Posted by William Byrnes on July 24, 2018
Tax Reform May Require Additional Disclosures for Withholding Purposes
The IRS released a draft Form W-4 designed to reflect the new changes to the tax code imposed by the 2017 tax reform legislation, including the elimination of the personal exemption. The new form is more complex and detailed than previously existing forms, because employers can no longer use the personal exemption to calculate withholding. The form itself is not yet finalized, and it is possible that changes following a very brief comment period. For more information on the suspended personal exemption, visit Tax Facts Online and Read More. |
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Small Business Valuation Discounts Less “Valuable” Post-Reform
With the enlargement of the estate tax exemption for 2018-2025, many planners are now seeking to reverse strategies that would have permitted clients to claim valuation discounts in their estate plans. Valuation discounts are primarily important in reducing the value of a client’s taxable estate–usually in the small business context. However, if the client is unlikely to be subject to the estate tax at all, use of a valuation discount can cause the client to forgo a portion of the basis adjustment to which his or her heirs would otherwise be entitled. Clients who do not expect to be subject to the estate tax may wish to revisit their estate planning. For more information on minority discounts in the small business context, visit Tax Facts Online and Read More. |
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| OTHER TAX DEVELOPMENTS
Need to Know Information for Kids With Summer Jobs
Many teenagers and college students are likely to be working this summer, and it is important that both the parent and kids should know with respect to potential tax liabilities. First, kids should pay attention to their withholding to ensure that they aren’t under or over paying–any over-withholding will be returned in the form of a refund, and most minors should claim 0 or 1 allowances on their Form W-4. Kids also should be aware that some states will require even very low income workers to file state income tax returns, so even if the kid expects to be exempt at the federal level, a state filing may be required. Finally, if the kid has started his or her own summer business–such as a lawn mowing business–business-related expenses may be tax deductible, so should be carefully documented for tax time. For more information on the kiddie tax, visit Tax Facts Online and Read More. |
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Last Call for IRS Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Program is Looming
The September 28, 2018 closing date for the IRS’ offshore voluntary disclosure program (OVDP) is looming. Many advisors agree that the September 28 deadline is the last date for potential participants to submit an “initial submission” that requests admission, and note that a pre-clearance request is likely insufficient. The initial submission requires more detailed information, such as the history of any foreign accounts, assets and past reporting, as well as the source of any foreign funds and an estimate of foreign account value. For more information on foreign account reporting requirements, visit Tax Facts Online and Read More. |
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| LITIGATION WATCH
Metlife Lawsuit Highlights Missing Plan Participant Issue
Metlife has recently been sued because of its failure to pay retirement benefits to pension plan participants that it claims it can no longer locate, highlighting the importance of the “missing participant” issue in the financial community. Metlife’s liability stems from a pension risk transfer transaction, where the pension plan itself purchased a group annuity contract from Metlife in order to reduce its pension liabilities. It then became Metlife’s responsibility to make payments to plan participants. For more information on pension plan rules, visit Tax Facts Online and Read More. |
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