office deduction. The home office deduction may have a significant impact on your home sale exclusion. The gain on the portion of the home that has been written off for depreciation, utilities and other costs as an office at home may not be excluded upon the sale of the residence. One way around this trap is to cease home office use of the residence sufficiently before the sale to comply with the rule that all gain (except attributable to recaptured home office depreciation) is excluded to the extent the taxpayer has not used a home office for two out of the five years prior to sale.

Vacation homes. As mentioned, in order to qualify for the $250,000/$500,000 exclusion, the home must be used and owned by you or your spouse (in the case of a joint return) as your principal residence for at least 2 out of the last 5 years of ownership before sale. Because of this rule, some vacation homeowners who have seen their resort properties increase in value over the years are moving into these homes when they retire and living in them for the 2 years necessary before selling in order to take full advantage of the gain exclusion. For example, doing this on a vacation home that has increased $200,000 in value over the years can save you $40,000 in capital gains tax. However, keep in mind the reduced homesale exclusion for periods of nonqualifying use.

As you can see, there is more to the sale of residence gain exclusion than meets the eye. Before you make any decisions regarding buying or selling any real property, please consider contacting the office for additional information and guidance.

An important IRS ruling shows how the use of trusts to hold personal assets can sometimes backfire if all tax factors are not considered. This ruling also drives home the fact that tax rules may change after assets have already been locked into a trust for a long period of time, making trusts sometimes inflexible in dealing with changing tax opportunities.

An important IRS ruling shows how the use of trusts to hold personal assets can sometimes backfire if all tax factors are not considered. This ruling also drives home the fact that tax rules may change after assets have already been locked into a trust for a long period of time, making trusts sometimes inflexible in dealing with changing tax opportunities.

In the ruling, the IRS determined that the sale of a home, in which an individual resided for many years but to which title was legally held by a family trust, did not qualify for the Tax Code's new capital gains exclusion on the sale of the house. The exclusion permits those who sell their personal residence anytime after May 6, 1997, to exclude up to $250,000 in capital gains ($500,000 for those filing joint returns). The IRS concluded that the individual's inability to control the assets of the trust prevented her from being deemed an owner of the trust for tax purposes.

Family trusts: A common estate planning tool

As part of an estate plan, an individual may place assets, such as a home, into a trust and name an income beneficiary or beneficiaries. The income beneficiary has rights to any income from the trust and may even have use of the assets but has no control to sell, mortgage or dispose of the assets of the trust. Only the trust's designated trustees have the power to make decisions related to the encumbrance or disposal of the trust's assets. When the asset is a personal residence, this type of trust allows for preferential estate tax treatment while the income beneficiary has the ability to continue living in the home.

IRS: "No Capital Gain Exclusion"

The IRS's stance is that, even though an individual may have enjoyed the use of a house for many years, if the house was in a family trust, ownership of the house would always be vested in the trust. Under the federal tax rules, a beneficiary of a trust may be deemed an owner of the trust if he or she has the power to reach and to take all of the trust's assets for his or her use. When a beneficiary is treated as an owner, a sale by the trust is equivalent to a sale by the beneficiary. However, when an income beneficiary has no control over the fate of the assets of the trust, the IRS has found that the beneficiary is not the owner of the trust and therefore would not qualify for the Tax Code's capital gains exclusion upon the sale of a residence held in such trust.

Planning for the smooth transition of your assets to your family upon death can be complicated and can have serious tax ramifications. Please contact the office for additional guidance in this area.

Q. The recent upturn in home values has left me with quite a bit of equity in my home. I would like to tap into this equity to pay off my credit cards and make some major home improvements. If I get a home equity loan, will the interest I pay be fully deductible on my tax return?

Q. The recent upturn in home values has left me with quite a bit of equity in my home. I would like to tap into this equity to pay off my credit cards and make some major home improvements. If I get a home equity loan, will the interest I pay be fully deductible on my tax return?

A. For most people, all interest paid on a home equity loan would be fully deductible as an itemized deduction on their personal tax returns. However, due to changes made to tax laws governing home mortgage interest deduction in 1987, there are limitations and special circumstances that must be considered when determining how much of your home mortgage interest expense is deductible.

Mortgages secured by your qualified home generally fall under one of three classifications for purposes of determining the home mortgage interest deduction: grandfathered debt, home acquisition debt, and home equity debt. Grandfathered debt is simply home mortgage debt taken out prior to October 14, 1987 (including subsequent refinancing of that debt). The other two types of mortgage debt are discussed below. A "qualified home" is your main or second home and, in addition to a house or condominium, can include any property with sleeping, cooking and toilet facilities (e.g., boat, trailer).

Home Acquisition Debt

Home acquisition debt is a mortgage (including a refinanced loan) taken out after October 13, 1987 that is secured by a qualified home and where the proceeds were used to buy, build, or substantially improve that qualified home. "Substantial improvements" are home improvements that add to the value of your home, prolong the useful life of your home, or adapt your home to new uses.

In general, interest expense on home acquisition debt of up to $1 million ($500,000 if married filing separately) is fully deductible. Keep in mind, though, that to the extent that the mortgage debt exceeds the cost of the home plus any substantial improvements, your mortgage interest will be limited. Mortgage interest expense on this excess debt may be deductible as home equity debt (see below).

Example: You have a home worth $400,000 with a first mortgage of $200,000. If you get a home equity loan of $125,000 to build a new addition to your home, your mortgage interest would be fully deductible.

Home Equity Debt

Home equity debt is debt that is secured by your qualified home and that does not qualify as home acquisition debt. There are generally no limits on the use of the proceeds of this type of loan to retain interest deductibility.

The amount of mortgage debt that can be treated as home equity debt for purposes of the mortgage interest deduction is the smaller of a) $100,000 ($50,000 if married filing separately) or b) the total of each qualified home's fair market value (FMV) reduced by home acquisition debt & debt secured prior to October 14, 1987. Mortgage debt in excess of these limits would be treated as non-deductible personal interest.

Example: You have a home worth $400,000 with a first mortgage of $200,000. If you get a home equity loan of $125,000 to pay off your credit cards (you really like to shop!), your mortgage interest deduction would be limited to the amount paid on only $100,000 of the home equity debt.

In addition to the above limitations, there are other circumstances that, if present, can affect your home equity debt interest expense deduction. Here are a few examples:

As illustrated above, determining your deduction for mortgage interest paid can be more complex than it appears. Before you obtain a home equity loan, please feel free to contact the office for advice on how it may affect your potential home mortgage interest deduction.

As a new business owner, you probably expect to incur many expenses before you even open the doors. What you might not know is how these starting up costs are handled for tax purposes. A little knowledge about how these costs will affect your (or your business') tax return can reduce any unexpected surprises when tax time comes around.

As a new business owner, you probably expect to incur many expenses before you even open the doors. What you might not know is how these starting up costs are handled for tax purposes. A little knowledge about how these costs will affect your (or your business') tax return can reduce any unexpected surprises when tax time comes around.

Starting a new business can be an exciting, although expensive, event that finds you, the small business owner, with a constantly open wallet. In most cases, all costs that you incur on behalf of your new company before you open the doors are capital expenses that increase the basis of your business. However, some of these pre-opening expenditures may be amortizable over a period of time if you choose. Pre-opening expenditures that are eligible for amortization will fall into one of two categories: start-up costs or organizational costs.

Start-up Costs

Start-up costs are certain costs associated with creating an active trade or business, investigating the creation or acquisition of an active trade or business, or purchasing an existing trade or business. If, before your business commences, you incur any cost that would normally be deductible as a business expense during the normal course of business, this would qualify as a start-up cost. Examples of typical start-up costs include attorney's fees, pre-opening advertising, fees paid for consultants, and travel costs. However, deductible interest taxes, and research and development (R&D) expenses are treated differently.

Start-up costs are amortized as a group on the business' tax return (or your own return on Schedule C, if you are a sole proprietor) over a period of no less than 60 months. The amortization period would begin in the month that your business began operations. In order to be able to claim the deduction for amortization related to start-up costs, a statement must be filed with the return for the first tax year you are in business by the due date for that return (plus extensions). However, both early (pre-opening) and late (not more than 6 months) submissions of the statement will be accepted by the IRS.

Organizational Costs

Organizational costs are those costs incurred associated with the organization of a corporation or partnership. If a cost is incurred before the commencement of business that is related to the creation of the entity, is chargeable to a capital account, and could be amortized over the life of the entity (if the entity had a fixed life), it would qualify as an organizational cost. Examples of organizational costs include attorney's fees, state incorporation fees, and accounting fees.

Organizational costs are amortized using the same method as start-up costs (see above), although it is not necessary to use the same amortization period for both. A similar statement must be completed and filed with the company's business tax return for the business' first tax year.

Before you decide which, if any, pre-opening expenditures related to your new business you'd like to treat as start-up or organizational costs, please contact our office for additional guidance.

In today's tight job market, small business owners are finding it increasingly difficult to keep good employees on board and content. A much overlooked employee benefit - employee achievement awards - can allow you to reward your best employees with tax-free income.

In today's tight job market, small business owners are finding it increasingly difficult to keep good employees on board and content. A much overlooked employee benefit - employee achievement awards - can allow you to reward your best employees with tax-free income.

What is an employee achievement award? As an employer, you may give your employees cash or other tangible personal property to reward them for achieving certain standards or milestones within the workplace. In order to qualify as an employee achievement award in the eyes of the IRS, an award must meet the following criteria:

• Amount limit: not to exceed $400 per employee for awards that are not "qualified plan awards," with the total for all awards not to exceed $1,600 (whether qualified or not). A qualified plan award is one that is awarded as part of an established plan that does not take into consideration compensation as to eligibility or benefits.
• Form of award: the award must be tangible personal property that is:
  • Based upon length of service or safety achievement;
  • Is given in a meaningful presentation; and
  • Is not merely "disguised pay."

 Who can receive these awards?

Length-of-service award. In order to be eligible to receive an award based upon length of service with the employer, an employee must:

• Have worked for the employer for more than 5 years, or;
• Have not received a length-of-service award during the year of the award or in any of the prior 4 years.

Safety achievement award. In order to be eligible to receive an award based upon safety in the workplace, an employee must not be a manager, administrator, clerical or other professional employee. Also, if more than 10% of the employees are given the award, it will not qualify under this provision.

How much can I deduct? As an employer, you are entitled to deduct an amount given for employee achievement awards up to the amount limits specified above. This amount would be included on the "Other deductions" line of your company's tax return.

How much is taxable to the employee? As long as the award given does not exceed the amount limits specified above, the award will not be includible as wages to the employee. Any awards given on excess of the limits would be includible in the employee's wages.

While definitely not on the same level as stock options in a pre-IPO company as an employee retention tool, employee achievement awards are a nice way to reward your best employees with tax-free income. If you need more info regarding these types of awards, please feel free to contact the office.

Probably one of the more difficult decisions you will have to make as a consumer is whether to buy or lease your auto. Knowing the advantages and disadvantages of buying vs. leasing a new car or truck before you get to the car dealership can ease the decision-making process and may alleviate unpleasant surprises later.

Probably one of the more difficult decisions you will have to make as a consumer is whether to buy or lease your auto. Knowing the advantages and disadvantages of buying vs. leasing a new car or truck before you get to the car dealership can ease the decision-making process and may alleviate unpleasant surprises later.

Nearly one-third of all new vehicles (and up to 75% of all new luxury cars) are leased rather than purchased. But the decision to lease or buy must ultimately be made on an individual level, taking into consideration each person's facts and circumstances.

Buying

Advantages.

• You own the car at the end of the loan term.
• Lower insurance premiums.
• No mileage limitations.

Disadvantages.

• Higher upfront costs.
• Higher monthly payments.
• Buyer bears risk of future value decrease.

Leasing

Advantages.

• Lower upfront costs.
• Lower monthly payments.
• Lessor assumes risk of future value decrease.
• Greater purchasing power.
• Potential additional income tax benefits.
• Ease of disposition.

Disadvantages.

• You do not own the car at the end of the lease term, although you may have the option to purchase at that time.
• Higher insurance premiums.
• Potential early lease termination charges.
• Possible additional costs for abnormal wear & tear (determined by lessor).
• Extra charges for mileage in excess of mileage specified in your lease contract.

Before you make the decision whether to lease or buy your next vehicle, it makes sense to ask yourself the following questions:

How long do I plan to keep the vehicle? If you want to keep the car or truck longer than the term of the lease, you may be better off purchasing the vehicle as purchase contracts usually result in a lower overall cost of ownership.

How much am I going to drive the vehicle? If you are an outside salesperson and you drive 30,000 miles per year, any benefits you may have gained upfront by leasing will surely be lost in the end to excess mileage charges. Most lease contracts include mileage of between 12,000-15,000 per year - any miles driven in excess of the limit are subject to some pretty hefty charges.

How expensive of a vehicle do I want? If you can really only afford monthly payments on a Honda Civic but you've got your eye on a Lexus, you may want to consider leasing. Leasing usually results in lower upfront fees in the form of lower down payments and deferred sales tax, in addition to lower monthly payments. This combination can make it easier for you to get into the car of your dreams.

If you have any questions about the tax ramifications regarding buying vs. leasing an automobile or would like some additional information when making your decision, please contact the office.

Q. Last year I underwent a number of elective surgical procedures and would like to deduct the cost of these expensive procedures on my personal tax return. What are the criteria for medical expenses to be deductible? Do they have to exceed a certain dollar amount?

Q. Last year I underwent a number of elective surgical procedures and would like to deduct the cost of these expensive procedures on my personal tax return. What are the criteria for medical expenses to be deductible? Do they have to exceed a certain dollar amount?

A. While many medical expenses are clearly deductible, such as amounts paid for doctors/dentists, insurance premiums, prescription drugs, etc.., there are certain medical expenses that are not so easily identifiable as deductible and may require certain conditions be present to be considered deductible. Here are some examples of medical expenses that you should make sure you don't miss on this year's tax return:

Cosmetic Surgery. In general, you cannot include in medical expenses the amount you pay for unnecessary cosmetic surgery. "Unnecessary cosmetic surgery" is defined as any procedure that is directed at improving the patient's appearance and does not meaningfully promote the proper function of the body or prevent or treat illness or disease. Examples of these types of procedures include face-lifts, hair transplants, hair removal and liposuction. However, you can include in medical expenses the amount you pay for cosmetic surgery if it is necessary to improve a deformity arising from, or directly related to, a congenital abnormality, a personal injury resulting from an accident or trauma, or a disfiguring disease.

Stop Smoking Treatments. A new law change in 1999 means that you can now include in medical expenses amounts you paid for a program to stop smoking. Keep in mind, however, that you cannot include in medical expenses amounts you paid for drugs that do not require a prescription, such as nicotine gum or patches, that are designed to help stop smoking.

Alcoholism treatment. Medical expenses incurred in connection with an inpatient's treatment at a therapeutic center for alcohol addiction (including meals and lodging provided by the center during treatment) are deductible medical expenses. In addition, if you receive medical advice that states that you should attend meetings of an Alcoholics Anonymous Club for the treatment of a disease involving the excessive use of alcoholic liquors, you are entitled to deduct medical transportation expenses (at 10 cents per mile) for travel to the meetings.

Capital expenditures. Certain expenses you paid for special equipment installed in your home, or for improvements, may be deductible as medical expenses. To qualify, the main purpose of the expense is medical care for you, your spouse, or a dependent. The costs of permanent improvements that increase the value of the property may be partly included as a medical expense. These costs are deductible medical expenses to the extent that they exceed the increase in the value of the property. If the value of the property is not increased by the improvement, the entire cost is included as a medical expense.

Limit on deductibility. Unfortunately, the IRS has imposed a rather steep threshold for the deduction of medical expenses. Taxpayers can deduct only the amount of their medical and dental expenses that exceed 7.5% of their adjusted gross income.

If, as you are gathering your tax information, you have any questions about the potential deductibility of a medical expenditure, please contact our office and we will be happy to assist you.

Please contact the office for more information on this subject and how it pertains to your specific tax or financial situation.