Category Archives: IRS

The Great, the Good, and the Bad of the Extender Legislation

Posted on December 20, 2015 by Russ

Normally I would write about the good, the bad, and the ugly of the extender legislation. It’s different this year, because the legislation passed by Congress and signed into law doesn’t have much that’s ugly. Instead, there’s some great news, … Continue reading →

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2016 Standard Mileage Rates Released

Posted on December 17, 2015 by Russ

The IRS today announced the standard mileage rates for 2016: $0.54/mile for business miles driven (down from $0.575/mile in 2015); $0.19/mile for medical or moving purposes (down from $0.23/mile in 2015); and $0.14/mile in service of a charitable organization (unchanged; … Continue reading →

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Third Party Transcript Requests Reportedly Will No Longer be Processed by the IRS

Posted on December 2, 2015 by Russ

Form 4506-T allows a third-party to obtain a transcript with your signed permission. One use of the form has been to obtain a tax return transcript when obtaining a mortgage. There have been reports that some individuals who completed this … Continue reading →

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De Minimis Rule Change Is Better than I First Thought

Posted on November 29, 2015 by Russ

My flight home last night was delayed, so I got the chance to read the IRS’s new de minimis rule for small businesses allowing expensing of items costing $2,500 or less. Normally when you read something that’s from the IRS, … Continue reading →

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IRS Increases De Minimis Expense Threshold to $2,500 from $500 for 2016 Onward

Posted on November 24, 2015 by Russ

The IRS today announced that the de minimis expense threshhold for small taxpayers (which is the vast majority of all taxpayers) to $2,500 from $500 for tax years 2016 onward. Note that this does not apply for 2015 returns filed … Continue reading →

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Yo No Hablo Ni Leo Español

Posted on November 18, 2015 by Russ

Yes, Spanish is not one of my languages. Luckily for me, computer translators exist. Unluckily for one of my clients, he received an IRS notice in Spanish…when he doesn’t read or speak Spanish. This is more humorous than anything else … Continue reading →

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IRSAC Report Has Hits and Errors

Posted on November 18, 2015 by Russ

The Internal Revenue Service Advisory Council (IRSAC) issued its annual report today. I agree with some of the recommendations but strongly disagree with others. IRSAC laments IRS funding. While I agree it would be nice to have the IRS fully … Continue reading →

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Time Running Out on the Miccosukee Tribe’s Battle with the IRS

Posted on November 4, 2015 by Russ

I have sympathy when taxpayers battle the IRS over legitimate issues. Indeed, I’m all for fighting the IRS when they’re (imho) wrong. However, fighting quixotic battles when you are wrong isn’t a good idea. The Miccosukee Tribe in Florida is … Continue reading →

Posted in Gambling, IRS, Tax Court | Tagged | 1 Comment

Where I Agree (In Part) With IRS Commissioner John Koskinen

Posted on November 3, 2015 by Russ

It’s rare for me to agree with IRS Commissioner John Koskinen. However, he spoke to some tax practitioners today and I do agree with some of what he said. From Accounting Today: Once again, Congress has been working on legislation … Continue reading →

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AICPA Has Standing Per DC Court of Appeals; IRS’s Annual Filing Season Program In Jeopardy

Posted on October 30, 2015 by Russ

The American Institute for Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) filed a lawsuit in July 2014 challenging the IRS’s Annual Filing Season Program (AFSP). Almost exactly one year ago, a District Court for the District of Columbia ruled that the AICPA did … Continue reading →

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