Presented below is our summary of significant Internal Revenue Service (IRS) guidance and relevant tax matters for the week of July 20, 2020 – July 24, 2020. Additionally, for continuing updates on the tax impact of COVID-19, please visit our resource page here.
July 20, 2020: The IRS published a news release on after-tax-day tips for taxpayers who missed the July 15, 2020, tax deadline and did not request an extension. The tips include advice on obtaining a refund and on reducing penalties and interest.
July 20, 2020: The IRS released public comments on the 2020-21 Priority Guidance Plan in response to Notice 2020-47, which invited the public to submit recommendations for items to be included on the 2020-2021 Priority Guidance Plan. The US Department of the Treasury and the IRS use the Priority Guidance Plan each year to identify and prioritize the tax issues that should be addressed through regulations, revenue rulings, revenue procedures, notices and other published administrative guidance.
July 21, 2020: The IRS announced the creation of the new Enterprise Digitalization and Case Management office, which will spearhead IRS efforts to empower taxpayers and IRS employees to rapidly resolve issues in a simplified digital environment. The office’s efforts will support overall IRS modernization and implementation of long-term changes stemming from the Taxpayer First Act. The new stand-alone office will focus on enhancing the taxpayer experience by improving business processes and modernizing systems.
July 22, 2020: The IRS published a notice to solicit comments on Form 3800 (General Business Credit). Section 38 permits taxpayers to reduce their income tax liability by the amount of their general business credit, which is an aggregation of various credits. Form 3800 is used to figure the correct credit. Comments are due on or before September 21, 2020.
July 23, 2020: The IRS published a notice requesting comments on TD 8435 that provides final income, estate and gift, and employment tax regulations relating to elections made under the Technical and Miscellaneous Revenue Act of 1988. This regulation enables taxpayers to take advantage of various benefits provided by the Internal Revenue Code (Code). Comments are due on or before September 21, 2020.
July 23, 2020: The IRS published final regulations under the global intangible low-taxed income (GILTI) and subpart F income provisions of the Code regarding income subject to a high rate of foreign tax. The final regulations allow taxpayers to exclude certain high-taxed income of a controlled foreign corporation from their GILTI computation on an elective basis. The final regulations are effective on September 21, 2020.
July 23, 2020: The IRS also published proposed regulations that generally conform the rules implementing the subpart F high-tax exception to the rules implementing the GILTI high-tax exclusion set forth in the final regulations, and provided for a single election under section 954(b)(4) for purposes of both subpart F income and tested income. Comments are due on or before September 21, 2020.
July 24, 2020: The IRS released for publication in the Federal Register virus-related temporary regulations and proposed regulations related to the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (Public Law 116-127) and the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act (Public Law 116-136) for reconciling advance payments of refundable employment tax credits provided under these acts and recapturing the benefit of the credits when necessary. The proposed regulations affect businesses and tax-exempt organizations that claim certain credits under the Families First Act for qualifying sick and family leave wages and that claim certain employee retention credits under the CARES Act. The regulations will be published in the Federal Register on July 29, 2020.
July 24, 2020: The IRS published revisions to sections of Internal Revenue Manual 21.8.2 that would update Form 3520 (Annual Return To Report Transactions With Foreign Trusts and Receipt of Certain Foreign Gifts) procedures to limit the penalties to the gross reportable amount.
July 24, 2020: The IRS released its weekly list of written determinations (e.g., Private Letter Rulings, Technical Advice Memorandums and Chief Counsel Advice).
Special thanks to Robbie Alipour in our Chicago office for this week’s roundup.
