Keeping CPAs Up to Date on Tax Matters

A site devoted to articles on current developments in federal taxes geared toward CPAs in tax practice.

2026-03-09 Sir You Are About to Lose Your Passport

March 08, 2026 by Ed Zollars, CPA

This week we look at:

Fiduciary and Beneficiary Liability for Unpaid Estate Taxes
Retroactive Entity Classification and Partnership Basis
2026 Passenger Auto Depreciation Limits
Passport Certification & Victimization Defenses
Passport Revocation in Collection Suits
Waiver of Foreign Earned Income Exclusion Time Rules
New Digital Asset Reporting Landscape (Form 1099-DA)

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2026-03-02 Another Circuit Find IRS Has Assessment Authority for Section 6038(b) Penalties

March 01, 2026 by Ed Zollars, CPA

This week we look at:

Required Minimum Distribution Regulations Delay
CDP Proceedings and Underlying Liabilities
Section 743(b) Adjustments and Economic Substance
Assessability of Section 6038(b) Penalties

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2026-02-23 Supreme Court Strikes Down Tariffs

February 22, 2026 by Ed Zollars, CPA

This week we look at:

Supreme Court Invalidates Executive Tariffs Under IEEPA
Special Depreciation Allowance Under the OBBBA
CAMT Adjustments and Relief
Circuit Split on Third-Party Fraud
Valuation and Penalties in Syndicated Conservation Easements

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2026-02-16 Hallucinations Enter the Tax Court

February 15, 2026 by Ed Zollars, CPA

This week we look at:

TEFRA Jurisdiction and the "Limited Partner" Exception
Artificial Intelligence and Substantiation
Section 183 Profit Motive
Rebate vs. Nonrebate Refunds
Substantiation and Civil Fraud
Consolidated Return Jurisdiction

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2026-02-09 Another Former Spouse Ends Up With a Jackpot When Her Ex-Spouse Dies Due to ERISA

February 08, 2026 by Ed Zollars, CPA

This week we look at:

The "Charitable LLC" Tax Shelter
Section 280E Bars ERC for Cannabis Businesses
TEFRA Intervention by Majority Partners
R&D Credit Substantiation
Supervisory Approval of Penalties
ERISA Beneficiary Designations

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2026-02-02 Paper Refund Checks-Notices and Patience Now

January 31, 2026 by Ed Zollars, CPA

This week we look at:

Challenging the Presumption of Delivery (CDP Cases)
Bank Deposits & Conduit Theory
Mandates Under Executive Order 14247 (Notice CP53E)
IRS Implementation of Executive Order 14247 - (FS 2026-02)
Federal Priority Statute Liability
FASIT Structure & Substantial Compliance

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2026-01-26 Court Allows ERC Claim to Go Forward-But Throws Out APA Challenge

January 25, 2026 by Ed Zollars, CPA

This week we look at:

ERC Refund Suits and Challenges to IRS Notice 2021-20
Section 6015(f) Equitable Relief and Attribution of Income
Financial Disability Tolling under § 6511(h)
Distinguishing "Tax Loss" for Sentencing vs. Restitution
Implementation of Qualified Overtime Deductions (OBBBA)

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Text - 2026-01-26 Current Federal Tax Developments
Slides - 2026-01-26 Current Federal Tax Developments Slides

2026-01-19 Fifth Circuit Reverses Tax Court on SE Income for State Law Limited Partners

January 18, 2026 by Ed Zollars, CPA

This week we look at:

SE Tax Liability for Limited Partners (Sirius Solutions)
Whistleblower Awards and "Collected Proceeds"
Statutory Construction of Section 168(k) Amendments
Updated Safe Harbor Explanations for Section 402(f)
Modernized Group Tax Exemption Framework
Tax-Exempt Status of Supplemental Military Housing Allowances

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2026-01-19 Current Federal Tax Developments

2026-01-12 IRS Announces Opening of E-Filing Season for Individuals

January 10, 2026 by Ed Zollars, CPA

This week we look at:

IRS Announces Filing Season Overview & Timeline
A Charity Loses Its §501(c)(3) Status After Forgetting to Perform Virtually Any Exempt Activities
Taxpayer Loses a Large Charitable Contribution Deduction Based on Lack of Substantiation
Second Circuit Concurs With Other Circuits on Willfulness for FBAR Penalties
Tax Court Found Summary Assessment Invalid in Premium Tax Credit Case

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2026-01-10 Current Federal Tax Developments

2026-01-05 Proposed Regulations on New Car Loan Interest Deduction

January 03, 2026 by Ed Zollars, CPA

This week we look at:

Standard Mileage Rates & Notice 2026-10
2026 Procedural Updates - Annual Revenue Procedures
Qualified Passenger Vehicle Loan Interest (QPVLI) Proposed Regulations
Estate of Spenlinhauer v. Commissioner Late Filing and More
Bargain Sale of For-Profit colleges to a Non-Profit (501(c)(3))

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2026-01-05 Current Federal Tax Developments

2025-12-29 Marijuana Rescheduling Restarts After Long Pause

December 28, 2025 by Ed Zollars, CPA

This week we look at:

Executive Action on Marijuana Scheduling and IRC § 280E
State Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) Programs
Estimated Tax Relief for Qualified Farmland Sales
IRC § 163(j) Interest Limitation Updates
Premium Tax Credit (PTC) Revisions

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2025-12-29 Current Federal Tax Developments

2025-12-22 Initial Scholarship Granting Organization Guidance Issued

December 19, 2025 by Ed Zollars, CPA

This week we look at:

Section 25F Advance Elections
Unreported Income & The "Missing Witness"
Constitutionality of Penalties Post-Jarkesy
Section 280E & Offers-in-Compromise
Substantiating Bad Debt & NOLs

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2025-12-22 Current Federal Tax Developments

2025-12-15 Postmark Date Risk Due to USPS Change

December 13, 2025 by Ed Zollars, CPA

This week we look at

USPS Changes to Postmark Date System
H.R. 1491: Disaster Related Extension of Deadlines Act
Capitalization Priorities: Temnorod v. Commissioner
Notice 2026-5: HSA Expansion Under OBBBA
Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) and "Doing Business"
Substantiation Failures: Mirch v. Commissioner

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2025-12-15 Current Federal Tax Developments

2025-12-08 Initial Details Released on Trump Accounts

December 07, 2025 by Ed Zollars, CPA

This week we look at:

Notice 2025-68 – Implementation of Trump Accounts
Draft Form 4547 – Elections and Filing Mechanics
Notice 2025-70 – The OBBBA Scholarship Tax Credit
Alioto v. Commissioner – Corporate Distinctness

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2025-12-08 Current Federal Tax Developments

2025-12-01 IRS Gives First Discussion of Upcoming Credit for Donation to Tuition Organizations

November 29, 2025 by Ed Zollars, CPA

This week we look at:

Whistleblower Awards and Substantial Contribution
Corporate Stock Repurchase Excise Tax
Judicial Review of Willful FBAR Penalties
Revisiting the Profit Motive Standard
Judicial Precedent on Erroneous Refund Recovery
OBBBA Guidance on SFCs and Section 987 Elections
The OBBBA Scholarship Tax Credit
Conservation Easements and Gross Valuation Misstatements

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2025-12-01 Current Federal Tax Developments

2025-11-24 Tips and Overtime Form 1040 Reporting Reiief

November 23, 2025 by Ed Zollars, CPA

This week we look at:

Innocent Spouse Relief Determination Standards
Adjustments to Medicare Parts A, B, and D
Equitable Distribution vs. Alimony (Pre-TCJA)
Implementation of the Section 139L Interest Exclusion
OBBBA Deductions for Tips and Overtime Compensation for 2025 returns

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2025-11-24 Current Federal Tax Developments

2025-11-17 Retirement Plan and IRA Inflation Numbers

November 15, 2025 by Ed Zollars, CPA

This week we look at:

Annual Adjustments to Retirement Plan Limitations
Ensuring Investment Trust Status for Digital Asset Staking Entities
Examining Penalties in Microcaptive Transactions
Ownership Requirements for Non-Business Theft Losses
Defining the Scope of I.R.C. § 172(b)(3) Carryback Waivers

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2025-11-17 Current Federal Tax Developments

2025-11-10 Employer Guidance for 2025 Qualified Tips and Overtime

November 09, 2025 by Ed Zollars, CPA

This week we look at:

Conservation Easement Valuation and Highest and Best Use
Trust Fund Recovery Penalty (TFRP) Application
California Residency and Taxpayer Burden of Proof
OBBBA Information Reporting Transition Relief
SCOTUS Oral Argument on IEEPA Tariffs
Conservation Easement Timing and Penalties
Digital Asset Broker Reporting FAQ Guidance

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2025-11-10 Current Federal Tax Developments

2025-11-03 Qualifying Offers in Tax Disputes

November 01, 2025 by Ed Zollars, CPA

This week we look at:

Private Inurement and Operational Failure
Prevailing Party Status Under § 7430
The Federal Priority Statute and Corporate Officer Liability
Termination of the Automatic Stay in Bankruptcy
Injunction Violations and Civil Contempt for Tax Preparer
A Refined Approach to Math Error Notices
Application of Unstated Interest Rules to Corporate Mergers

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Current Federal Tax Developments November 3, 2025

2025-10-27 More IRS Government Shutdown Clarifications

October 26, 2025 by Ed Zollars, CPA

This week we look at:

Reevaluating the DC-QIE Exception (FIRPTA)
Technical Revisions to Revenue Procedure 2025-32
Transitional Reporting for Qualified Passenger Vehicle Loan Interest (QPVLI)
Jurisdictional Clarity for TEFRA Readjustment Petitions
S Corporation Income Attribution and Substantiation Failures
IRS Operations During a Lapse in Appropriations
Employee Retention Credit Compliance (OBBBA)
Form 1099-K Information Reporting Updates

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2025-10-27 Current Federal Tax Developments