Hockey Team’s Meals at Away Games Were a De Minimis Fringe Benefit
Recently, it was ruled by the U.S. Tax Court that the Boston Bruins hockey team's pregame meals to players and personnel at out-of-town hotels qualified as a de minimis fringe benefit under the Internal Revenue Code. Therefore, 100% of the cost of those meals could be...
Tax Court Corrects Prior Valuation of LP Interest to Startling Result
Estate of Giustina v. Commissioner, 2016 Tax Ct. Memo LEXIS 113 (June 13, 2016) (Giustina III) In an estate tax dispute that has lasted for over five years, the Tax Court revalued the decedent’s minority interest in an Oregon family business by order of the 9th...
5 Recent Supreme Court Decisions that Could Affect Your Business
The U.S. Supreme Court adjourned for its summer recess at the end of June. Here are five recent cases from its 2016 term that may be of interest to business owners and managers. 1. Advocate Health Care Network v. Stapleton (S. Ct. No. 16-74, June 5, 2017) Generally,...
Spouse’s Unilateral Stock Agreement Sets Value in Divorce Action
Baumbouree v. Baumbouree, 2016 La. App. LEXIS 1388 (July 13, 2016). In a Louisiana divorce case, the trial court applied the value stated in a stock agreement the physician owner-spouse had entered into with his firm in the context of partition. In her appeal, the...
Understand Your Social Security Retirement Benefits
In July, the Social Security Board of Trustees released its annual report on the long-term financial status of the Social Security Trust Funds. For years, people have questioned the viability of the Social Security system going forward. The report projects that the...
Revenue Recognition for Contracts: Changes Coming Soon
The top line of your company's income statement is revenue. So, it tends to receive a lot of attention from investors, lenders and other stakeholders. Why? It’s a telltale sign whether your company is growing or declining based on changes in revenue. Moreover, changes...
How the IRS Proves Fraud and Why It Can Be Devastating
A tax assessment by the IRS is generally presumed to be correct, but a taxpayer can overcome the presumption with proof. However, that situation is reversed when the IRS asserts fraud. In those instances, the IRS must prove, by clear and convincing evidence that fraud...
Debtors’ Balance Sheet Not Reliable Indicator of Assets’ Market Value
In re Sunedison, Inc., 2016 Bankr. LEXIS 2959 (Aug. 11, 2016). When a company declares bankruptcy, investors often question the accuracy of post-petition valuations offered by other stakeholders. But, as a recent ruling in a major bankruptcy case shows, investors...
Business ID Theft: Is Your Data at Risk?
Over the last two years the IRS and state tax authorities have made significant strides in curbing individual identity theft. But cyberattacks against businesses are on the upswing. Here are some simple ways business taxpayers can help protect their data from hackers....
Truckers: Highway Use Tax Return Is Generally Due August 31
The next federal highway use tax return is due on August 31, 2017, so the IRS wants to remind truckers and other owners of heavy highway vehicle. Generally, the deadline applies to IRS Form 2290 and the accompanying tax payment for the tax year that begins on July 1,...