Tax strategies

Home values in the U.S. posted their largest quarterly decline since the first quarter of 2009, falling 2.6 percent as the temporary stimulus of the Home Buyer Tax Credits wore off, according to a new report.

The Obama administration is expected to propose a way for states to raise more money in payroll taxes to pay for the cost of unemployment insurance.

A group of 10 Senate Democrats has written to Speaker of the House John Boehner and other House leaders asking them to reduce the budget deficit by eliminating unneeded subsidies and tax breaks for oil companies.

There are many important new tax breaks for U.S. individuals on the 2010 Form 1040, and several more have been eliminated, noted one tax expert.

U.S. taxation of international operations and financial statement disclosure issues were the top two concerns of leading corporate tax executives, according to a new survey.

President Obama urged business leaders to begin creating jobs and taking advantage of the tax breaks offered by his administration during a speech Monday at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

President Obama urged businesses to make their buildings more energy efficient and called on Congress to provide tax incentives to help.

The Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously voted Thursday to approve bipartisan patent reform legislation, including provisions banning tax strategy patents.

A coalition of 15 national organizations urged the Senate Judiciary Committee to keep a provision in S. 23, The Patent Reform Act of 2011, which would stop tax strategy patents. The bill goes to mark-up on Feb. 3.

President Obama has launched a new initiative to fund small business entrepreneurs known as Startup America, which sounds like something that might better belong on Sand Hill Road in Silicon Valley than on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington.

Now that the drama has ended and year-end legislation to extend the Bush-era tax cuts has been enacted, work remains for those "in the trenches" to sort out appropriate reactions. For most businesses, the response will be multifaceted.

CCH has integrated its ProSystem fx Tax software with its Web-based Global Integrator system.

The Obama administration proposed permanently eliminating capital gains taxes on some types of small business investments held for over five years.

The deficit reduction panel called for tax reform, as did the National Taxpayer Advocate and the House Ways and Means Committee. Now, President Obama has added his voice to the mix with his State of the Union address.

The recent extension of the estate tax at a 35 percent rate will not result in a "claw back" tax obligation for people who make gifts in 2011 and 2012 that exceed their post 2012 estate tax exemption allowance, according to a trio of tax experts.

The Small Business Tax Credit Calculator, developed by Tax Credits LLC, is able to complete lines 1 to 14 of Form 8941 for tax preparers in all 50 states.

President Obama placed an unusual degree of emphasis Tuesday during his State of the Union address on tax reform, and while there appears to be more bipartisan spirit in Congress in the wake of the tragic shootings in Tucson, the prospects for getting an agreement are murky at best.

President Obama urged Congress to work across party lines on an overhaul of both corporate and individual taxes to reduce tax loopholes during his State of the Union address on Tuesday night.

Senate Finance Committee member Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., have introduced a bill that would prevent any individual or firm from being able to receive patents on tax strategies.

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., have introduced and pledged to pass a bill to repeal the expanded 1099 reporting requirements in the health care reform bill.