We have written before the importance of a property prepared Form 706 Estate (and Generation Skipping Transfer) Tax Return (“706”)[1] as well as the importance of a properly prepared Form 709 Gift Tax Return[2]. In our prior article discussing the 706, we highlighted a Private Letter Ruling (“PLR”) in which the Estate was granted a…
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In a recent case out of the United States District Court in the Western District of Washington, the Court granted the Department of Justice’s (“DOJ”) Motion to Dismiss, dismissing the case on multiple fronts.[1] The plaintiff, Ferdinand Hafner (“Hafner”) sought to recover refunds on taxes paid by his late father, recoup amounts he claimed were…
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In a recent Tax Court case, the Tax Court upheld the IRS assessments against the taxpayer (though he would not call himself that) for unreported income and failure to file, and even assessed sanctions under IRC 6673 for advancing frivolous arguments.[1] However, as discussed below, he was able to avoid the accuracy related penalty under…
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We’ve written on this topic many times,[1] but it’s worth repeating as it routinely costs taxpayers their charitable deductions. Charitable contributions must be properly substantiated in accordance with IRC Section 170 and the related Treasury Regulations. At issue in this case is the contemporaneous written acknowledgment required for cash donations more than $250 which must…
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In a recent case out of the Tax Court, a surviving spouse’s Estate was denied the portability of the Deceased Spouse’s Unused Exclusion (“DSUE”) from the decedent’s spouse who had passed away two years before the survivor.[1] The Estate Tax Return (“706”) for the decedent’s spouse, while filed, was not “complete and properly prepared” and…
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In a recent case issued from the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California, the Court held that a Trustee’s reliance on the advice of a CPA that no trust income tax return was due was enough to establish reasonable cause for such failure and thus avoid late payment and filing penalties.[1]…
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We have previously written about the requirements to file a Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (“FBAR”) for foreign bank accounts held by US taxpayers pursuant to the Bank Secrecy Act.[1] In a recent case out of the United States District Court for the District of Idaho, the Court ruled that a decedent’s widow…
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We have written numerous articles over the years about substantiating deductions, whether they be charitable donations or business expenses or any other type of deduction.[1] As noted by the Supreme Court, deductions “are a matter of legislative grace, and taxpayers bear the burden of proving their entitlement to any deduction claimed.”[2] A recent Tax Court…
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In a recent case out of the Court of Appeals for the State of Mississippi, the Court held that a writing titled an “Article of Agreement” (the “Agreement”) was sufficient to convey an interest in real estate to the decedent’s sisters.[1] The primary issue to be decided by the Court was whether the Agreement executed…
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In a recent article, my colleague Gray Edmondson covered the recent Supreme Court case, Loper Bright[1], and the demise of the Chevron Doctrine.[2] The Loper Bright case was handed down by the Supreme Court on June 28, 2024. As Gray explains in his article, the Chevron case has to do with determining the validity of…
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