William Byrnes' Tax, Wealth, and Risk Intelligence

The IRS has provided guidance explaining the relevance of the “tax benefit rule” for taxpayers who receive a refund of state and local taxes in years when the post-reform limit on deducting state and local taxes (the “SALT cap”) is in effect. For more information on the impact of the SALT cap, visit Tax Facts Online. Read More

A Washington, D.C. federal court struck down the final regulations released by the DOL in effort to expand the availability of association health plans for various smaller employers and owner-employees, which would have given these groups access to less expensive plans that offered fewer benefits and did not satisfy ACA requirements. The fate of the actual expansion of association health plans remains unclear, however, as the DOL has indicated it will explore all available options and continue to work toward expanding access. For more information on the tax rules for self-employed business owners’ health coverage, visit Tax Facts Online. Read More

In recent years, many employers have begun shying away from offering employer stock to employees as 401(k) investments. Fiduciary liability concerns and lack of diversification, especially amid dramatic decreases in value in some cases, have made the strategy risky for some companies. However, this does not mean that any client who currently holds employer stock in a 401(k) should immediately liquidate all employer stock. Clients should first be advised that the potential to take advantage of a net unrealized appreciation (NUA) strategy could provide a more valuable way to sell off employer stock. For more information on the NUA strategy, visit Tax Facts Online. Read More