In a recent Chief Counsel Advice (CCA), the IRS concluded that the entry fee to participate in a Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) contest constitutes an amount paid for a wagering transaction under IRC Sec. 165(d). The IRS noted that DFS transactions meet the definition of...
Many businesses have struggled financially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some businesses have benefited from the PPP and SBA EIDL programs. We expect most businesses to receive loan forgiveness for their PPP loan, but if you received an EIDL loan, you might be concerned on how...
On August 8, 2020, President Trump signed an executive memorandum that defers an employee’s portion of Social Security and Medicare taxes from September 1 through December 31, 2020. At this point, the taxes are just deferred, meaning they’ll still have to be paid at a later date....
Democrats are at it again in California. I personally feel that the majority of bills created by California Democrats DO NOT support what the residents of California wants. So, let’s talk about a new one, AB 1253, which can be viewed at http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201920200AB1253 The California Democrats...
The IRS recently announced the top dozen IRS scams as noted in IR-2020-160, July 16, 2020. https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/dirty-dozen They are listed below: Phishing: Taxpayers should be alert to potential fake emails or websites looking to steal personal information. The IRS will never initiate contact with taxpayers via email about a...
To our clients and friends. There have been some last-minute discussions in the income tax community that the Supreme Court of the United Stated (SCOTUS) may rule that the Net Investment Income Tax (NIIT) which was established as part of Obamacare is unconstitutional. If the SCOTUS...
IRS Won't Postpone July 15 Filing and Payment Deadline: The IRS has announced that the tax filing and payment deadline of 7/15/20 won't be postponed. Individual taxpayers unable to meet the deadline should file Form 4868 by 7/15/20 to obtain an automatic extension to 10/15/20. The...
Guidance Released for Plan Distributions and Loans for COVID-19 Victims: The IRS has provided guidance relating to section 2202 of the CARES Act, which allows qualified individuals to receive favorable tax treatment with respect to distributions from eligible retirement plans that are coronavirus-related distributions. A coronavirus-related...
The IRS has provided tax relief to Qualified Opportunity Funds (QOFs) and their investors in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, if a taxpayer's 180th day to invest in a QOF would have fallen on or after 4/1/20 and before 12/31/20, the taxpayer now...
The U.S. Senate has passed the bipartisan Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act of 2020, which loosens several of the Paycheck Protection Program’s (PPP’s) more onerous restrictions regarding loan forgiveness. President Trump has signed the bill into law. The new law follows the May 22, 2020, release...