William H. Byrnes, J.D., LL.M. and Robert Bloink, J.D., LL.M.

TAX REFORM DEVELOPMENTS

IRS Provides New 199A Safe Harbor for Rental Real Estate Activities
Since the introduction of Section 199A, business owners engaged in real estate activities have been confused by the new 20 percent deduction for qualified business income of certain pass-through entities. IRS proposed Revenue Procedure 2019-07 provide a safe harbor so that rental real estate businesses will qualify as “trades or businesses” if it: (1) maintains separate books and records for each rental enterprise, (2) involves the performance of at least 250 hours of rental real estate activities, and (3) maintains contemporaneous records regarding the rental real estate services. The safe harbor is effective for tax years ending after December 31, 2017. For more information, visit Tax Facts Online and Read More.

Final 199A Guidance on Tracking W-2 Wages Provides Guidance for Short Tax Years
The IRS has recently finalized the methods that a business owner can use to track W-2 wages for calculating the Section 199A deduction. The new guidance clarifies that, in the case of short taxable years, the business owner is required to use the “tracking wages method” with certain modifications. The total amount of wages subject to income tax withholding and reported on Form W-2 can only include amounts that are actually or constructively paid to the employee during the short tax year and reported on a Form W-2 for the calendar year with or within that short tax year. For more information on the methods available for calculating W-2 wages for Section 199A purposes, visit Tax Facts Online and Read More.

LITIGATION WATCH

Court Requires Employer to Pay Dependent Life Insurance Benefits After Failure to Provide SPD
A court recently ruled that an employer was required to pay life insurance benefits to an employee under a life insurance policy insuring her former spouse, which was offered by the employer as a dependent life insurance benefit. When the employee’s former husband died within three months’ of their divorce, her claim for benefits under the policy was denied because she was not an “eligible dependent” because of the divorce. The employee made several claims, including one that the she was not provided a summary plan description (SPD) with respect to the policy. The court agreed with the plaintiff’s claim that failure to provide the SPD was a breach of fiduciary duty under ERISA. For more information on employer-sponsored life insurance, visit Tax Facts Online and Read More.

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Tax Facts Team

• William H. Byrnes, J.D., LL.M, Tax Facts Author
• Robert Bloink, J.D., LL.M., Tax Facts Author
• Alexis Long, J.D., Senior Contributor
• Richard Cline, J.D. Senior Director, Practical Insights
• Jason Gilbert, J.D., Senior Editor
• Patti O’Leary, Senior Editorial Assistant
• Connie L. Jump, Senior Manager, Editorial Operations
• Molly Miller, Publisher
• Danielle Birdsail, Digital Marketing Manager
• Emily Brunner, Editorial Assistant