The Treasury Department and IRS have finalized regulations regarding the deduction of up to $10,000 in personal car loan interest by individuals for tax years 2025 through 2028. This includes regulations on information returns required to be filed by a lender or other person engage in a trade or business who receives $600 or more of qualified interest during the calendar year. The final regulations adopt the proposed regulations published in January 2026 (NPRM REG-113515-25) with some changes in response to public comments.

The Treasury Department and IRS have finalized regulations regarding the deduction of up to $10,000 in personal car loan interest by individuals for tax years 2025 through 2028. This includes regulations on information returns required to be filed by a lender or other person engage in a trade or business who receives $600 or more of qualified interest during the calendar year. The final regulations adopt the proposed regulations published in January 2026 (NPRM REG-113515-25) with some changes in response to public comments.

Qualified Personal Vehicle Loan Interest

For tax years beginning in 2025 through 2028, a noncorporate taxpayer may claim a deduction of up to $10,000 for qualified personal vehicle loan interest (QPVLI) paid or accrued during the tax year on a specified passenger vehicle loan (SPVL) incurred by the taxpayer for the purchase of an applicable personal vehicle (APV) for personal use. Generally, interest includes an amount paid, received, or accrued as compensation for the use or forbearance of money under the debt instrument.

The final regulations clarify that QPVLI also includes prepaid interest in the form of points and deferred or capitalized interest. In addition, it may include origination-related or financing-related charges, prepayment penalties, late-payment charges, default-related charges, and similar fees, if characterized as an interest expense for federal income tax purposes.

Secured by First Lien

Interest is QPVLI only if it is paid or accrued on debt for the purchase of an APV for personal use that is secured by a first lien. The final regulations clarify that an SPVL is secured by a first lien with the first voluntary security interest recorded against the vehicle. Any involuntary liens are disregarded even if given temporary higher priority at a later date.

A vehicle also may be considered secured by a first lien even if the lien has not yet been perfected or recorded due to short-term delays arising under State or local law. It may also be considered secured by a first lien where the lien is removed in connection with the taxpayer no longer owning the vehicle, but the taxpayer continues to be liable for the loan (repossession or insurance payout).

Purchase of Applicable Passenger Vehicle

An SPVL is qualified only to the extent the debt is incurred for the purchase of a new vehicle and any other items or amounts customarily financed in the same purchase transaction (for example, vehicle service plans, extended warranties, sales taxes, and vehicle-related fees). Any portion of a loan for items or amounts not customarily financed in the purchase are not qualified.

The taxpayer must allocate the debt on a pro rata basis. Whether items are customarily financed and directly related to the purchase of the vehicle is determined on an industry-wide basis and not on the particular financing terms. The final rules, however, expand the list of examples of items customarily financed in an APV purchase. The final regulations also maintain that debt incurred for negative equity in a prior purchased vehicle is not incurred for the purchase of an APV.

The requirement that an APV must be a new vehicle under the loan documentation refers to the lender’s classification of the vehicle for purposes of its financing programs. The original use of the vehicle must commence with the taxpayer. However, original use does not commence with a dealer if the vehicle is held primarily for sale to customers in the ordinary course of its trade or business. Original does not commence with a lessee if the lessee purchases the vehicle during or at the end of the lease term.

Information Reporting

Any lender or other person who, in the course of that trade or business, receives from any individual interest aggregating $600 or more for any calendar year on an SPVL, must report the receipt of interest on Form 1098-VLI to the IRS and the payee. The final regulations affirm that lenders are required to include only interest received on an SPVL for the purchase of an APV, the first use of which begins with the payee. This is required by statute and may require the lender to collect information it currently does not collect. The lender must file Form 1098-VLI for each SPVL.

T.D. 10054

The Treasury Department and IRS have issued proposed regulations providing that a private school is not eligible for Federal income tax exemption under section 501(c)(3) if it considers race, color, or national or ethnic origin in any of its educational, admissions, scholarship, athletic, or other school-administered policies. Any such consideration, under the proposed regulation subsection, would be considered de facto racial discrimination. The proposed rules would apply to taxable years beginning after May 31, 2027.

The Treasury Department and IRS have issued proposed regulations providing that a private school is not eligible for Federal income tax exemption under section 501(c)(3) if it considers race, color, or national or ethnic origin in any of its educational, admissions, scholarship, athletic, or other school-administered policies. Any such consideration, under the proposed regulation subsection, would be considered de facto racial discrimination. The proposed rules would apply to taxable years beginning after May 31, 2027.

Racial Nondiscrimination

The proposed regulations would treat all race-based consideration in private education as contrary to a fundamental public policy, regardless of its purpose, including remedial or diversity-related objectives. This restriction does not inclulde policies or actions designed to eliminate prejudice or other forms of discrimination. The rules would cover private primary and secondary schools, colleges, professional or trade schools, and universities. The rules specifically do not include governmental units, any agency or instrumentality of a governmental unit, or any organization owned or operated by such an agency or instrumentality.

Application to Private Schools

To qualify for tax exemption, a private school could not consider race, color, or national or ethnic origin in:

• (1) Educational or admissions policies
• (2) Scholarship or loan programs
• (3) Athletic or other school-supported programs

The proposal would not prevent religious schools from maintaining religious missions or selecting students based solely on religious affiliation. If finalized, Rev. Proc. 75-50 would also be modified to remove provisions permitting certain race-based preferences for minority groups.

The proposed regulations would add §1.501(c)(3)-2 and apply to taxable years beginning after May 31, 2027.

Proposed Regulations, NPRM REG-119986-25

IR 2026-103

A Notice of Final Partnership Adjustment (FPA) issued by the IRS to a partnership was timely under Code Sec. 6235 because the partnership and IRS had agreed to extend the limitations period for making partnership adjustments. It was determined that the extended period under Code Sec. 6235(a)(1) controlled because the statute permits adjustments until the latest of the periods specified in Code Sec. 6235(a). Accordingly, the partnership’s motion for summary judgment was denied.

A Notice of Final Partnership Adjustment (FPA) issued by the IRS to a partnership was timely under Code Sec. 6235 because the partnership and IRS had agreed to extend the limitations period for making partnership adjustments. It was determined that the extended period under Code Sec. 6235(a)(1) controlled because the statute permits adjustments until the latest of the periods specified in Code Sec. 6235(a). Accordingly, the partnership’s motion for summary judgment was denied.

The partnership, which was subject to the centralized partnership audit (CPA) regime, challenged an FPA disallowing a charitable contribution deduction. The partnership argued that the FPA was issued outside the applicable limitations period because the 330-day period following the notice of proposed partnership adjustment had expired. However, the parties had previously executed an agreement extending the limitations period for partnership adjustments under Code Sec. 6235(b).

Further, it was concluded that the periods specified in Code Sec. 6235(a) were not sequential deadlines. The statutory phrase “later of” required use of the latest applicable period, and an agreed extension under Code Sec. 6235(b) extended the limitations period for making adjustments, including issuance of the FPA. Because the FPA was mailed before expiration of the agreed extended period, the FPA was timely.

Katanga Properties, LLC, 167 TC No. 10, Dec. 62,899

The Doug LaMalfa Federal Disaster Tax Relief Certainty Act has been signed into law by President Trump.

The Doug LaMalfa Federal Disaster Tax Relief Certainty Act has been signed into law by President Trump.

The law (H.R. 5366) allows victims of federally declared disasters to deduct qualified losses above $500 per disaster without itemizing and removes the 10 percent adjusted gross income threshold for those losses. A fact sheet on the bill can be found here.

Under the law, this treatment of personal casualty loss is available until Jan. 1, 2027.

It also excludes wildfire relief payments from taxable income regardless of when they are received, so long as the wildfire disaster declaration occurs after Dec. 31, 2014, and before Jan. 1, 2027.

President Trump signed the bill into law on Sept. 11, 2026.

The IRS has modified automatic accounting method change procedures for research or experimental expenditures and certain residential construction contracts. Rev. Proc. 2026-32 modifies sections 7 and 19 of Rev. Proc. 2025-23 to reflect changes made by the One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA).

The IRS has modified automatic accounting method change procedures for research or experimental expenditures and certain residential construction contracts. Rev. Proc. 2026-32 modifies sections 7 and 19 of Rev. Proc. 2025-23 to reflect changes made by the One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA).

For research expenditures, the procedure modifies accounting method changes under Code Secs. 174 and 174A. Code Sec. 174 continues to require capitalization and 15-year amortization for foreign research expenditures. Code Sec. 174A generally allows a current deduction for domestic research expenditures paid or incurred in tax years beginning after December 31, 2024.

The procedure also revises rules governing adjustments associated with accounting method changes. It coordinates certain Code Sec. 481 adjustments with the OBBBA transition method for recovering unamortized domestic research expenditures. It also extends through tax years beginning before 2028 waivers of certain eligibility restrictions for specified automatic changes.

Further, the IRS provides automatic accounting method changes for residential construction contracts affected by the OBBBA amendments to Code Sec. 460. Taxpayers may change from the percentage-of-completion method to an exempt contract method for qualifying contracts entered into in tax years beginning after July 4, 2025. Certain taxpayers may also change their treatment of costs under Code Sec. 263A.

The modified procedures generally apply to Form 3115, Application for Change in Accounting Method, filed after September 4, 2026. Special transition rules apply to certain previously filed Forms 3115.

Rev. Proc. 2026-32

Department of the Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said there are no plans to extend the Beneficial Ownership Information reporting deadline.

Department of the Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said there are no plans to extend the Beneficial Ownership Information reporting deadline.

"I don't think it's going to be necessary to extend the timeframe," she testified during a July 9, 2024, House Financial Services Committee hearing, highlighting ongoing outreach and what the agency considers a good amount of reporting so far.

During the hearing, a number of committee members noted that there are still a lot of small business owners who do not know that they have this BOI reporting requirement from the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network and could be facing significant financial penalties that might create a financial hardship if they miss the deadline to report BOI by the end of the year.

However, Secretary Yellen does not expect this to be an issue, relying on specific wording of the reporting regulations that will help small business owners who may not be aware they have to file that could protect from the $250,000 fine associated with not filing a BOI report.

"The fine is for a ‘willful’ violation," she said, although when pressed, she could not provide a clear definition of what constitutes a willful violation. Yellen added that "FinCEN is not going to prioritize going after small businesses."

She also noted that FinCEN is engaged in extensive and ongoing outreach to make sure small business owners are aware of and educated on the requirement to file a BOI report.

By Gregory Twachtman, Washington News Editor

The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) has published a Small Entity Compliance Guide (Guide) to provide an overview of the Beneficial Ownership Information Access and Safeguards Rule (Access Rule) requirements for small entities that obtain beneficial ownership information (BOI) from FinCEN. 

The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) has published a Small Entity Compliance Guide (Guide) to provide an overview of the Beneficial Ownership Information Access and Safeguards Rule (Access Rule) requirements for small entities that obtain beneficial ownership information (BOI) from FinCEN. Under the Access Rule, issued in December 2023, BOI reported to FinCEN is confidential, must be protected and may be disclosed only to certain authorized federal agencies; state, local, tribal and foreign governments; and financial institutions. The guide includes sections summarizing the Access Rule’s requirements that pertain to small financial institutions’ access to BOI.

Further, FinCEN intends to provide access to certain categories of financial institutions with obligations under the current Customer Due Diligence (CDD) Rule. Therefore, this Guide includes sections summarizing the Access Rule’s requirements that pertain to these small financial institutions only

Department of the Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen touted the corporate transparency that will come with the new beneficial ownership reporting requirements, which went into effect at the start of 2024.

Department of the Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen touted the corporate transparency that will come with the new beneficial ownership reporting requirements, which went into effect at the start of 2024.

"“The benefits of increasing corporate transparency through gathering beneficial ownership information – put simply, knowing who owns what – start with with protecting our national security,”"she said January 8, 2024, at the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network office in Vienna, Va."Information on beneficial ownership will support our law enforcement colleagues in making arrests, prosecuting offenders, and seizing ill-gotten assets."

She added that it will also "inform strategic, targeted actions, such as sanctions. Corporate transparency can bring economic benefits as well: protecting our financial system, reducing due diligence costs, enabling fair business competition, and increasing tax revenue."

More than 100,000 filings of BOI reports have been made in the first week of the reporting requirement, Sec. Yellen said.

She also emphasized that the systems that support the filing of the reports"have been designed with data security as a core priority. Companies will use a filing system through FinCEN’s website and FinCEN will store the information it received in a non-public database with rigorous controls."

Yellen also noted that that the process to file a BOI report is simple and small businesses should not need to hire any outside help to report the required information.

"A small business shouldn’t need a certified public accountant or lawyer" to file, she said.

By Gregory Twachtman, Washington News Editor

The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) of the U.S. Treasury Department today released for publication in the Federal Register final regulations [PDF 276 KB] extending the filing deadline for initial beneficial ownership information (BOI) reports under regulations becoming effective January 1, 2024, that require certain corporations, limited liability companies, and other similar entities created in or registered to do business in the United States to report beneficial ownership information to FinCEN (i.e., information on the persons who ultimately own or control the company). Read TaxNewsFlash

The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) of the U.S. Treasury Department today released for publication in the Federal Register final regulations [PDF 276 KB] extending the filing deadline for initial beneficial ownership information (BOI) reports under regulations becoming effective January 1, 2024, that require certain corporations, limited liability companies, and other similar entities created in or registered to do business in the United States to report beneficial ownership information to FinCEN (i.e., information on the persons who ultimately own or control the company). Read TaxNewsFlash

Under the current regulations, entities created or registered on or after the January 1, 2024 effective date must file initial BOI reports with FinCEN within 30 days of notice of their creation or registration.

• Today's final regulations extend that filing deadline from 30 days to 90 days for entities created or registered on or after January 1, 2024, and before January 1, 2025, to give those entities additional time to understand the new reporting obligation and collect the necessary information to complete the filing.
• Entities created or registered on or after January 1, 2025, will continue to have 30 days to file their BOI reports with FinCEN, as generally required under the current regulations.

Reprinted from "TaxNewsFlash-United States" Copyright: © 2023 KPMG LLP, a Delaware limited liability partnership and a member firm of the KPMG global organization of independent member firms affiliated with KPMG International Limited, a private English company limited by guarantee. All rights reserved.

The KPMG name and logo are trademarks used under license by the independent member firms of the KPMG global organization.

For additional news and information, please visit KPMG LLP at https://home.kpmg/us/en/home.html.

The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) has published its first set of guidance materials to aid the public, and especially the small business community, in understanding the beneficial ownership information (BOI) reporting requirements which will take effect on January 1, 2024.

The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) has published its first set of guidance materials to aid the public, and especially the small business community, in understanding the beneficial ownership information (BOI) reporting requirements which will take effect on January 1, 2024.

The Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) established uniform BOI reporting requirements for certain types of corporations, limited liability companies, and other similar entities created in or registered to do business in the United States. New FinCEN regulations require these entities to report to FinCEN information about their "beneficial owners"—the persons who ultimately own or control the company.

In an effort to make the process as simple as possible, particularly for small businesses who may have never heard of or interacted with FinCEN before, FinCEN has placed several items on its BOI reporting webpage (https://www.fincen.gov/boi), including:

• answers to Frequently Asked Questions about the reporting requirement;
• a Key Filing Dates document;
• a one-page document covering a few Key Questions on the BOI requirement;
• a link to an introductory video; and
• a link to a more detailed video about the BOI requirement.

In the coming months, FinCEN expects to publish additional guidance on the BOI webpage, including a Small Entity Compliance Guide.

The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) has issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that would implement the beneficial ownership information provisions of the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) that govern access to and protection of beneficial ownership information.

The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) has issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that would implement the beneficial ownership information provisions of the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) that govern access to and protection of beneficial ownership information. The proposed regulations address the circumstances under which beneficial ownership information may be disclosed to certain governmental authorities and financial institutions, and how that information must be protected.

The proposed regulations would—

• specify how government officials would access beneficial ownership information in support of law enforcement, national security, and intelligence activities;
• describe how certain financial institutions and their regulators would access that information to fulfill customer due diligence requirements and conduct supervision; and
• set high standards for protecting this sensitive information, consistent with CTA goals and requirements.

The NPRM also proposes amendments to the final reporting rule issued on September 30, 2022, effective January 1, 2024, to specify when reporting companies may report FinCEN identifiers associated with entities.

Limiting Access to Beneficial Ownership Information

The NPRM follows the final reporting rule which requires most corporations, limited liability companies, and other similar entities created in or registered to do business in the United States, to report information about their beneficial owners to FinCEN. Per CTA requirements, the proposed regulations limit access to beneficial ownership information to—

• federal agencies engaged in national security, intelligence, or law enforcement activities;
• state, local, and Tribal law enforcement agencies, if authorized by a court of competent jurisdiction;
• financial institutions with customer due diligence requirements, and federal regulators supervising them for compliance with those requirements;
• foreign law enforcement agencies, judges, prosecutors, central authorities, and other agencies that meet specific criteria, and whose requests are made under an international treaty, agreement, or convention, or via law enforcement, judicial, or prosecutorial authorities in a trusted foreign country; and
• U.S. Treasury officers and employees whose official duties require beneficial ownership information inspection or disclosure, or for tax administration.

The proposed regulation would subject each authorized recipient category to unique security and confidentiality protocols that align with the scope of the access and use provisions.

Proposed Effective Date

FinCEN is proposing an effective date of January 1, 2024, to align with the date when the final beneficial ownership information reporting rule becomes effective.

Request for Comments

Interested parties can submit written comments on the NPRM by or before February 14, 2023 (60 days following publication in the Federal Register). Comments may be submitted by the Federal E-rulemaking Portal ( regulations.gov), or by mail to Policy Division, Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, P.O. Box 39, Vienna, VA 22183. Refer to Docket Number FINCEN-2021-0005 and RIN 1506-AB49/AB59.

The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) has issued a final rule implementing the beneficial ownership information reporting provisions under the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA), which was enacted as part of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 ( P.L. 116-283). The CTA amended the Bank Secrecy Act by adding a new provision on beneficial ownership reporting ( 31 USC §5336).

The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) has issued a final rule implementing the beneficial ownership information reporting provisions under the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA), which was enacted as part of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 ( P.L. 116-283). The CTA amended the Bank Secrecy Act by adding a new provision on beneficial ownership reporting ( 31 USC §5336).

The rule is intended to (1) enhance the ability of FinCEN and other agencies to protect U.S. national security and the U.S. financial system from illicit use, and (2) provide essential information to national security, intelligence, and law enforcement agencies, state, local, and tribal officials, and financial institutions, to help prevent illicit actors from laundering or hiding money and other assets in the United States.

The rule requires reporting companies to file reports with FinCEN that identify the beneficial owners of the entity and the entity’s company applicants. The rule also describes who must file a report, what information must be reported, and when a report is due.

Reporting Companies

There are two types of reporting companies: domestic and foreign. A domestic reporting company is a corporation, limited liability company (LLC), or any entity created by filing a document with a secretary of state or any similar office under state or tribal law. A foreign reporting company is an entity formed under the law of a foreign country that is registered to do business in a state or tribal jurisdiction by filing a document with a secretary of state or any similar office.

FinCEN expects limited liability partnerships, limited liability limited partnerships, business trusts, and most limited partnerships to be reporting companies. FinCEN also expects companies with simple management and ownership structures to be the majority of reporting companies.

Twenty-three types of entities are exempt from “reporting company” treatment, including certain governmental authorities, tax-exempt organizations, banks, broker or dealers, investment companies, insurance companies, accounting firms, and others.

An entity that is a “large operating company” is not a reporting company if it:

• employs more than 20 full time employees in the United States;
• has an operating presence at a physical office within the United States; and
• filed a federal income tax or information return in the United States for the previous year demonstrating over $5,000,000 in gross receipts or sales (excluding gross receipts or sales from sources outside the United States).

Other legal entities, including certain trusts, are also excluded to the extent that they are not created by filing a document with a secretary of state or similar office.

Beneficial Owners

A beneficial owner includes any individual who, directly or indirectly, either (1) exercises substantial control over a reporting company, or (2) owns or controls at least 25 percent of the ownership interests of a reporting company. The rule defines “substantial control” and “ownership interest.”

A beneficial owner does not include a minor child; an individual acting as a nominee, intermediary, custodian, or agent on behalf of another individual; a reporting company employee (but not a senior officer) whose substantial control over or economic benefits from the entity are derived solely from his or her employment status; an individual whose only interest in a reporting company is a future interest through right of inheritance; or a creditor of a reporting company.

Company Applicants

A company applicant is: (1) the individual who directly files the document that creates the entity (for a foreign reporting company, the document that first registers the entity to do business in the United States); and (2) the individual who is primarily responsible for directing or controlling the filing of the relevant document by another.

Reporting companies existing or registered on the effective date of the rule are not required to identify and report on their company applicants. Reporting companies formed or registered after the effective date must report company applicant information but do not need to update it.

Beneficial Ownership Information Reports

In the report filed with FinCEN, a reporting company must identify itself and report four pieces of information about each of its beneficial owners: name, birth date, address, and a unique identifying number and issuing jurisdiction from an acceptable identification document (and the image of that document). Reporting companies created after January 1, 2024, must also provide this information and document image for company applicants.

An individual who provides his or her information to FinCEN directly can obtain a unique identifying number assigned by FinCEN (“FinCEN identifier") which can then be provided to FinCEN on a report instead of the required information about the individual.

Effective Date and Reporting Deadlines

The rule is effective January 1, 2024. Reporting companies created or registered before the effective date have until January 1, 2025, to file their initial reports. Reporting companies created or registered after the effective date have 30 days after receiving notice of their creation or registration to file their initial reports.

A reporting company has 30 days to report changes to the information in its previously filed reports. It also must correct inaccurate information in previously filed reports within 30 days of when it becomes aware or has reason to know of the inaccuracy.

FinCEN has provided a fact sheet which summarizes the new rule.

The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network is behind but making progress on implementing the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2020 (which includes the Corporate Transparency Act), FinCEN Acting Director Himamauli Das told Congress.

The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network is behind but making progress on implementing the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2020 (which includes the Corporate Transparency Act), FinCEN Acting Director Himamauli Das told Congress.

According to written testimony provided to the House Committee on Financial Services prior to an April 28, 2022, hearing, Das noted that "timely and effective implementation of the AML Act, which includes the CTA, is a top priority," but he also acknowledged that "we are missing deadlines, and we will likely continue to do so" due to lack of funding from the government forcing the agency to make prioritization decisions, promoting Dim to advocate for Congress to accept the White House budget request of $210.3 million for fiscal year 2023.

That being said, Das highlighted the implementation progress to date.

"The AML Act has helped put FinCEN in the position to address today’s challenges, such as illicit use of digital assets, corruption, and kleptocrats hiding their ill-gotten gains in the U.S. financial system, including through American shell companies and real estate."

Combating the latter is a key focus of the activity surrounding the Corporate Transparency Act that the agency is undertaking. The CTA "will establish a beneficial ownership reporting regime to assist law enforcement in unmasking shell companies used to hide illicit activities," Das said, adding that beneficial ownership information "can add valuable context to financial analysis in support of law enforcement and tax investigations" in addition to providing information to the intelligence and national security professionals protecting the nation.

FinCEN has three regulations planned to implement the CTA, the first of which was published in the Federal Register in December 2021 as a notice of proposed rulemaking and is focused on the reporting requirements of beneficial ownership. The agency is currently reviewing the more than 240 comments received on this NPRM. Das said the timing of when the rule would be finalized "is not clear yet. It is a complex rulemaking that we need to get right—both for law enforcement and because of the effect that it will have on stakeholders such as small businesses and financial institutions."

The second NPRM under development will rules around access to beneficial ownership information by law enforcement, national security agencies, financial institutions, and other relevant stakeholders. That proposed rule is expected to be issued this year.

Finally, FinCEN also is working on a revision to the Customer Due Diligence regulation, which must be issued one year after the reporting requirement rule goes into effect. Dim did not provide a timeframe for when that proposal would be available for comment.

The agency also is developing a beneficial ownership database, known as the Beneficial Ownership Secure System.

"These beneficial ownership reporting obligations will make our economy—and the global economy—stronger and safer from criminals and national security threats," Das said.

FinCEN also is looking at the real estate market to close gaps in the nation’s anti-money laundering framework. Din referenced an advanced notice of proposed rulemaking that was issued in December 2021 to solicit comments on developing a rule to address money-laundering vulnerabilities in the real estate market. The ANPRM generated 150 comments and will ultimately lead to a proposed rule, although he said that "it is still too early to identify the scope of any NPRM or final rule."

The agency also is examining how to use its information collection authorities to enhance transparency and understand money laundering and terrorism financing through investment advisers.

"Even though investment advisers in the United States are not expressly subject to AML/CFT requirements under BSA [Bank Secrecy Act] regulations, investment advisers may fulfill some AML/CFT obligations in certain circumstances," Das said. "For example, investment advisers may perform certain AML/CFT functions because they are a part of a bank holding company, are affiliated with a dually-registered broker-dealer, or share joint custody with a BSA-regulated entity such as a mutual fund."

The testimony outlines a number of other AML Act requirements that the agency is working on, including understanding minimum standards for AML/CFT programs, certain information sharing requirements, technology, and training requirements and other modernization efforts.

"The FinCEN team is working diligently with law enforcement and regulatory stakeholders to promulgate rules and take other steps under the legislation that will further the national security of the United States and promote a more transparent financial system," Das concluded.

Transactions involving digital content and cloud computing have become common due to the growth of electronic commerce. The transactions must be classified in terms of character so that various provisions of the Code, such as the sourcing rules and subpart F, can be applied.

Transactions involving digital content and cloud computing have become common due to the growth of electronic commerce. The transactions must be classified in terms of character so that various provisions of the Code, such as the sourcing rules and subpart F, can be applied.

Digital Content Transactions
Existing Reg. §1.861-18 provides rules for classifying transactions involving computer programs. The proposed regulations broaden the scope of the rules to apply to all transfers of digital content. "Digital content" is defined as any content in digital format that is either protected by copyright law or is no longer protected due solely to the passage of time.

The proposed regulations clarify that a transfer of the mere right to public performance or display of digital content for advertising does not alone constitute a transfer of a copyright.

Additionally, the proposed regulations clarify the title passage rule. When there is a sale of a copyrighted article through an electronic medium, the sale will occur at the location of the download or installation onto the end user’s device, or, in the absence of that information, the location of the customer.

A sale of personal property occurs at the place where the rights, title, and interest of the seller in the property are transferred to the buyer. If bare legal title is retained by the seller, the sale occurs where beneficial ownership passes.

Cloud Computing Transactions
Cloud computing transactions are typically characterized by on-demand network access to computer resources. The proposed regulations classify a "cloud transaction" as either:

• a lease of property (i.e., computer hardware, digital content, or other similar resources); or
• a provision of services.

The proposed regulations provide a nonexhaustive list of factors for determining how a cloud transaction is classified. In general, application of the relevant factors will result in a transaction being treated as a provision of services, rather than a lease of property. The factors include both statutory factors under Code Sec. 7701(e)(1) and factors applied by the courts.

In recent years, the IRS has been cracking down on abuses of the tax deduction for donations to charity and contributions of used vehicles have been especially scrutinized. The charitable contribution rules, however, are far from being easy to understand. Many taxpayers genuinely are confused by the rules and unintentionally value their contributions to charity at amounts higher than appropriate.

In recent years, the IRS has been cracking down on abuses of the tax deduction for donations to charity and contributions of used vehicles have been especially scrutinized. The charitable contribution rules, however, are far from being easy to understand. Many taxpayers genuinely are confused by the rules and unintentionally value their contributions to charity at amounts higher than appropriate.

Vehicle donations

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), there are approximately 250 million registered passenger motor vehicles in the United States. The U.S. is the largest passenger vehicle market in the world.  Potentially, each one of these vehicles could be a charitable donation and that is why the IRS takes such a sharp look at contributions of used vehicles and claims for tax deductions. The possibility for abuse of the charitable contribution rules is large.

Bona fide charities

Before looking at the tax rules, there is an important starting point.  To claim a tax deduction, your contribution must be to a bona fide charitable organization. Only certain categories of exempt organizations are eligible to receive tax-deductible charitable contributions. 

Many charitable organizations are so-called “501(c)(3)” organizations (named after the section of the Tax Code that governs charities. The IRS maintains a list of qualified Code Sec. 501(c)(3) organizations. Not all charitable organizations are Code Sec. 501(c)(3)s. Churches, synagogues, temples, and mosques, for example, are not required to file for Code Sec. 501(c)(3) status. Special rules also apply to fraternal organizations, volunteer fire departments and veterans organizations. If you have any questions about a charitable organization, please contact our office.

Tax rules

In past years, many taxpayers would value the amount of their used vehicle donation based on information in a buyer’s guide. Today, the value of your used vehicle donation depends on what the charitable organization does with the vehicle.

In many cases, the charitable organization will sell your used vehicle. If the charity sells the vehicle, your tax deduction is limited to the gross proceeds that the charity receives from the sale. The charitable organization must certify that the vehicle was sold in an arm’s length transaction between unrelated parties and identify the date the vehicle was sold by the charity and the amount of the gross proceeds. 

There are exceptions to the rule that your tax deduction is limited to the gross proceeds that the charity receives from the sale of your used vehicle. You may be able to deduct the vehicle’s fair market value if the charity intends to make a significant intervening use of the vehicle, a material improvement to the vehicle, or give or sell the vehicle to a qualified needy individual. If you have any questions about what a charity intends to do with your vehicle, please contact our office.

Written acknowledgment

The charitable organization must give you a written acknowledgment of your used vehicle donation. The rules differ depending on the amount of your donation.  If you claim a deduction of more than $500 but not more than $5,000 for your vehicle donation, the written acknowledgment from the charity must:

• Identify the charity’s name, the date and location of the donation
• Describe the vehicle
• Include a statement as to whether the charity provided any goods or services in return for the car other than intangible religious benefits and, if so, a description and good faith estimate of the value of the goods and services
• Identify your name and taxpayer identification number
• Provide the vehicle identification number

The written acknowledgement generally must be provided to you within 30 days of the sale of the vehicle.  Alternatively, the charitable organization may in certain cases, provide you a completed Form 1098-C, Contributions of Motor Vehicles, Boats, and Airplanes, that contains the same information.

The written acknowledgment requirements for claiming a deduction under $500 or over $5,000 are similar to the ones described above but there are some differences. For example, if your deduction is expected to be more than $5,000 and not limited to the gross proceeds from the sale of your used vehicle, you must obtain a written appraisal of the vehicle. Our office can help guide you through the many steps of donating a vehicle valued at more than $5,000.

If you are planning to donate a used vehicle, please contact our office and we can discuss the tax rules in more detail.

The number of tax return-related identity theft incidents has almost doubled in the past three years to well over half a million reported during 2011, according to a recent report by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA). Identity theft in the context of tax administration generally involves the fraudulent use of someone else’s identity in order to claim a tax refund. In other cases an identity thief might steal a person’s information to obtain a job, and the thief’s employer may report income to the IRS using the legitimate taxpayer’s Social Security Number, thus making it appear that the taxpayer did not report all of his or her income.

In light of these dangers, the IRS has taken numerous steps to combat identity theft and protect taxpayers. There are also measures that you can take to safeguard yourself against identity theft in the future and assist the IRS in the process.  

IRS does not solicit financial information via email or social media

The IRS will never request a taxpayer’s personal or financial information by email or social media such as Facebook or Twitter. Likewise, the IRS will not alert taxpayers to an audit or tax refund by email or any other form of electronic communication, such as text messages and social media channels.

If you receive a scam email claiming to be from the IRS, forward it to the IRS at phishing@irs.gov. If you discover a website that claims to be the IRS but does not begin with 'www.irs.gov', forward that link to the IRS at phishing@irs.gov.

How identity thieves operate

Identity theft scams are not limited to users of email and social media tools. Scammers may also use a phone or fax to reach their victims to solicit personal information. Other means include:

-Stealing your wallet or purse
-Looking through your trash
-Accessing information you provide to an unsecured Internet site.

How do I know if I am a victim?

Your identity may have been stolen if a letter from the IRS indicates more than one tax return was filed for you or the letter states you received wages from an employer you don't know. If you receive such a letter from the IRS, leading you to believe your identity has been stolen, respond immediately to the name, address or phone number on the IRS notice. If you believe the notice is not from the IRS, contact the IRS to determine if the letter is a legitimate IRS notice.

If your tax records are not currently affected by identity theft, but you believe you may be at risk due to a lost wallet, questionable credit card activity, or credit report, you need to provide the IRS with proof of your identity. You should submit a copy of your valid government-issued identification, such as a Social Security card, driver's license or passport, along with a copy of a police report and/or a completed IRS Form 14039, Identity Theft Affidavit, which should be faxed to the IRS at 1-978-684-4542.

What should I do if someone has stolen my identity?

If you discover that someone has filed a tax return using your SSN you should contact the IRS to show the income is not yours. After the IRS authenticates who you are, your tax record will be updated to reflect only your information. The IRS will use this information to minimize future occurrences.

What other precautions can I take?

There are many things you can do to protect your identity. One is to be careful while distributing your personal information. You should show employers your Social Security card to your employer at the start of a job, but otherwise do not routinely carry your card or other documents that display your SSN.

Only use secure websites while making online financial transactions, including online shopping. Generally a secure website will have an icon, such as a lock, located in the lower right-hand corner of your web browser or the address bar of the website with read “https://…” rather than simply “http://.”

Never open suspicious attachments or links, even just to see what they say. Never respond to emails from unknown senders. Install anti-virus software, keep it updated, and run it regularly.

For taxpayers planning to e-file their tax returns, the IRS recommends use of a strong password. Afterwards, save the file to a CD or flash drive and keep it in a secure location. Then delete the personal return information from the computer hard drive.

Finally, if working with an accountant, query him or her on what measures they take to protect your information.

Claiming a charitable deduction for a cash contribution is straightforward. The taxpayer claims the amount paid, whether by cash, check, credit card or some other method, if the proper records are maintained. For contributions of property, the rules can be more complex.

Contributions of property

A taxpayer that contributes property can deduct the property's fair market value at the time of the contribution. For example, contributions of clothing and household items are not deductible unless the items are in good used condition or better. An exception to this rule allows a deduction for items that are not in at least good used condition, if the taxpayer claims a deduction of more than $500 and includes an appraisal with the taxpayer's income tax return.

Household items include furniture and furnishings, electronics, appliances, linens, and similar items. Household items do not include food, antiques and art, jewelry, and collections (such as coins).

To value used clothing, the IRS suggests using the price that buyers of used items pay in second-hand shops. However, there is no fixed formula or method for determining the value of clothing. Similarly, the value of used household items is usually much lower than the price paid for a new item, the IRS instructs. Formulas (such as a percentage of cost) are not accepted by the IRS.

Vehicles

The rules are different for "qualified vehicles," which are cars, boats and airplanes. If the taxpayer claims a deduction of more than $500, the taxpayer is allowed to deduct the smaller of the vehicle’s fair market value on the date of the contribution, or the proceeds from the sale of the vehicle by the organization.

There are two exceptions to this rule. If the organization uses or improves the vehicle before transferring it, the taxpayer can deduct the vehicle’s fair market value when the contribution was made. If the organization gives the vehicle away, or sells it far well below fair market value, to a needy individual to further the organization’s purpose, the taxpayer can claim a fair market value deduction. This latter exception does not apply to a vehicle sold at auction.

To determine the value of a car, the IRS instructs that "blue book" prices may be used as "clues" for comparison with current sales and offerings. Taxpayers should use the price listed in a used car guide for a private party sale, not the dealer retail value. To use the listed price, the taxpayer’s vehicle must be the same make, model and year and be in the same condition.

Most items of property that a person owns and uses for personal purposes or investment are capital assets. If the value of a capital asset is greater than the basis of the item, the taxpayer generally can deduct the fair market value of the item. The taxpayer must have held the property for longer than one year.

Please contact our office for more information about the tax treatment of charitable contributions.

Maintaining good financial records is an important part of running a successful business. Not only will good records help you identify strengths and weaknesses in your business' operations, but they will also help out tremendously if the IRS comes knocking on your door.

Maintaining good financial records is an important part of running a successful business. Not only will good records help you identify strengths and weaknesses in your business' operations, but they will also help out tremendously if the IRS comes knocking on your door.

The IRS requires that business owners keep adequate books and records and that they be available when needed for the administration of any provision of the Internal Revenue Code (i.e., an audit). Here are some basic guidelines:

Copies of tax returns. You must keep records that support each item of income or deduction on a business return until the statute of limitations for that return expires. In general, the statute of limitations is three years after the date on which the return was filed. Because the IRS may go back as far as six years to audit a tax return when a substantial understatement of income is suspected, it may be prudent to keep records for at least six years. In cases of suspected tax fraud or if a return is never filed, the statute of limitations never expires.

Employment taxes. Chances are that if you have employees, you've accumulated a great deal of paperwork over the years. The IRS isn't looking to give you a break either: you are required to keep all employment tax records for at least 4 years after the date the tax becomes due or is paid, whichever is later. These records include payroll tax returns and employee time documentation.

Business assets. Records relating to business assets should be kept until the statute of limitations expires for the year in which you dispose of the asset in a taxable disposition. Original acquisition documentation, (e.g. receipts, escrow statements) should be kept to compute any depreciation, amortization, or depletion deduction, and to later determine your cost basis for computing gain or loss when you sell or otherwise dispose of the asset. If your business has leased property that qualifies as a capital lease, you should retain the underlying lease agreement in case the IRS ever questions the nature of the lease.

For property received in a nontaxable exchange, additional documentation must be kept. With this type of transaction, your cost basis in the new property is the same as the cost basis of the property you disposed of, increased by the money you paid. You must keep the records on the old property, as well as on the new property, until the statute of limitations expires for the year in which you dispose of the new property in a taxable disposition.

Inventories. If your business maintains inventory, your recordkeeping requirements are even more arduous. The use of special inventory valuation methods (e.g. LIFO and UNICAP) may prolong the record retention period. For example, if you use the last-in, first-out (LIFO) method of accounting for inventory, you will need to maintain the records necessary to substantiate all costs since the first year you used LIFO.

Specific Computerized Systems Requirements

If your company has modified, or is considering modifying its computer, recordkeeping and/or imaging systems, it is essential that you take the IRS's recently updated recordkeeping requirements into consideration.

If you use a computerized system, you must be able to produce sufficient legible records to support and verify amounts shown on your business tax return and determine your correct tax liability. To meet this qualification, the machine-sensible records must reconcile with your books and business tax return. These records must provide enough detail to identify the underlying source documents. You must also keep all machine-sensible records and a complete description of the computerized portion of your recordkeeping system.

Some additional advice: when your records are no longer needed for tax purposes, think twice before discarding them; they may still be needed for other nontax purposes. Besides the wealth of information good records provide for business planning purposes, insurance companies and/or creditors may have different record retention requirements than the IRS.