Donald T. McLean CPA

Tax Alerts

Tax Briefing(s)

2019 Tax Year in Review Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 2019 Year-End Tax Planning 2019 Post-Filing Season Update

2020 Standard Mileage Rates Released
The IRS has released the optional standard mileage rates for 2020. Most taxpayers may use these rates to compute deductible costs of operating vehicles for business, medical, and charitable purposes.2...

Closed School Student Loan Relief Extended
The IRS has established a safe harbor that extends relief to certain taxpayers who took out federal or private student loans to finance attendance at certain nonprofit or for-profit schools. Under the...

Interim Guidance on 2020 Withholding from Retirement and Annuity Distributions
The IRS has issued interim guidance for the 2020 calendar year on income tax withholding from periodic payments for pensions, annuities, and certain other deferred income under Code Sec. 3405(a)....

IRS Launches Assistant to Help Small Businesses Withhold Tax
The IRS has launched a new online assistant designed to help employers, especially small businesses, easily determine the right amount of federal income tax to withhold from their workers’ pay. ...

IRS Launches Gig Economy Tax Center
The IRS has announced the launch of the new Gig Economy Tax Center on its website, to help individuals in this growing area meet their tax obligations through more streamlined information. I...

IRS Provides Procedures to Claim Fuel Credits
The IRS has provided a process for eligible taxpayers to make a one-time claim for the credits and payments allowed under Code Secs. 6426(c), 6426(d) and 6427(e) for biodiesel...

IRS to Return Sequestered Funds Affected by OMB Determination
The IRS will return sequestered funds to businesses that were affected by a recent Office of Management and Budget (OMB) determination regarding the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act o...

IRS to Consider Repatriation Double Taxation Relief
The IRS has announced that it has become aware of limited circumstances in which it may be appropriate to provide relief from double taxation resulting from the application of the repatriation tax und...

IRS Updates Rules on Using Per Diem Rates to Substantiate Expenses Incurred Away from Home
The IRS has updated Rev. Proc. 2011-47 to reflect changes made by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) ( P.L. 115-97).The guidance provides the rules for determining the amount of an employee's ordinary a...

Electronic Filing Now Required for Requesting Unused Low-Income Housing Credit Carryover
The IRS has released guidance to qualified states regarding how to request an allocation of unused housing credit carryover under Code Sec. 42(h)(3)(D)(iii). The new guidance requires allocation reque...

IRS Extends Certain Deadlines, Penalty Relief for Health Coverage Forms
Health insurance providers (including employers and health insurance companies) now have until March 2, 2020, to furnish to individuals Form 1095-B, Health Coverage, and Form 1095-C, Employer-Provided...

Interim Amendments for Hardship Distributions Clarified and Deadline Extended
The IRS has clarified which amendments are integral to a plan provision that fails to satisfy the qualification requirements by reason of a change made by the final hardship distribution regulations. ...

2019 Required Amendments List for Employee Plans
The IRS has issued its 2019 Required Amendments List (2019 RA List) for individually designed employee retirement plans. Beginning with the 2019 list, all RA Lists will apply to both Code Sec. 401(a) ...

Date Extended for Applying Foreign Branch Rules
A one-year extension has been granted for applying the Code Sec. 987 final regulations, and certain related final and temporary regulations covering foreign branch transactions of U.S. corporations. T...

Guidance Updated for Making Adequate Disclosure
The IRS has updated its guidance that identifies circumstances under which a disclosure on a taxpayer’s income tax return with respect to an item or position is "adequate" for reducing the under...

IRS Releases 2020 Inflation-Adjusted Tax Tables, Other Amounts
The IRS has released the annual inflation adjustments for 2020 for over 60 tax provisions, including the income tax rate tables. The IRS issues these cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) each year to re...

2020 Inflation Adjustments for Pension Plans, Retirement Accounts
The IRS has released the 2020 cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) for pension plan dollar limitations, and other retirement-related provisions.Highlights of 2020 ChangesThe contribution limit for emplo...

IRS Updates Guidance on Computing Deductions for Operating a Vehicle
The IRS has released guidance that updates Rev. Proc. 2010-51, I.R.B. 2010-51, 883 to reflect changes made to Code Secs. 67 and 217 by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) ( P.L. 115-97). Rev. Proc. 2010-...

Accounting Method Change Procedures Updated
The IRS has released guidance listing the specific changes in accounting method to which the automatic change procedures in Rev. Proc. 2015-13, I.R.B. 2015-5, 419, apply. This guidance updates and sup...

Proposed Updated RMD Tables Issued
The IRS has proposed updated life expectancy and distribution period tables under the required minimum distribution (RMD) rules. The proposed tables reflect the general increase in life expectancy, an...

Joint Directive on Work Opportunity Tax Credit Issued
The IRS Large Business and International Division (LB&I) and Small Business/Self-Employed Division (SBSE) have issued a joint directive to provide instructions to LB&I and SBSE examiners on th...

New LB&I Campaign on Deferred Foreign Income
The IRS Large Business and International (LB&I) has added a new active campaign to the IRS website called "IRC 965." The campaign’s goal is to promote compliance with Code Sec. 965, Treatmen...

IRS Highlights Steps For Smooth Processing of Taxpayers' 2019 Federal Tax Returns
The IRS urged taxpayers to act now to ensure the smooth processing of their 2019 federal tax return. This reminder, first in a series, was aimed to help taxpayers get ready for the upcoming tax filing...

NJ - New Jersey apprenticeship program credit enacted
Businesses can receive a $5,000 credit against the corporation business tax or the gross income tax for documented qualified start-up costs associated with the initial year of participation in an appr...

NY - Form updates announced for certain taxpayers who made 529 withdrawals
New York has posted updated instructions for 2019 Forms IT-201 and IT-225 because of changes made by the federal Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020. The federal bill expanded the definition...

PA - Taxability of membership fees discussed
A Pennsylvania letter ruling provides guidance on the sales and use taxability of membership fees for a professional association. The taxability of a membership fee depends upon what a member receives...

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