Tag Archives: tax deductions

Tax Updates End of June

IRS Updates June 2023 by Paul Davis
July 17 Deadline for 2019 Refunds

The IRS estimates that nearly 1.5 million people in the nation could be due refunds for tax year 2019, if they submit a tax return by the July 17 deadline. The usual deadline for submitting a tax return and getting a refund is 3 years from the initial deadline, but under the COVID-19 emergency, the deadline for 2019 was postponed. Taxpayers can still request key documents from their employers or banks, or request a wage and income transcript from the IRS, online or by filing Form 4506-T, Request for Transcript of Tax Return. 

Advance Energy Project Guidance

The IRS has issued Notice 2023-44, providing further details for applicants seeking section 48C credit allocations in the qualifying advanced energy project credit allocation program under the Inflation Reduction Act. Notice 2023-18 earlier this year established the section 48C(3) program to allocate $10 billion in credits, at least $4 billion of which will be allocated to projects located in certain energy communities census tracts. This guidance is mainly of interest to owners of clean energy manufacturing and recycling projects, greenhouse gas emission reduction projects, and critical material projects. Notice 2023-44 updates the earlier guidance, defining qualifying advance energy projects and the Department of Energy (DOE) application process, in Appendices A and B, respectively. Appendix C has also been added, containing a list of the energy communities census tracts.

Penalty Relief for Corporations

The IRS and Treasury have issued Notice 2023-42, which will grant penalty relief for corporations that did not pay estimated tax in connection with the new corporate alternative minimum tax (CAMT). The Inflation Reduction Act created the CAMT, which imposes a 25% minimum tax on the adjusted financial statement income of large corporations for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2022. Due to the challenges associated with determining the amount of a corporation’s CAMT liability and whether a corporation is subject to the CAMT, the IRS will waive the penalty for failure to pay estimated income tax with respect to its CAMT for a taxable year that falls within specific dates. 

Tax Updates from the IRS

Withholding Rules Updates Proposed

The IRS and Treasury have proposed regulations updating payroll withholding rules to reflect changes in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) and related legislation. These updates accommodate the redesigned Form W-4, and the adjusted tables and computations for tax withholding. The regulations also address other withholding issues, such as how to treat an employee who hasn’t turned in a completed W-4.

IRS Increases Visits To High-Income Delinquents

In an effort to promote compliance and fairness among taxpayers, the IRS has committed to increasing face-to-face visits with those taxpayers who haven’t filed tax returns in 2018 or previous years. Their goal is to inform taxpayers of their obligations and to bring them into compliance. Revenue officers will not make threats or demand unusual forms of payment, but rather inform and assist. Taxpayers have the right to see credentials and should do so to protect themselves against fraud. Furthermore, getting ahead of the situation is advisable: “Taxpayers having delinquent filing or payment obligations should consult a competent tax advisor before waiting to be contacted by an IRS revenue officer,” according to Paul Mamo, Director of Collection Operations, Small Business/Self Employed Division. 

Meals And Entertainment Deduction Guidance Updated

The IRS has updated its proposed guidance regarding the handling of business meals and entertainment expense deductions. The TCJA eliminated the deduction for activities generally considered entertainment, amusement or recreation. It also limited the deduction for expenses related to food and beverages provided by employers to their employees. The proposed guidelines help determine what qualifies as entertainment and address the meals expense limit. As these are proposed guidelines, the IRS is taking public comment and will hold a public hearing on these proposed regulations on April 7, 2020.

Military Members’ Tax Benefits Explained

A newly-revised publication aims to inform members of the military of their tax benefits under the law. The Armed Forces Tax Guide will help those serving in the military, including National Guard, reservists, and those stationed abroad, understand specific tax issues related to their situation. Moving expenses, treatment of combat pay, IRA contribution limits and extended tax deadlines are included in this helpful guide.

Are Your Donations Tax Deductible?

The year is wrapping up and tax time is on the horizon. Taxpayers have hopefully been proactive throughout the year in preparing for filing the year’s taxes, and perhaps they are considering ways they might lighten their tax burden. It’s also the holiday season and giving is on our minds. Making donations to tax-exempt charities can be a win-win: It certainly benefits the charitable organization (and those whom they help) and can be helpful to the taxpayer in the coming year.

Qualified Charities

It’s important to make sure your donations accomplish those things, especially in this era of fraudulent charities and financial scams. Is your preferred charity tax-exempt and eligible to receive tax-deductible charitable contributions? Has it had its tax-exempt status revoked? What is its federal tax filing status? Perhaps you’re looking for a charity to give to and would like to see who is operating in your state. The IRS has a tool that can help.

Tax Exempt Organization Search

The Tax Exempt Organization Search (TEOS) on IRS.gov can assist in answering these questions, and more. It’s mobile device friendly, and you can sort results by various criteria. The Interactive Tax Assistant can also help you determine if a charitable contribution you’d like to make is deductible. So before you make your year-end giving decisions, double-check to ensure your donations will be doing the most good, for everyone involved.