The Texas A&M Master and LL.M. programs (e.g. international tax, transfer pricing, wealth management, or risk management) are accepting applications from financial professionals and from lawyers. Over 850 enrolled, the enrollment for a course’s section is kept to between 20 and a 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. https://law.tamu.edu/distance-education

Prof. William H. Byrnes

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

This week we address client considerations for cryptocurrency holdings when building their estate and gift tax planning strategies. some cities are considering mandatory employer-sponsored commuter benefit programs to help employees cope with rising costs and sky-high gas prices. Read on for more.

IRS Decreased the ACA Affordability Threshold, Increased Employer Penalties for 2022.  Employers should be reminded that the IRS announced new 2022 inflation adjustments back in May.  For 2022, the ACA affordability threshold was decreased by 0.22% to 9.61%–meaning that many employers will be required to pay more for employee coverage in 2022 because employer-sponsored coverage will only be deemed affordable if the employee’s required contribution for self-only coverage does not exceed 9.61% of the employee’s household income.  At the same time, the IRS also increased the penalties that can be assessed if the employer fails to offer affordable coverage to at least 95% of its full-time employees (and dependents) and at least one employee receives a premium tax credit.  The penalties under IRC Section 4980H(a) were increased from $225 per month to $229.17 per month in 2022.  The penalties under IRC Section 4980H(b) were increased from $338.33 per month to $343.33 per month in 2022.  For more information on the affordability threshold, visit Tax Facts Online.  Read More

Should Your Client Offer Health Coverage Benefits to Independent Contractors?  In today’s labor market, many employers are scrambling to offer benefits that will attract talented workers.  Some may be considering allowing independent contractors who perform work for the company to enroll in employer-sponsored health coverage.  Those business clients should be advised that doing so would likely create a multiple employer welfare arrangement (MEWA).  MEWAs provide employee welfare benefits to employees of two or more employers if those employers are not part of the same controlled group.  Often, insurance companies will not permit the employer to create a MEWA and provide coverage at all, meaning that the insurer could refuse to cover insurance claims and the employer could possibly find itself on the hook for self-funding those claims.  It’s also possible that the employer could become subject to M-1 filing requirements–and failure to comply could result in significant penalties.  The bottom line?  Any client should speak with experienced legal counsel before deciding to allow independent contractors to participate in any employer-sponsored health insurance coverage.   For more information on welfare benefit plans, visit Tax Facts Online. Read More 

Sixth Circuit Hands Win to Plan Sponsors in Fiduciary Breach Lawsuit.  In the first published appeals court decision that applies the Supreme Court’s Hughes v. Northwestern University, the Sixth Circuit held this past summer that ERISA does not give the courts any type of broad license to second-guess the investment decisions of retirement plans. In this case, the plaintiffs were participants who claimed the plan breached their fiduciary duties by offering actively managed investment options, rather than lower-cost index options that performed better. They also claimed the plan fiduciaries allowed the plan to pay excessive recordkeeping and management fees. Under the Sixth Circuit’s logic, while the actively managed funds may be more expensive, that alone wouldn’t be enough to make them an imprudent investment decision. In fact, the court reasoned that denying participants the option to invest in actively managed funds may be imprudent.  With respect to the pleading standard in these cases, the court found that it’s not enough for participants to point to funds that performed better. Instead, plaintiffs are required to prove that the investment was imprudent from the moment it was selected. With respect to the excessive fee claim, the court held that plaintiffs are required to establish context showing that the services provided by the plan are substantially equivalent to the plaintiffs’ lower-cost comparables. For more information on the obligations of plan fiduciaries, visit Tax Facts Online.  Read More 

Look in your Tax Facts Online app for our continuing analysis of 2022 and 2023 legislative and regulatory updates, weekly intelligence, and the impact on planning for a client’s wealth preservation and growth.

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 of law schools and is ranked in the top 10 for the employment of its graduating law students among U.S. law schools.

• 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
• top 10 for the employment of its law graduates
• 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 is 850 Master/LL.M. students with a maximum of 30 per course section. The university enrollment is 70,000 degree seekers.

The Texas A&M Master and LL.M. programs (e.g. international tax, transfer pricing, wealth management, or risk management) are accepting applications from financial professionals and from lawyers. Over 850 enrolled, the enrollment for a course’s section is kept to between 20 and a 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. https://law.tamu.edu/distance-education

Prof. William H. Byrnes

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

This week we address client considerations for cryptocurrency holdings when building their estate and gift tax planning strategies. some cities are considering mandatory employer-sponsored commuter benefit programs to help employees cope with rising costs and sky-high gas prices. Read on for more.

Are Mandatory Commuter Benefits Coming to U.S. Cities? The Philadelphia Council and Mayor this summer signed a provision that requires certain employers to begin providing commuter benefits to employees. Philadelphia employers with 50 or more covered employees will be required to offer a pre-tax payroll deduction for certain mass transit expenses, qualified bicycle expenses or employer-covered benefits for fare instruments beginning December 31, 2022. A “covered employee” is one that has worked, on average, 30 hours per week in the city for the same employer over the prior 12 month period. The benefits provided will be equal to the amounts permitted by federal law for transit benefits. In 2022, the maximum exclusion for transportation in a commuter highway vehicle or for transit passes is $280 per month.  In 2018 through 2025, bicyclists cannot exclude qualified bicycle commuting reimbursements under federal law. Employers, however, are entitled to deduct their reimbursements as business expenses for those years. While the commuter benefit requirement is city-specific, it’s likely that many more cities may consider implementing their own programs in light of gas price increases–and that employers themselves may consider their own programs in order to attract and retain employees in a tough labor market.  For more information on the federal rules governing transit benefit reimbursements and deductions, visit Tax Facts Online.  Read More  

Section 127 Expansion Allows Employers to Offer Tax-Free Student Loan Benefits. Under IRC Section 127, employers can provide up to $5,250 in tax-free payments to employees for qualified educational expenses under a written educational assistance plan. The 2020 CARES Act expanded the rule to allow student loan repayment assistance as a qualified educational expense. Employees receive the assistance tax-free and employers can deduct the payments as a business expense. To qualify, the employer must have a written educational assistance plan that doesn’t offer any other taxable benefits or compensation to the employee (whether case or non-cash). The plan must not be discriminatory and employees must receive reasonable notice about the available plan benefits. The expansion is currently temporary, and is set to expire after December 31, 2025 unless extended by Congress. For more information on the educational assistance plan requirements, visit Tax Facts Online. Read More 

Are Your Clients Considering Gift and Estate Tax Consequences for Cryptocurrency Holdings?  Like any other piece of property, cryptocurrency can be subject to gift and estate taxes whether transferred as a lifetime gift or a gift at death. Cryptocurrency assets are treated as property for all federal tax purposes.  In 2022, taxpayers can transfer up to $12.06 million worth of property per person without worrying about the federal estate tax. However, the exemption is scheduled to revert to around $5 million after 2025.  That means many clients may wish to take advantage of a lifetime gifting strategy.  Cryptocurrency assets gifted during life are removed from the donor’s estate–and the IRS has already clarified that there will be no clawback provision if an individual donor takes advantage of the expanded estate tax exemption during life.  Clients with significant cryptocurrency holdings may also wish to consider trust planning techniques, such as a spousal lifetime access trust (SLAT) which can remove the cryptocurrency from their estate for the benefit of a spouse and other heirs. Cryptocurrency assets that are inherited receive a step up in basis like any other property transfer, which can reduce or even eliminate capital gains on cryptocurrency sales after the original owner’s death. For more information on the tax treatment of cryptocurrency, visit Tax Facts Online.  Read More 

Look in your Tax Facts Online app for our continuing analysis of 2022 and 2023 legislative and regulatory updates, weekly intelligence, and the impact on planning for a client’s wealth preservation and growth.

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 of law schools and is ranked in the top 10 for the employment of its graduating law students among U.S. law schools.

• 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
• top 10 for the employment of its law graduates
• 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 is 850 Master/LL.M. students with a maximum of 30 per course section. The university enrollment is 70,000 degree seekers.

The Texas A&M Master and LL.M. programs (e.g. international tax, transfer pricing, wealth management, or risk management) are accepting applications from financial professionals and from lawyers. Over 850 enrolled, the enrollment for a course’s section is kept to between 20 and a 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. https://law.tamu.edu/distance-education

Prof. William H. Byrnes

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

This week, we have details on the Washington state official guidance that’s been released on the state-level plan for taxing non-fungible tokens (NFTs). 

Washington State Announces Plan to Tax NFTs. Washington state recently released guidance on how non-fungible tokens (NFTs) will be taxed under the state’s sales tax rules. This guidance is the first to emerge at the state level and, while it only applies in Washington, it’s expected that other states may follow suit. The Washington state guidance provides information on how the Washington state department of revenue would source the sales. Under the guidance, if the buyer received the digital product at a seller’s business location, the sale would be sourced to that location. If not, the sale would be sourced to where the buyer receives the NFT. If neither of these two rules apply, the location of the customer’s address that’s given in the seller’s records. If these three rules don’t apply, the sale would be sourced to the location of the customer that can be derived from the sale process itself (including the buyer’s credit card billing address). Finally, if none of this information is available, the location of the sale is the address from which the digital code was first available for transmission by the seller, or from which a digital automated service was provided. Any location that solely provides the digital transfer of the product is disregarded. The guidance does not directly address situations where the seller does not know the buyer’s location, but seems to imply that the location of the seller’s server would be the deemed location if the seller does not take steps to identify the buyer’s location. For more information on virtual currency taxation, visit Tax Facts Online. Read More

IRS Announces 2023 Contribution Threshold for Premium Tax Credit Eligibility Purposes. The ARPA expanded the premium tax credit rules to provide a more generous ACA benefit for 2021 and 2022. Typically, the premium tax credit is available to taxpayers with household income between 100 percent and 400 percent of the federal poverty line. ARPA generally eliminated the upper income limit and increased the amount of the premium tax credit (the percentage of household income that individuals are required to contribute to their health insurance coverage decreased to 9.61% in 2022). For 2023, even more taxpayers may qualify for the tax credit because the IRS recently announced that the affordability threshold will decrease significantly, to 9.12% for 2023. This decrease means that many employers will be required to pay more for employee coverage in 2023 because employer-sponsored coverage will only be deemed affordable if the employee’s required contribution for self-only coverage does not exceed 9.12% of the employee’s household income. For more information on the premium tax credit income requirements, visit Tax Facts Online. Read More 

HSAs vs. FSAs: Can They Cover the Same Costs? HSAs and FSAs can cover many of the same types of qualified medical expenses, as defined in IRC Section 213(d). However, HSAs can cover some additional expenses that FSAs are not permitted to cover. For example, HSAs can reimburse account owners for qualified long-term care expenses on a tax-free basis (FSAs cannot). However, HSAs can only reimburse for health expenses of the account owner’s child if that child qualifies as a dependent. FSAs, on the other hand, can reimburse for those expenses if the child is under the age of 27 as of the end of the tax year (regardless of whether the child qualifies as a dependent). HSAs can also make distributions even if the account owner uses the money for non-medical expenses (although penalty taxes will apply), while FSAs are only permitted to make distributions to cover qualified expenses. For more information on the FSA rules, visit Tax Facts Online. Read More  

Look in your Tax Facts Online app for our continuing analysis of 2022 and 2023 legislative and regulatory updates, weekly intelligence, and the impact on planning for a client’s wealth preservation and growth.

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 of law schools and is ranked in the top 10 for the employment of its graduating law students among U.S. law schools.

• 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
• top 10 for the employment of its law graduates
• 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 is 850 Master/LL.M. students with a maximum of 30 per course section. The university enrollment is 70,000 degree seekers.

The Texas A&M Master and LL.M. programs (e.g. international tax, transfer pricing, wealth management, or risk management) are accepting applications from financial professionals and from lawyers. Over 850 enrolled, the enrollment for a course’s section is kept to between 20 and a 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. https://law.tamu.edu/distance-education

Prof. William H. Byrnes

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

As most readers know, the Inflation Reduction Act passed the Senate last weekend. While most of the sweeping tax changes proposed in recent years were cut from the plan, the legislation did contain some important tax provisions that could impact clients if the bill is eventually signed into law in its current form. We also have information on the new IRS extended deadlines for retirement plan sponsors to adopt amendments required under the SECURE Act, CAREs Act and Miners Act of 2019 and how plans should proceed if they missed the July 31 restatement deadline.

Inflation Reduction Act: Tax Aspects. The Inflation Reduction Act eliminated many of the proposed tax hikes contained in last year’s Build Back Better Act. However, it did contain a provision that would add a new 15% corporate minimum tax to ensure that corporations with at least $1 billion in profits would be subject to a minimum 15% income tax rate. The 15% rate would be applied to the company’s “book income” profits, rather than adjusted gross income as reported to the IRS, in an effort to prevent corporations from using loopholes to escape taxation. The law also contains a provision that would extend the expanded ACA premium tax credits through 2025. Over ten years, the IRS would receive $80 billion in funding to step up enforcement efforts. At the last minute, a provision that would have closed the so-called carried interest loophole was eliminated and a 1% excise tax on certain stock buybacks was introduced. For more information on how corporations are currently taxed, visit Tax Facts Online. Read More

IRS Grants Three-Year SECURE Act, CARES Act Extension. The IRS recently announced that it was extending the deadline for plans to adopt amendments under the SECURE Act and CAREs Act through 2025 (for most calendar year plans, the deadline would have been December 31, 2022 absent the extension). The extension applies to qualified 401(k)s, 403(b) plans and IRAs. Amendments that are made prior to the extended deadline will not cause the plan to violate the anti-cutback rule (for example, if the plan was amended to permit automatic deferrals under a qualified automatic contribution arrangement to increase pursuant to the SECURE Act). Additionally, plans that are amended in 2025 to reflect the post-SECURE Act 10-year distribution failure would not have an operational failure. To take advantage of the extension, the plan should adopt the amendment by December 31, 2025 and make the amendment retroactive to the date of legislation. In the meantime, the plan should operate as though the amendment was in effect. The IRS has also indicated that SECURE Act guidance on long-term part-time employees, post-death distributions and other issues should be included with the 2023 required amendments list. For more information on the SECURE Act changes, visit Tax Facts Online. Read More

Did Your Retirement Plan Miss the Pre-approved Defined Contribution Plan Restatement Deadline? Most pre-approved defined contribution plans must be restated every six years (the most recent restatement deadline was July 31, 2022). Plans that missed the deadline cannot rely on the pre-approved plan document’s favorable opinion letter and will be treated as individually designed plans. When a plan is individually designed, there’s no guaranteed document to ensure compliance with the law (which is why most plans rely on the pre-approved plan document in the first place). Those plan sponsors must now analyze their plan document to ensure it complies with all requirements that apply to individually designed plans. Any errors can be corrected using the Employee Plans Compliance Resolution System (EPCRS). Once the plan is brought into compliance via EPCRS, the plan can choose to adopt a new and updated pre-approved plan document so that it can once again rely on the IRS opinion letter. For more information on the qualified plan requirements, visit Tax Facts Online. Read More

Look in your Tax Facts Online app for our continuing analysis of 2022 and 2023 legislative and regulatory updates, weekly intelligence, and the impact on planning for a client’s wealth preservation and growth.

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 of law schools and is ranked in the top 10 for the employment of its graduating law students among U.S. law schools.

• 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
• top 10 for the employment of its law graduates
• 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 is 850 Master/LL.M. students with a maximum of 30 per course section. The university enrollment is 70,000 degree seekers.

The Texas A&M Master and LL.M. programs (e.g. international tax, transfer pricing, wealth management, or risk management) are accepting applications from financial professionals and from lawyers. Over 850 enrolled, the enrollment for a course’s section is kept to between 20 and a 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. https://law.tamu.edu/distance-education

Prof. William H. Byrnes

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

The Inflation Reduction Act was signed by President Biden in August.  This week, we remind our subscribers of some of the most valuable energy-related tax credits that will be available to individual taxpayers once the new law becomes fully effective, plus a summary of the extended loss limitation provisions that apply under the Act.  Also, a reminder that the deadline for Medicare creditable coverage notices is right around the corner.

Inflation Reduction Act Extends and Expands Two Valuable Energy Tax Credits for Individuals.  Much of the Inflation Reduction Act doesn’t directly impact tax liability for individual taxpayers.  However, the law does contain two valuable energy tax credits for individuals.  The law renamed the nonbusiness energy property tax credit the “Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit” under IRC Section 25C. The law extends the credit through 2032.  While the old rules for claiming the credit continue to apply in 2022, beginning with the 2023 tax year, the credit will be expanded to equal to 30% of the costs of eligible home improvements made during the year. It will also be expanded to cover the cost of additional energy-efficient property. Similarly, the residential energy efficient property credit has been renamed the Residential Clean Energy Credit. That credit was set to expire in 2024 and was extended through 2034. Under the Inflation Reduction Act, the credit amount increases to 30% from 2022 to 2032. It then decreases to 26% for 2033 and 22% for 2034. The credit is set to expire after 2034.  For more information on claiming these tax credits, visit Tax Facts Online.  Read More

Inflation Reduction Act Extends Limitation on Excess Business Losses.  Under the 2017 tax reform legislation, excess business losses of a non-corporate taxpayer are not allowed for the taxable year. These losses are carried forward and treated as part of the taxpayer’s net operating loss carryforward in subsequent tax years. NOL carryovers generally are allowed for a tax year up to the lesser of the carryover amount or 80 percent of taxable income determined without regard to the deduction for NOLs.  An “excess business loss” is the excess of aggregate deductions of the taxpayer attributable to trades or businesses of the taxpayer (determined without regard to the limitation of the provision), over the sum of aggregate gross income or gain of the taxpayer plus a threshold amount. The annual threshold amount is $250,000 (or twice the otherwise applicable threshold amount for married taxpayers filing a joint return). The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 extends the limitation on excess business losses through 2028.  For more information on the excess loss limitation provisions, visit Tax Facts Online. Read More

Don’t Forget: The  Notice Deadline for Creditable Coverage Each Year. Employers who provide prescription drug coverage are required to notify all Medicare-eligible employees about creditable or non-creditable status by October 15.  With the onslaught of COBRA subsidy notices in recent months, this deadline was lost in the shuffle by many employers who now need to seek IRS compliance remediation .  Individuals who do not enroll in Medicare Part D when first available, but who enroll later, pay higher premiums permanently unless they have creditable prescription drug coverage.  These increased premiums apply if the individual goes at least 63 consecutive days without creditable coverage.  Employers are required to provide notice each year to help employees understand whether employer-provided coverage is creditable.  This year, notices were due by October 15, 2022.  Determining whether coverage is creditable involves examining whether the employer’s coverage is at least as good (measured actuarially) as standard Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage.  Employers can provide the notice electronically and there is no need to conduct a separate mailing, although the employer should take steps to ensure the notice is easy to find.  Creditable coverage notice must also be given if creditable status changes or upon the individual’s request.  For more information on the creditable coverage requirement, visit Tax Facts Online.  Read More

Look in your Tax Facts Online app for our continuing analysis of 2022 and 2023 legislative and regulatory updates, weekly intelligence, and the impact on planning for a client’s wealth preservation and growth.

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 of law schools and is ranked in the top 10 for the employment of its graduating law students among U.S. law schools.

• 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
• top 10 for the employment of its law graduates
• 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 is 850 Master/LL.M. students with a maximum of 30 per course section. The university enrollment is 70,000 degree seekers.

The Texas A&M Master and LL.M. programs (e.g. international tax, transfer pricing, wealth management, or risk management) are accepting applications from financial professionals and from lawyers. Over 850 enrolled, the enrollment for a course’s section is kept to between 20 and a 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. https://law.tamu.edu/distance-education

Prof. William H. Byrnes

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

This week, we have valuable information for parents who are sending their kids to school. An ESA can be a valuable tax-preferred tool to help with the costs–and with education costs front and center, now may be the perfect time to discuss the option. In other news, we have updates on how the Inflation Reduction Act’s premium subsidy extension could impact employer-sponsored health coverage–and a note on the retirement-related bills making their way through Congress. 

Can Your ESA Help Ease the Strain of Back-to-School Expenses? As the kids head back to school, many parents may be struggling with back-to-school expenses in today’s inflationary environment. One potential solution is an education savings account (ESA). ESAs are relatively easy to establish and don’t require an employer to sponsor the plan. Contributions are made to the account for the benefit of a child under age 18. Parents and guardians can contribute up to $2,000 per year, per beneficiary (no earned income or compensation limits apply). ESA contributions are not tax deductible, but if the funds are withdrawn to pay qualified education expenses, the earnings on the ESA funds are taken tax-free. Qualified expenses include books and supplies, college tuition and even the student’s computer and internet expenses. The costs associated with primary or secondary school also qualify, in addition to college-related expenses. For more information on the ESA rules, visit Tax Facts Online. Read More

Focus on SECURE Act 2.0: What’s in the Various Retirement Bills in Congress Today? SECURE Act 2.0 would once again raise the required beginning date, to age 73 in 2023, 74 by 2029 and to age 75 by 2032. The law would also change the rules governing catch-up contributions so that taxpayers aged 50 and older would be permitted to contribute an extra $10,000 per year if they have reached age 62, 63 or 64 (currently, qualifying taxpayers can make catch-up contributions of $6,500 per year to 401(k)s and $1,000 per year to IRAs). SIMPLE plan participants would receive an additional $5,000 catch-up option. The additional catch-up, however, would be made on an after-tax basis. One proposal would significantly increase the 401(k) contribution limits for all savers. Currently, taxpayers who are under age 50 can contribute $20,500 in pre-tax dollars to 401(k)s and $6,000 to IRAs. The proposal would increase those contribution limits by $4,000, so that IRA savers could contribute up to $10,000 per year and 401(k) plan participants could save up to $24,500 per year. For more information on the 401(k) contribution rules, visit Tax Facts Online. Read More

Will ICHRAs Start Trending Post-Inflation Reduction Act? The decreased affordability threshold and expanded ACA subsidies under the Inflation Reduction Act may put an increased financial strain on employers who must offer health coverage to employees. The individual coverage HRA strategy can present a possible solution to employers who either must offer coverage or are interested in offering health benefits to attract and retain employees. The ICHRA rules allow employers to reimburse premiums for individual health insurance coverage through ICHRAs if the several specific conditions are satisfied. First, all individuals enrolled in the ICHRA must actually enroll in individual coverage. If an individual ceases to be enrolled in individual coverage, the ICHRA must stop reimbursing their medical expenses (on a prospective basis only). Individuals who are still within the grace period with respect to paying their premiums for individual coverage are considered enrolled in individual coverage. For more information on the rules governing ICHRAs, visit Tax Facts Online. Read More

Look in your Tax Facts Online app for our continuing analysis of 2022 and 2023 legislative and regulatory updates, weekly intelligence, and the impact on planning for a client’s wealth preservation and growth.

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 of law schools and is ranked in the top 10 for the employment of its graduating law students among U.S. law schools.

• 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
• top 10 for the employment of its law graduates
• 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 is 850 Master/LL.M. students with a maximum of 30 per course section. The university enrollment is 70,000 degree seekers.

The Texas A&M Master and LL.M. programs (e.g. international tax, transfer pricing, wealth management, or risk management) are accepting applications from financial professionals and from lawyers. Over 850 enrolled, the enrollment for a course’s section is kept to between 20 and a 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. https://law.tamu.edu/distance-education

Prof. William H. Byrnes

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

This week, we have valuable information for clients wondering how the 401(k) rollover rules intersect with the required minimum distribution (RMD) rules and an update on a work-from-home related lawsuit against Amazon. We also have more details on the enhanced and extended tax credits for clean vehicles contained in the Inflation Reduction Act. Wondering whether your clients qualify? Read on for more details.

Inflation Reduction Act Expands and Boosts Appeal of Electric Vehicle Tax Credits. The Inflation Reduction Act expands the electric vehicle tax credit for electric vehicles placed into service after December 31, 2022 for ten years, through 2032. Taxpayers who buy qualifying vehicles will qualify for a tax credit of up to $7,500 for new vehicles. For used electric vehicles, the maximum credit will equal $4,000 or 30% of the vehicle’s cost, whichever is less. Used electric vehicles only qualify if they’re purchased for personal use, rather than for resale. The newly expanded electric vehicle tax credits are intended to provide benefits for lower- and middle-income clients. As such, they come with income restrictions and limitations. The credit is unavailable for single taxpayers who earn more than $150,000 per year, joint filers who earn more than $300,000 per year and heads-of-households who earn $225,000 per year or more. Certain luxury electric vehicles are also excluded and restrictions on where the vehicle is manufactured will also apply. For more information on the expanded tax credit for clean vehicles, visit Tax Facts Online. Read More

California Judge Won’t Dismiss Amazon Employee’s Work-From-Home Reimbursement Lawsuit. A federal district court judge in California denied a motion to dismiss a proposed class action lawsuit against Amazon. The lawsuit focuses on whether Amazon was required to reimburse the employees for expenses related to work-from-home requirements. The employee in this case alleged that state employment laws required Amazon to reimburse employees for work-related expenses incurred because of pandemic-related work-from-home requirements after the California governor issued lockdown orders. The expenses at issue here include electricity, Internet and space-related expenses totaling somewhere between $50 and $100 per month. California law requires employers to reimburse employees for any home office expenses incurred while they’re working from home. For more information on remote worker issues brought to light during the COVID-19 pandemic, visit Tax Facts Online. Read More

Rollerovers & RMDs: Need to Know for Clients Working Past the Traditional Retirement Age. At some point, every client is required to begin taking distributions from traditional retirement accounts. However, not all of those clients have stopped working. Some of those clients may wish to roll their 401(k) funds into an IRA if they don’t need those funds to cover living expenses while they’re still working. Clients need to understand that RMDs are not eligible for rollover. The client must take their RMD before completing the rollover–and the first distribution from the plan counts toward the RMD if the client is subject to RMD requirements (the client can’t roll funds into an IRA and take their RMD later in the year). Further, 401(k) RMDs can’t be taken from the client’s IRA–they must be taken from the 401(k) itself. After the client takes their RMD for the year, they can roll remaining plan funds over into an IRA–at which point, those funds become subject to the rules governing IRAs (not the 401(k) rules, so the “still working” exception won’t apply). For more information on the RMD failure penalties, visit Tax Facts Online. Read Mor

Look in your Tax Facts Online app for our continuing analysis of 2022 and 2023 legislative and regulatory updates, weekly intelligence, and the impact on planning for a client’s wealth preservation and growth.

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 of law schools and is ranked in the top 10 for the employment of its graduating law students among U.S. law schools.

• 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
• top 10 for the employment of its law graduates
• 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 is 850 Master/LL.M. students with a maximum of 30 per course section. The university enrollment is 70,000 degree seekers.

The Texas A&M Master and LL.M. programs (e.g. international tax, transfer pricing, wealth management, or risk management) are accepting applications from financial professionals and from lawyers. Over 850 enrolled, the enrollment for a course’s section is kept to between 20 and a 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. https://law.tamu.edu/distance-education

Prof. William H. Byrnes

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

This week, we have some planning pointers for employers who are planning to continue allowing employees to work remotely on a more permanent basis, as well as an update on the new independent contractor standard that the DOL is working on.  On another note, we have coverage about what those post-SECURE Act lifetime illustrations on your next 401(k) statement really mean. Read on for more.

Are Your Small Business Clients Required to Reimburse Remote Employees for Work-Related Costs?  Recent lawsuits have brought one remote-era working environment issue to the forefront: whether employers must reimburse remote workers for internet, cell phones and even utilities.  Some state laws (including California law) require employers to reimburse all employees for any work-related expenses.  Now that many employees are working remotely and plan to continue working remotely, some have sued their employers to be reimbursed for a portion of their utility costs.  Employers who plan to continue to allow remote work should check their state laws to ensure they are in compliance.  In all cases, the employer should adopt a clear policy on which expenses will and will not be reimbursed.  The employer should also consider a clear statement on when only a portion of certain expenses will be reimbursed (for example, expenses that have both business and personal elements, such as internet and a cell phone).  For more information on the tax impact of reimbursing employees’ expenses, visit Tax Facts Online. Read More 

DOL Announces Intent to Reform the Current Independent Contractor Test.  Under current law, a Trump-era test for determining independent contractor status applies.  That rule was designed to make it easier for employers to classify workers as independent contractors, rather than traditional employees, by focusing on whether workers are economically dependent upon an employer—or in business for themselves.  The current test prioritizes (1) the worker’s degree of control over the work performed, and (2) the worker’s opportunity for profit or loss.  Biden’s DOL initially found that prioritizing these factors undermined the longstanding balancing approach of the economic realities test and court decisions requiring a review of the totality of the circumstances related to the employment relationship.  Several business groups filed a lawsuit in federal court to challenge the Biden administration’s acts.  The court vacated the Biden administration’s rule and reinstated the Trump-era rule on procedural grounds. Now, the DOL has informally stated that it intends to again attempt to reform the test in the coming months.  For more information on the current rule, visit Tax Facts Online. Read More.

Understanding the Changes to Your Next 401(k) Statement.  Starting at the end of June, 401(k) participants will begin to see the SECURE Act’s lifetime income illustrations on their statements. That illustration shows the amount of monthly income the participant would make based on their current account balance. Those illustrations shouldn’t cause your clients to panic. Those illustrations reflect only the current account balance, without considering the earnings that the account funds will accumulate over time. They also don’t account for Social Security or any other type of savings vehicle the client may have. Clients should also be advised that the illustrations aren’t required to factor in the client’s age, meaning that younger participants could see illustrations that are much lower than what they would realistically receive far into the future.  For more information on the lifetime income illustrations, visit Tax Facts Online. Read More

Look in your Tax Facts Online app for our continuing analysis of 2022 and 2023 legislative and regulatory updates, weekly intelligence, and the impact on planning for a client’s wealth preservation and growth.

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 of law schools and is ranked in the top 10 for the employment of its graduating law students among U.S. law schools.

• 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
• top 10 for the employment of its law graduates
• 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 is 850 Master/LL.M. students with a maximum of 30 per course section. The university enrollment is 70,000 degree seekers.

The Texas A&M Master and LL.M. programs (e.g. international tax, transfer pricing, wealth management, or risk management) are accepting applications from financial professionals and from lawyers. Over 850 enrolled, the enrollment for a course’s section is kept to between 20 and a 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. https://law.tamu.edu/distance-education

Prof. William H. Byrnes

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

This week, we have a few pieces of discrete guidance for small business clients who offer dependent care assistance program benefits to employees. The IRS also announced a new pilot compliance program designed to reduce the burden of a qualified plan audit for employers who offer retirement plan options. And, in a piece of good news for small business clients, the IRS has responded to rising gas prices by increasing the standard business mileage rate for the second half of 2022.  Read on for more.

IRS Released Revised Standard Mileage Rates for Second Half of 2022. The IRS released updated optional standard mileage rates that are used to calculate the deductible costs of using a car for business, charitable, medical or moving purposes. For the second half of 2022, the optional standard mileage rate for using a car for business purposes will be 62.5 cents per mile driven for business purposes (up from 58.5 cents per mile in the first half of the year). The rate for miles driven for moving or medical purposes in the second half of 2022 will be 22 cents per mile (up from 18 cents in the first half). The charitable rate remains unchanged at 14 cents per mile. However, the suspension of all miscellaneous itemized deductions and the deduction for moving expenses for the 2018-2025 tax years means that most taxpayers who previously deducted these expenses will no longer be entitled to do so. Those individuals who were previously entitled to take the business mileage expense deduction as an above-the-line deduction, however, many continue to do so. For more information on deducting business-related travel expenses, visit Tax Facts Online. Read More 

IRS Announces a New Program for Retirement Plan Audits. The IRS has released details about a new pilot pre-examination compliance program for plan audits. Under the program, the IRS will send the plan a letter advising that it has been selected for an examination. The plan sponsor is then given 90 days to review the plan for compliance issues. If the sponsor uncovers any issues, it can correct the problem within the 90-day review period if the issue is one that can be corrected under self-correction procedures or can request that the IRS enter a favorable closing agreement. Plan sponsors should be advised that IRS letters are already being mailed. To respond, the sponsor should show that the plan is compliant with any issues raised in the letter, or that the plan was non-compliant but has (or will) correct the problem. The sponsor must also show whether any additional issues have been detected during the compliance review (and steps that are being taken to correct those issues). The IRS will then review that information and, if it agrees, issue a closing letter without additional contact. If the IRS disagrees, it will contact the sponsor and determine whether further audit/action is necessary. For more information on the defined contribution plan qualification rules, visit Tax Facts Online. Read More

Can DCAPs Reimburse Employees for “Hold-the-Spot” Fees? As more offices are reopening in our current “post-COVID” environment, many parents are once again dealing with the potential need for out-of-home childcare. Many childcare providers have begun charging a fee to hold a child’s spot during periods where the child can remain at home. A question then arises as to whether a dependent care assistance program (DCAP) can be used to cover those costs. Informal IRS guidance has provided that these hold-the-spot fees can be considered indirect expenses that are necessary for obtaining childcare (and, thus, can be reimbursed on a tax-preferred basis). However, additional guidance also provides that the fee cannot qualify as an indirect expense unless the childcare in question is ultimately received. So, absent formal guidance, employers may wish to proceed with caution when determining whether a hold-the-spot fee is a qualifying expense. For more information on DCAPs, visit Tax Facts Online. Read More

Look in your Tax Facts Online app for our continuing analysis of 2022 and 2023 legislative and regulatory updates, weekly intelligence, and the impact on planning for a client’s wealth preservation and growth.

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 of law schools and is ranked in the top 10 for the employment of its graduating law students among U.S. law schools.

• 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
• top 10 for the employment of its law graduates
• 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 is 850 Master/LL.M. students with a maximum of 30 per course section. The university enrollment is 70,000 degree seekers.

The Texas A&M Master and LL.M. programs (e.g. international tax, transfer pricing, wealth management, or risk management) are accepting applications from financial professionals and from lawyers. Over 850 enrolled, the enrollment for a course’s section is kept to between 20 and a 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. https://law.tamu.edu/distance-education

Prof. William H. Byrnes

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

Today’s market conditions have created challenges for individuals and business owners across the board.  Rising interest rates may soon create a headache for defined benefit plan sponsors that offer lump sum distributions–some of which could potentially increase options offered to current plan participants.  We also have a different perspective for employers interested in offering crypto investment options for employees–and a reminder for clients who have taken advantage of the six-month tax filing extension.  Read on for more.

Can 401(k) Crypto Investment Options Add Value for Employers? There are been much controversy surrounding the availability of cryptocurrency investments in 401(k)s, especially in light of the DOL’s hard-line approach to crypto options and a precipitous drop in the market value since March 2022.  However, many employers are also looking at the other side of the equation and evaluating ways that their business and retirement plan might benefit from allowing crypto investments.  Cryptocurrency investment options could help employers attract and retain talented employees who want a wider range of modern investment options.  In fact, studies show that three out of five people support cryptocurrency investment options for 401(k)s–and about 50% of millennials already own some type of cryptocurrency.  Many also expect that allowing cryptocurrency in retirement plans could encourage more younger taxpayers to contribute to the plan–which could boost the overall health of the retirement plan and help the employer satisfy the IRS’ strict nondiscrimination testing requirements. On the other hand, cryptocurrency is at best an alternative high risk investment, and at worst, a repeat of the 1636 Dutch tulip bubble (that popped in 1637). For more information on the tax treatment of cryptocurrency generally, visit Tax Facts Online.  Read More

Rising Interest Rates May Create Problems for DB Plan Sponsors.  Many defined benefit plans offer a lump sum payment option to participants.  The value of those lump sum payments fluctuates with interest rates.  With lower interest rates, the participant will receive a larger lump sum payment.  With higher rates, the value of the payment decreases.  Plans are required to update the interest rate on a monthly, quarterly or annual basis.  Now that interest rates are rising (and are expected to continue rising), many participants may elect to take a lump sum now, before interest rates rise further (and may elect to leave employment sooner than expected to take advantage of today’s rates).  That may increase the plan’s liquidity needs and also decrease the plan’s funding status.  A significant decrease in funding status could subject the plan to IRC Section 436’s prohibition or limitations on paying lump sums at all.  It’s important for plan sponsors to start planning now–and for advisors to expect these plans to start offering additional non-lump sum options, including in-service distributions for clients who satisfy certain age and service requirements.  For more information on the lump sum distribution option, visit Tax Facts Online.  Read More 

IRS Reminded Taxpayers With October Filing Extensions that Hurricane Ian Victims Have More Time.  Taxpayers with a six-month tax filing extension had until October 17, 2022 to file their 2021 tax returns. But Hurricane Ian victims (throughout Florida) have until February 15, 2023, to file various federal individual and business tax returns and make tax payments, According to the IRS’ announcement, taxpayers who are waiting for their 2020 returns to process because of IRS backups in its workload, can enter “$0” for their 2020 AGI on their 2021 return in order to file sooner.  The IRS also encourages taxpayers to file electronically in order to ensure their return is processed quickly and to use direct deposit to receive their refunds as soon as possible.  For more information on the federal tax filing requirements, visit Tax Facts Online.  Read More

Look in your Tax Facts Online app for our continuing analysis of 2022 and 2023 legislative and regulatory updates, weekly intelligence, and the impact on planning for a client’s wealth preservation and growth.

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 of law schools and is ranked in the top 10 for the employment of its graduating law students among U.S. law schools.

• 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
• top 10 for the employment of its law graduates
• 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 is 850 Master/LL.M. students with a maximum of 30 per course section. The university enrollment is 70,000 degree seekers.

The Texas A&M Master and LL.M. programs (e.g. international tax, transfer pricing, wealth management, or risk management) are accepting applications from financial professionals and from lawyers. Over 850 enrolled, the enrollment for a course’s section is kept to between 20 and a 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. https://law.tamu.edu/distance-education

Prof. William H. Byrnes

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

The IRS released guidance that could allow some taxpayers to qualify for a larger earned income tax credit by filing an amended 2021 return. It’s also time for many small business clients to start their 401(k) restatement process. Finally, in the midst of the so-called “Great Resignation,” it’s important to make sure clients understand the 401(k) vesting rules to avoid leaving money on the table when they change jobs.  Read on for more.

IRS Revises FAQ for Claiming the Earned Income Tax Credit.  The rules for claiming the earned income tax credit were expanded and liberalized in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.  The IRS has recently updated its guidance on claiming the credit to provide that taxpayers who are eligible for the credit can choose to calculate the earned income tax credit using their 2019 earned income if it was higher than their 2021 earned income, even if they did not have any earned income in 2021.  Taxpayers who did not file a return or claim the earned income tax credit for 2020 or 2021 can file an amended return to take advantage of the relief.  However, the IRS was clear to note that these taxpayers cannot use their 2020 income to calculate their 2021 earned income tax credit.  For more information on the personal tax credits, visit Tax Facts Online. Read More

Current DC Plan Restatement Cycle Ended July 31.  Clients who sponsor pre-approved 401(k) plans must have completed a plan restatement every six years (that’s true even if the client hasn’t actually made any changes to the 401(k) plan itself).  The previous restatement cycle ends July 31, 2022 for plans that have not been restated since August 2020.  It’s important for small business clients to make sure their plan document actually reflects how their particular 401(k) plan operates (for example, if the restated plan document neglects to exclude employee bonuses from consideration for a match, the employer could be subject to significant penalties if they actually do exclude employee bonuses when calculating the employee match).  The client should review the restatement carefully with qualified advisors and make sure their documents were signed before the July 31 deadline. If not, the client will need to hire a tax adviser to undergo compliance remediation.  For more information on the defined contribution plan qualification rules, visit Tax Facts Online.  Read More 

Understanding the 401(k) Vesting Rules in the Midst of the Great Resignation. It’s more important than ever for clients to understand how vesting can impact their retirement account balances.  The applicable vesting schedule establishes when the client who contributes to the 401(k) will be fully entitled to the full 401(k) balance. Cliff vesting is designed to encourage employees to remain with an employer for the long-term, rather than hopping quickly between jobs. The IRC permits employer-sponsored plans to provide that employer contributions to the employee’s account will not fully become available until after a certain period of time has passed (employee contributions must vest immediately). Under a graded vesting schedule, the employer match will begin to vest in increments beginning in the employee’s second year of service with the employer—employer matching contributions will gain an additional 20 percent in vesting each year thereafter until they are 100 percent vested after six years.  Under a three-year cliff vesting schedule, the employer match is fully vested after three years of service. The vesting schedule used by the plan must be clearly spelled out in the plan documents, and can be important for clients making decisions about new employment opportunities.  For more information on the vesting rules, visit Tax Facts Online.  Read More

Look in your Tax Facts Online app for our continuing analysis of 2022 and 2023 legislative and regulatory updates, weekly intelligence, and the impact on planning for a client’s wealth preservation and growth.

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 of law schools and is ranked in the top 10 for the employment of its graduating law students among U.S. law schools.

• 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
• top 10 for the employment of its law graduates
• 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 is 850 Master/LL.M. students with a maximum of 30 per course section. The university enrollment is 70,000 degree seekers.

The Texas A&M Master and LL.M. programs (e.g. international tax, transfer pricing, wealth management, or risk management) are accepting applications from financial professionals and from lawyers. Over 850 enrolled, the enrollment for a course’s section is kept to between 20 and a 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. https://law.tamu.edu/distance-education

Prof. William H. Byrnes

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

Many business clients may have begun wondering whether the IRS “family glitch” fix creates any new obligations at the employer level–or merely provides potential new benefits for an employee’s family members.  We have some thoughts on the matter. Also this week, we have more information on the implications of offering an employee signing bonus and ways clients can keep their retirement savings on track even in the midst of the great resignation.  Read on for more.

IRS Announces Fix to ACA “Family Glitch.” The IRS proposed regulations of May 2022 fix the so-called “family glitch” under the Affordable Care Act. Under current law, a family’s ACA marketplace subsidy eligibility is based on the employee’s cost for employee-only coverage (not the cost of the employee’s family coverage). So, if the employee’s contribution for self-only coverage is deemed affordable, the entire family is ineligible for marketplace subsidies (and the employer cannot be assessed an employer mandate penalty). The new proposal would allow an employee’s family members to enroll in marketplace coverage and potentially become eligible for government subsidies if the cost for the family is deemed to be unaffordable. However, there is not any new mandate for employers, so the employer’s obligations would continue to be based on whether the employee’s self-only coverage is deemed affordable. However, it is possible that employers could become subject to additional reporting requirements in order to determine whether the health plan is affordable at the family level.  For more information on the employer mandate, visit Tax Facts Online. Read More

Offering an Employee Signing Bonus? Don’t Forget to Consider DOL Overtime Rules.  Many employers have resorted to offering signing or retention bonuses in order to attract and retain employees in light of today’s labor shortage.  Those business clients should be reminded about the DOL’s overtime calculation rules under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).  Under FLSA rules, all compensation paid to employees must be included when calculating the employees’ regular rate of compensation for purposes of determining the correct overtime premium in weeks where the employee works overtime.  While there may be cases where the employer merely offers the bonus in exchange for accepting an employment offer, many employers are structuring these bonuses with strings attached–so that, for example, the employee may be required to work for a certain amount of time before becoming eligible for the bonus.  In these cases, it’s likely that the DOL could require the bonus to be considered when determining the employee’s proper overtime rate.  For more information on the DOL overtime rules, visit Tax Facts Online. Read More. 

Funding a Spousal IRA Can Preserve Retirement Security in the Midst of the “Great Resignation.”  Workers have left their jobs in record numbers in recent months. Those clients should be advised on the rules governing spousal IRA contributions as a way to keep retirement savings on track going forward. Generally, taxpayers are required to have taxable compensation for the year to open or contribute to an IRA. However, taxpayers who are married and file joint returns with a spouse are entitled to make a contribution based on a working spouse’s taxable compensation. The non-working taxpayer simply opens an IRA or Roth IRA in their own name and contributes to that account based on the spouse’s compensation. To qualify, the client must have been married to the working spouse as of December 31 of the year of contribution. If the clients are divorced as of December 31, they become unable to make contributions based on a spouse’s earned income even if they were married for the majority of the year in question.  For more information on the rules governing IRA contributions, visit Tax Facts Online. Read More

Look in your Tax Facts Online app for our continuing analysis of 2022 and 2023 legislative and regulatory updates, weekly intelligence, and the impact on planning for a client’s wealth preservation and growth.

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 of law schools and is ranked in the top 10 for the employment of its graduating law students among U.S. law schools.

• 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
• top 10 for the employment of its law graduates
• 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 is 850 Master/LL.M. students with a maximum of 30 per course section. The university enrollment is 70,000 degree seekers.