As a result of the passage of the One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), 2025 marked a major shift in how millions of American workers report their income and claim deductions. For the first time, tipped workers and overtime earners may receive significant new deductions, even if their employers aren’t yet required to separately track [...]
On October 24, 2024, Commissioner Daniel Werfel announced that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) would end its practice of automatically assessing penalties for late-filed forms relating to foreign gifts or bequests, effective immediately. Contrary to popular belief, such penalties were frequently assessed against lower-income taxpayers, immigrants, and small businesses. The change in procedure, which relates [...]
In June of 2024, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued guidance attempting to address the perceived inappropriate use of existing partnership rules related to certain related-party basis-shifting transactions. These basis-shifting transactions are intended to generate tax benefits without any meaningful economic substance. IRS exam teams have reported repeated instances of inappropriate basis-shifting practices by related-party [...]
In February of 2020, the United States Tax Court issued a Memo, Railroad Holdings, LLC T.C. Memo. 2020-22 (U.S.T.C. Feb. 5, 2020), and an Order, Rock Creek Holdings, LLC, Tax Court Order, 2/10/2020. Both the Memo and the Order pertain to the conservation easement in dispute in the cases. In the first case, the Court [...]
Starting January 1, 2018, through December 31, 2025, job-related moving expenses are no longer tax-free. The newly enacted Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) makes many significant changes to employee benefits, including changes to the treatment of job-related moving expenses. Prior to the enactment of TCJA, the cost of moving an employee, their family, and [...]
Are Sexual Harassment Settlement Payments and Attorney Fees Tax Deductible? It depends on whether the business requires a nondisclosure agreement as part of the settlement. Previously, under IRC §162, businesses were allowed a deduction for amounts paid in connection with a legal settlement pursuant to employee complaints such as discrimination and sexual harassment. However, Section [...]
The Minnesota Department of Revenue (MDR) generally has 3.5 years from the date a tax return was due to assess additional tax. If the MDR audits a taxpayer’s return and increases the tax liability, how much time does the taxpayer have to appeal and contest the additional assessment? Below are the general time frames within [...]
Settlements in legal disputes between employers and employees can vary significantly depending on whether the amounts to be received are taxable. For example, two parties in separate lawsuits can each agree to a settlement of $500,000. But, because one settlement is taxable and the other is not taxable, one party may receive $500,000 and the [...]
Substantiating business expenses is a common problem for many businesses going through an audit with either the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) or the Minnesota Department of Revenue (MDR). In previous blog articles, we addressed the four steps (step 1, step 2, step 3, step 4) to substantiating most business expenses. This article will focus on [...]