Tax strategies

  • The Internal Revenue Service said that the amounts paid for certain diagnostic procedures and devices, such as an annual physical examination, a full-body electronic scan and a pregnancy test kit, qualify as deductible medical care expenses if they are not otherwise compensated.

    December 14
  • For tax year 2007, the Internal Revenue Service has implemented a new policy that assumes an e-mail substitute form submission has been approved if the IRS does not otherwise notify the taxpayer who submits it within 20 business days.

    December 14
  • The U.S. Senate has passed a version of the energy bill after removing a controversial tax increase on major oil and gas producers from the version approved by the House.

    December 14
  • The House passed a new version of its patch for the alternative minimum tax that eliminates a controversial provision to raise taxes on the carried interest earnings of managers of private equity firms and hedge funds.

    December 13
  • A former Internal Revenue Service agent has pleaded guilty in Manhattan federal court to engaging in a scheme in which he attempted to sell to other taxpayers the purported tax losses of a company he owned, as well as use them on his own individual tax returns.

    December 13
  • The Internal Revenue Service said that payments under the Department of Veterans Affairs' Compensated Work Therapy (CWT) program are no longer taxable and disabled veterans who paid tax on these benefits in the past three years can now claim refunds.

    December 13
  • Attend this web seminar, "Increasing Profits this Tax Season with Organized, Indexed Client Tax Documents: A Guide to Evaluating Which Solutions Make Sense for Your Firm," to learn how organizing and indexing client tax documents can increase your firm's productivity and profitability this tax season.

    December 13
  • The congressional delay on extending provisions of the Alternative Minimum Tax will likely not impede Intuit's ability to get its tax software out on time, according to senior vice president Brad Smith.

    December 12
  • CCH has introduced an online product that provides tax research and compliance information for doing business in emerging markets around the world.

    December 12
  • The Internal Revenue Service and the Treasury Department are evaluating the single-rate business tax recently adopted by Mexico to determine whether it can be credited under the terms of a treaty aimed at avoiding double taxation.

    December 12
  • H&R Block delayed its Form 10-Q filing for its fiscal 2008 second quarter after hiring a new auditor, but reported a wider loss as the tax prep giant continues to experience fallout from its mortgage business.

    December 12
  • As increasing client demand for tax services often exceeds a firm's manpower and resources, many firms are turning to outsourcing services and solutions to save time and expenses while increasing profitability. Listen to how one firm did it during an online session on Tax Prep Outsourcing.

    December 12
  • CPA firm Argy, Wiltse & Robinson has acquired Spear Safer CPAs & Advisors, allowing the Virginia-based firm to expand further in South Florida.

    December 11
  • The Senate and House have passed a bill that will provide tax relief to the victims of the Virginia Tech University shootings and their families.

    December 11
  • As increasing client demand for tax services often exceeds a firm's manpower and resources, many firms are turning to outsourcing services and solutions to save time and expenses while increasing profitability. Listen to how one firm did it during an online session on Tax Prep Outsourcing.

    December 11
  • The Senate passed a bill that would keep the alternative minimum tax from spreading to 23 million taxpayers, but without including any of the offsetting revenue-generating provisions included in a version of the bill passed last month by the House.

    December 10
  • Defying a veto threat from the White House, the House passed legislation that would encourage the use of renewable energy, raise automobile fuel efficiency standards and increase taxes on major oil and gas companies, but the measure promptly stalled when it reached the Senate.

    December 10
  • The House has introduced legislation to amend the Tax Code to modify the penalty on the understatement of taxpayer's liability by preparers.

    December 10
  • The Internal Revenue Service auctioned off 21 lots of exotic animals, including tarantulas, pythons, wallabies and chinchillas, after seizing the assets of a group called the Living Science Foundation that fell behind in its tax payments.

    December 10
  • The Tax Court issued a summary opinion acknowledging that a woman who owned a trucking business took her slot machine playing seriously enough to qualify her as a professional gambler.

    December 7