Federal
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May 20, 2025
Gas Co. Seeks IRS Clarity On Clean Hydrogen Tax Credit
A company that markets low-carbon gasses asked the Internal Revenue Service to clarify how natural gas alternatives can be delivered to hydrogen producers in compliance with the final regulations for the clean hydrogen tax credit program, called Section 45V, according to a letter released Tuesday.
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May 20, 2025
Exxon Asks For 5 More Additions To Taxable Substances List
The Internal Revenue Service asked for comments Tuesday on proposals by Exxon Mobil to add five more chemicals to the agency's list of taxable substances, bringing the company's total requests this month to 21 chemicals.
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May 19, 2025
Goldstein Assails 'Radical' DOJ Case, Probe Of 'Sexual Habits'
In his most forceful attack on tax evasion charges that have roiled the U.S. Supreme Court bar, indicted appellate icon Thomas C. Goldstein is accusing the U.S. Department of Justice of embracing "breathtaking" legal theories and revealing prurient information about him "to bias the grand jury."
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May 19, 2025
Vanguard $40M Deal Rejected In Investors' Tax Fight
A Pennsylvania federal judge on Monday rejected a $40 million proposed settlement between Vanguard and investors, blocking the investors' attorneys from netting $13 million in fees and embracing the objections of one investor who called out the deal — meant to compensate for surprise tax bills — as worthless.
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May 19, 2025
Feds Say Unions' Downsizing Suit Should Be Tossed
The Trump administration urged a federal judge in D.C. to toss a lawsuit challenging three federal downsizing initiatives, arguing that the claims brought by labor unions representing federal employees belong before the agency charged with adjudicating such disputes.
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May 19, 2025
Full Tax Court Sends 'Seriously Delinquent' Debt Case To Trial
The U.S. Tax Court decided Monday for the first time that its review of a challenge to an IRS certification of tax debt as "seriously delinquent" is not limited to the agency's administrative record, saying a trial is needed in a man's case to determine the facts.
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May 19, 2025
$2M Trust Inheritance Is Includable In Estate, Tax Court Says
A $2 million distribution from a Kentucky man's estate to his widow is includable in his estate as a terminable interest, but a $300,000 distribution qualifies for a marital deduction and is not considered a terminable interest, the U.S. Tax Court said Monday.
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May 19, 2025
Tax Court Axes Deductions For Pakistani Gas Station Losses
An Ohio couple couldn't provide any compelling evidence that they should be allowed to take over $127,000 in business deductions they said were tied to a gas refilling station they opened in Pakistan, the U.S. Tax Court ruled Monday.
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May 19, 2025
Taxpayer Data Increasingly At Risk From DOGE, Court Told
A group of unions and advocacy organizations trying to block the White House's Department of Government Efficiency from accessing confidential taxpayer data told a D.C. federal court they fear the data is already being shared with federal agencies beyond the IRS.
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May 19, 2025
Cheesesteak Shop Owner's Sentence For Tax Scheme Vacated
A Philadelphia cheesesteak shop owner sentenced to almost two years in prison for a conspiracy to pay employees under the table could get a lighter sentence after the Third Circuit ruled he was wrongly given extra time for swaying workers who were actually in on the tax scheme.
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May 19, 2025
US Budget Would Hike Taxes On Foreign Firms, Individuals
Foreign firms and individuals from countries with "unfair" fiscal policies such as digital services taxes, diverted profits taxes and the global minimum tax's backstop would pay higher U.S. taxes under the spending bill approved by the House Budget Committee.
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May 19, 2025
11th Circ. Affirms Estate Can't Deduct $3M Paid To Stepkids
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed the denial of tax deductions that a corporate attorney's estate claimed for distributing $3 million to his stepchildren, saying the payments were not financial obligations the attorney had owed at the time of his death.
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May 19, 2025
GAO Calls For Greater Oversight Of Energy Tax Expenditures
The Internal Revenue Service needs to have greater scrutiny over the implementation of 21 Inflation Reduction Act energy tax provisions aimed at supporting greenhouse gas emissions and other climate goals, including evaluation and fraud prevention, the Government Accountability Office said Monday.
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May 19, 2025
Avenatti Rips 'Draconian' Bid To Add 13 Years To Sentence
Former high-profile attorney Michael Avenatti asked a California federal judge to reject the government's request to tack on more than 13 years to his prison term, saying such a "draconian" result would conflict with a Ninth Circuit ruling wiping out a previous sentence in the fraud case.
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May 19, 2025
7 Taxpayer Advocacy Panel Meetings Set For June
Seven Taxpayer Advocacy Panel committees will meet in June to discuss possible customer service improvements, the Internal Revenue Service said in notices Monday.
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May 16, 2025
Trump Calls On Justices To Stay Block Of Gov't Restructuring
President Donald Trump asked the U.S. Supreme Court on Friday to pause a California federal judge's order temporarily halting agencies from implementing an executive order to plan reorganizations and reductions in force, claiming the lower court's decision has caused confusion and wasted taxpayer dollars.
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May 16, 2025
Korean-Language News Co. Cuts $4.3M Deal In Tax Case
A Korean-language news publication reached a settlement with the U.S. government that will let it pay $4.3 million to resolve an agreed-upon tax judgment of $9.1 million plus interest, according to a stipulated order entered in California federal court.
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May 16, 2025
Congress Hitting Back After Int'l Tax Talks, US Official Says
The House Ways and Means Committee's tax bill includes retaliatory measures against certain foreign taxes because lawmakers were dissatisfied with international administrative guidance they thought undermined their tax sovereignty, a U.S. Treasury Department official said Friday.
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May 16, 2025
Key House Panel Advances Budget With $3.8T Tax Overhaul
The House Budget Committee voted late Sunday to approve the chamber's budget reconciliation package, including a $3.8 trillion tax bill that would renew and make permanent large parts of the GOP's 2017 tax overhaul law.
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May 16, 2025
The Tax Angle: Year-End Extenders, IRS Direct File
From a look at the possibility of Congress passing a year-end budget and tax extenders bill to efforts to keep the IRS Direct File program afloat, here's a peek into a reporter's notebook on a few of the week's developing tax stories.
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May 16, 2025
Truck Co. Asks 6th Circ. To Rethink Excise Tax Reversal
A company seeking $268 million in excise tax exemptions for its refurbished tractors asked the Sixth Circuit to reconsider its decision that the tractors might not qualify because they may have previously been sold to tax-exempt buyers, saying the appeals court mistakenly considered unrelated laws.
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May 16, 2025
11th Circ. Rejects Tax Debt Protest Over Judge's Expired Term
The IRS can move forward in collecting a decades-old tax debt from a former attorney despite his claim that a judge in an underlying proceeding lacked authority because his term had expired before the proceedings ended, the Eleventh Circuit said.
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May 16, 2025
Taxation With Representation: Blakes, Davies, Goodmans
In this week's Taxation With Representation, Charter Communications Inc. merges with Cox Communications, Hub International Ltd. boosts its valuation after securing an investment, Pan American Silver Corp. acquires Mag Silver Corp. and Robinhood buys WonderFi.
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May 16, 2025
IRS Lowers Estate Tax Closing Letter Fee To $56
The fee for taxpayers to request a letter that confirms the IRS has received and finished examining an estate tax return will be lowered to $56 from $67, according to a pair of regulations released Friday.
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May 16, 2025
Holland & Knight Welcomes Tax Partner in Philadelphia
A new partner has joined Holland & Knight LLP's Philadelphia office and will help lead its state and local tax team, the firm announced.
Expert Analysis
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What Higher Education Can Expect From A 2nd Trump Admin
The election of Donald Trump for a second presidential term has far-reaching ramifications for colleges and universities — come January, institutions can expect a crackdown on DEI, increased scrutiny of campus protests, a rollback of the Biden administration's Title IX rules and more, say attorneys at Jenner & Block.
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3 Ways To Train Junior Lawyers In 30 Minutes Or Less
Today’s junior lawyers are experiencing a skills gap due to pandemic-era disruptions, but firms can help bring them up to speed by offering high-impact skill building content in bite-sized, interactive training sessions, say Stacey Schwartz at Katten, Diane Costigan at Winston & Strawn and Lauren Tierney at Freshfields.
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Expect Surging Oil And Gas Industry Under New Trump Admin
Throughout his recent campaign, President-elect Donald Trump promised increased oil and natural gas production and reduced reliance on renewables — and his administration will likely bring more oil and gas dealmaking, faster federal permitting and attempts to roll back incentives for green energy, say attorneys at Sidley.
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The Bar Needs More Clarity On The Discovery Objection Rule
Almost 10 years after Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 34 was amended, attorneys still seem confused about what they should include in objections to discovery requests, and until the rules committee provides additional clarity, practitioners must beware the steep costs of noncompliance, says Tristan Ellis at Shanies Law Office.
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Cos. Should Inventory Issues To Prep For New Congress
As the legislative and oversight agendas of the 119th Congress come into sharper focus, corporate counsel should assess and plan for areas of potential oversight risk — from tax policy changes to supply chain integrity — even as much uncertainty remains, say attorneys at WilmerHale.
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Conservation Easement Cases Weave Web Of Uncertainty
Much of the IRS and Justice Department’s recent success in prosecuting syndicated conservation easement cases can be attributed to the government’s focus on the so-called PropCo ratio, which could indicate treacherous waters ahead for participants and their advisers, even under the incoming Trump administration, say attorneys at Polsinelli.
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So You Want To Move Your Law Practice To Canada, Eh?
Google searches for how to move to Canada have surged in the wake of the U.S. presidential election, and if you’re an attorney considering a move to the Great White North, you’ll need to understand how the practice of law differs across the border, says David Postel at Henein Hutchison.
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Legislation Most Likely To Pass In Lame Duck Session
As Congress begins its five-week post-election lame duck session, attorneys at Greenberg Traurig break down the legislative priorities and which proposals can be expected to pass.
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What Trump's 2nd Presidency Could Mean For Crypto Sector
Trump's second term will bring a fundamental shift from the Biden administration's approach to crypto-asset regulation and banking supervision, with the most significant changes likely taking effect in the first two quarters of 2025 and broader policy shifts emerging over the next year, say attorneys at Cahill.
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Promoting Diversity In The Selection Of ADR Neutrals
Excerpt from Practical Guidance
Choosing neutrals from diverse backgrounds is an important step in promoting inclusion in the legal profession, and it can enhance the legitimacy and public perception of alternative dispute resolution proceedings, say attorneys at Lowenstein Sandler.
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Striking A Balance Between AI Use And Attorney Well-Being
As the legal industry increasingly adopts generative artificial intelligence tools to boost efficiency, leaders must note the hidden costs of increased productivity, and work to protect attorneys’ well-being while unlocking AI’s full potential, says Ed Sohn at Factor.
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Takeaways From The IRS' Crypto Doc Summons Win
A recent First Circuit decision holding that taxpayers do not have a Fourth Amendment reasonable expectation of privacy in cryptocurrency transaction records should prompt both taxpayers and exchanges to take stock of past transactions and future plans, say attorneys at BakerHostetler.
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How Judiciary Can Minimize AI Risks In Secondary Sources
Because courts’ standing orders on generative artificial intelligence and other safeguards do not address the risk of hallucinations in secondary source materials, the judiciary should consider enlisting legal publishers and database hosts to protect against AI-generated inaccuracies, say attorneys at Lankler Siffert & Wohl.