Tax strategies

Switzerland’s 300 banks have enlisted an army of auditors, lawyers and in-house workers as they race to meet a Dec. 31 deadline on whether to seek U.S. amnesty for helping American clients evade taxes.

President Obama has nominated Senate Finance Committee chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., as the next ambassador to China, potentially setting back efforts at comprehensive tax reform.

“It’s never too late for tax planning,” a wise CPA once told me. “You’ve got till the ball drops to take action, and if you do it later than that, then you’ve got an early start for next year.”

The U.S. has signed six more intergovernmental agreements with a half dozen jurisdictions, including several traditional offshore tax havens, to implement the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act, or FATCA.

The Internal Revenue Service has issued guidance on the application of rules in the Tax Code relating to health savings accounts and flexible spending accounts to same-sex couples in the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s landmark decision earlier this year striking down the Defense of Marriage Act.

The popularity of the shelter, known as the Walton grantor retained annuity trust, or GRAT, shows how easy it is for the wealthy to bypass estate and gift taxes.

KPMG is predicting a dozen key tax issues that will be confronting businesses next year, including the taxation of cloud-related activities, base erosion and profit shifting in multinational corporations, and the far-reaching consequences of the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act.

As 2013 recedes in the rearview mirror, it is understandable that tax professionals look to the road ahead regarding taxes and Washington.

As we come down to the wire for the beginning of busy season, it’s important to review some of the things we may already know, or think we know, about reporting and filing requirements.

Fresno, Calif.-based nonprofit accounting software company Aplos Software announced it will host a series of free webinars for nonprofits about year-end accounting procedures and how to prepare for the new year.

Payroll provider Paychex Inc. is reminding small-business owners about five tax regulations and credits that they should evaluate before the end of the year.

Top 100 Firm Marcum LLP’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Practice has released a list of top tax planning tips for married same-sex couples to help guide them on what they will need to file taxes since the federal government officially recognized same-sex marriage for tax purposes.

Ernst & Young has published the latest edition of its annual tax guide ahead of the New Year.

The digital edition of the December 2013 issue of Accounting Today is now available.

The Internal Revenue Service has taken steps to improve its management controls for technology that will help it implement the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act, or FATCA, to improve U.S. tax compliance involving foreign financial assets and offshore accounts, according to a new report, but more work needs to be done.

The increasing globalization of the economy is resulting in more small and medium-size businesses seeking to expand internationally. While companies are extending their products and services across borders, many don’t consider the compliance and planning issues that come with doing so.

The U.S. Supreme Court stayed out of the multibillion-dollar fight over Internet sales taxes, leaving intact a New York law that forces Amazon.com Inc. to collect money from customers in that state.

Tips for your clients as 2013 draws to a close

Accounting and advisory firm Marcum LLP has released the 2013 Marcum Year-End Tax Guide.

Preservation of an unlimited charitable deduction garnered wide support from Senate leaders after more than 200 officials from various nonprofits paid a visit to Capitol Hill last week to lobby lawmakers.