William Byrnes' Tax, Wealth, and Risk Intelligence

The Texas A&M graduate program for tax, wealth, and risk management is accepting applications from financial professionals with at least five years of industry experience for the summer. Even though our graduate program has grown to over 750 enrollment, the enrollment for a course section is between 20 and the maximum of 30 so that each student receives meaningful feedback throughout the course from the full-time academic faculty and renowned professional case study leaders, and each other via teamwork and peer review. Learn more about how we educate and position the industry’s leaders: https://law.tamu.edu/distance-education

Prof. William H. Byrnes

Robert Bloink, J.D., LL.M.

Within the more than 2,000 pages of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2022 is an important provision that allows HSA and HDHP participants to continue accessing remote healthcare services without jeopardizing HSA eligibility.  The DOL also shone a spotlight on cryptocurrency investments this week by making it clear that plan fiduciaries would be asked to justify any decisions related to crypto investments in retirement accounts.  Finally, we have a summary of the IRS’ warning to taxpayers regarding proper reporting of crypto transactions on their 2021 tax returns.  Read on for more.

Consolidated Appropriations Act Extends HDHP Telehealth Relief.  The recently enacted Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2022 (CAA 2022) extends prior CARES Act relief for high deductible health plans (HDHPs) that provide remote care services.  HDHPs will be permitted to provide first-dollar telehealth services from April 2022 through December 2022 (regardless of the plan year) without jeopardizing HDHP status.  The remote services do not have to be related to COVID-19 or preventative in nature in order to qualify.  In other words, HDHPs can waive the deductible for telehealth services without jeopardizing a plan participant’s eligibility to make HSA contributions.  Plans and participants should note that if the HDHP is a calendar year plan, the usual rules regarding the plan deductible will apply between January 2022 and March 2022.  For more information on the HDHP rules, Read More

DOL Releases Warning on Cryptocurrency in 401(k)s.  The Department of Labor (DOL) issued a compliance assistance release that warns retirement plan fiduciaries about allowing participants to invest in either cryptocurrencies or products that are related to cryptocurrency.  The guidance comes in response to President Biden’s executive order that directed agencies to study the risks and benefits of cryptocurrency.  The DOL release warned that in the eyes of the DOL, cryptocurrency poses significant risks and challenges for participants, including the risk of fraud, theft and loss.  The release is clear that plan fiduciaries who allow cryptocurrency investment options should expect to be questioned about how those decisions could comply with their duties of prudence and loyalty.  Plan fiduciaries should pay close attention and carefully evaluate whether allowing crypto-related products in their investment lineup is worth the risk, given the DOL’s sweeping statements and indication that it will presume that a fiduciary who offers cryptocurrency products has acted imprudently.  For more information on the current DOL fiduciary standard and new prohibited transaction exemption, visit Tax Facts Online. Read More 

IRS Reminds Taxpayers of Virtual Currency Reporting Obligations.  The IRS released a reminder for taxpayers who have engaged in virtual currency transactions during the 2021 tax year. The 2021 Form 1040 due next Monday (April 18) contains a question at the top that asks about these virtual currency transactions.  Taxpayers should check “yes” if they have engaged in any disposition, sale or exchange of a financial interest in virtual currency.  That includes the receipt of virtual currency for goods and services, receipt of cryptocurrency for free (if the receipt does not qualify as a bona fide gift), receipt of cryptocurrency through mining or staking activities or hard forks.  Exchanges or trades of cryptocurrency for other cryptocurrency, property goods or services must also be reported, as must sales of virtual currency.  Taxpayers who held the cryptocurrency as a capital asset should use Form 8949 to determine gain or loss (which is reported on Schedule D of Form 1040).  Taxpayers who received cryptocurrency as compensation should report the income as they would any other type of income.  For more information on reporting obligations related to virtual currency transactions, visit Tax Facts Online.  Read More 

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Wealth & Risk Management Degree for Industry Professionals – learn about the graduate degree here: https://law.tamu.edu/distance-education

Texas A&M, operating budget of $9.6 billion (FY2022) and capital budget of $1.9 billion, is #1 for U.S. public universities, one of only 60 accredited U.S. universities of the American Association of Universities (R1: Doctoral Universities – Highest Research Activity) and one of only 17 U.S. universities that hold the triple U.S. federal grant of Land, Sea, and Space! The law school, ranked in the 1st tier, has the #1 bar passage in Texas, and #1 for employment in Texas (and top 10 in U.S.)

• Ranked in top 20 public universities by Wall Street Journal / Times Higher Education (2020)
• #2 endowment for U.S. public universities, #8 overall
• #1 of U.S. public universities for a superior education at an affordable cost
• #1 for most CEOs employed by Fortune 500
• #1 employment outcome for law schools in Texas and in top 10 in the USA
• #1 bar passage in Texas
• Rank #11 by Money Best Colleges Report, 2021 and #5 in U.S. among public universities (Sources: U.S. Department of Education, Peterson’s, PayScale.com, Money/College Measures calculations)
• Texas A&M ranks #1 in Texas, #1 in the SEC, and #12 in the U.S. in Washington Monthly’s 2020 overall college rankings based on the quality of education, accessibility, graduation rates, student involvement, and research: see tx.ag/WashMonth20
• The School of Law enrollment for the Spring 2022 semester is 700+ degree-seeking Master/LL.M. students, and 450+ J.D.s. The university enrollment is 68,000+ degree seekers.