charitable contributions Archives

Weekly IRS Roundup January 8 – January 12, 2024

by Kevin Spencer, Evan Walters and John Zhang | Jan 16, 2024 | IRS Guidance, Tax Reform, Tax Refunds

Check out our summary of significant Internal Revenue Service (IRS) guidance and relevant tax matters for the week of January 8, 2024 – January 12, 2024.

January 8, 2024: The IRS released Internal Revenue Bulletin 2024-2, which includes the following:

Notice 2024-7, which provides eligible taxpayers with automatic relief from additions to tax for failure to pay with respect to certain income tax returns for 2020 and 2021.
Announcement 2024-3, which explains Voluntary Disclosure Program eligibility criteria, terms and procedures for taxpayers to resolve refunds or credits for erroneous Employee Retention Credit (ERC) claims.
Notice 2024-2, which provides guidance on certain SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022 provisions.
Notice 2024-3, which sets forth the 2023 Cumulative List of Changes in Plan Qualification Requirements for Defined Contribution Qualified Pre-approved Plans.
Notice 2024-4, which updates the corporate bond monthly yield curve and corresponding spot segment rates for December 2023 used under Internal Revenue Code (Code) § 417(e)(3)(D), the 24-month average segment rates for December 2023 and the 30-year Treasury rates, as reflected by the application of § 430(h)(2)(C)(iv).
Revenue Ruling 2024-1, which provides covered compensation tables under § 401(1)(5)(E) for the 2024 plan year.
Notice 2024-1, which provides the percentage increase for calculating the qualifying payment amounts for items and services furnished in 2024 for purposes of Code §§ 9816 and 9817, §§ 716 and 717 of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, and §§ 2799A-1 and 2799A-2 of the Public Health Service Act.
Notice 2024-6, which provides additional guidance on the sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) credit, including methods and Renewable Fuel Standard program safe harbors used to qualify for and calculate the SAF credit.
Announcement 2024-1, which revokes § 501(c)(3) determinations for certain organizations and stipulates that contributions made to the organizations by individual donors are no longer deductible under § 170(b)(1)(A).
Notice 2024-5, which provides a safe harbor for the incremental cost of certain qualified commercial clean vehicles placed in service in calendar year 2024 for purposes of the credit pursuant to § 45W.
Notice 2024-8, which provides the optional 2024 standard mileage rates that taxpayers can use when computing the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business, charitable, medical or moving expense purposes.
Notice 2024-9, which notes the IRS’s intent to propose regulations concerning statutorily required exceptions to the elective payment phaseout for entities that do not satisfy the domestic content requirements of §§ 45, 45Y, 48 and 48E. The notice also provides the transitional process for how applicable entities can claim the statutory exception for elective payment projects that begin construction during calendar year 2024 and fail to satisfy the domestic content requirement.
Notice 2024-11, which updates the list of treaties that meet the requirements of § 1(h)(11)(C)(i)(II) as it relates to [...]

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Weekly IRS Roundup November 6 – November 10, 2023

by Kevin Spencer | Nov 13, 2023 | IRS Guidance, Tax Reform

Check out our summary of significant Internal Revenue Service (IRS) guidance and relevant tax matters for the week of November 6, 2023 – November 10, 2023.

November 6, 2023: The IRS released Internal Revenue Bulletin 2023-45, which includes the following:

Final regulations that increase the user fees for new and renewal enrollment of enrolled actuaries to $680, up from $250.
Notice 2023-70 provides that $3.22 is the adjusted applicable dollar amount for determining the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Trust Fund fee for policy years and plan years ending on or after October 1, 2023, and before October 1, 2024.
Notice 2023-72 updates the corporate bond monthly yield curve and the corresponding spot segment rates for October 2023 used under § 417(e)(3)(D), the 24-month average segment rates for October 2023 and the 30-year Treasury rates, as reflected by the application of § 430(h)(2)(C)(iv).
Notice 2023-73 specifies a mortality table for determining the minimum present value under § 417(e)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and Section 205(g)(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 for distributions with annuity starting dates that occur during stability periods beginning in the 2024 calendar year.
Announcement 2023-30 revokes § 501(c)(3) determination(s) for certain organization(s) and stipulates that contributions made to the organization(s) by individual donors are no longer deductible under § 170(b)(1)(A).
Revenue Ruling 2023-20 provides the November 2023 applicable federal rates.

November 6, 2023: The IRS published Tax Tip 2023-120, which notes that volunteers are needed to fill a variety of roles in two IRS volunteer programs.

November 7, 2023: The IRS released FS-2023-25, announcing that taxpayers are now able to digitally submit all correspondence and responses to notices. New updates to the “Where’s My Refund?” tool will launch during the 2024 filing season.

November 7, 2023: The IRS announced that the telephonic-only public hearing on digital asset transactions has been rescheduled for November 13, 2023.

November 8, 2023: The IRS reminded dealers and sellers of clean vehicles to register their organizations immediately via the Energy Credits Online tool. The IRS urges registration by December 1, 2023, to ensure benefits are available by January 1, 2024.

November 9, 2023: The IRS Advisory Council issued its annual report for 2023, which includes recommendations for the IRS regarding new and continuing issues in tax administration.

November 9, 2023: The IRS announced the annual inflation adjustments for more than 60 tax provisions for tax year 2024, including the tax rate schedules and other tax changes. Further annual adjustment details may be found in Revenue Procedure 2023-34.

November 9, 2023: The IRS issued its fiscal year 2023 Financial Report.

November 9, 2023: The IRS published Tax [...]

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IRS Releases Memorandum on Deducting Cryptocurrency Donations

by John T. Lutz, William R. Pomierski and Andrew Granek | Jan 20, 2023 | IRS Guidance

On January 13, 2023, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released a memorandum (CCA 202302012) concluding that a qualified appraisal is required when a taxpayer claims a charitable contribution deduction exceeding $5,000 for donated cryptocurrency. Valuations reported by cryptocurrency exchanges do not qualify as “qualified appraisals.” The memorandum is relevant to any taxpayer who has donated (or plans to donate) cryptocurrency if they also intend to claim a charitable deduction.

SUBSTANTIATION REQUIREMENTS FOR CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTION DEDUCTIONS

Internal Revenue Code Section 170 generally allows deductions for charitable contributions in the taxable year that the contributions are made. However, these deductions are allowed only if they are verified under US Department of the Treasury (Treasury) regulations. Deductions may be denied if the taxpayer does not meet certain substantiation requirements outlined in Section 170(f)(11).

The substantiation requirements for charitable contribution deductions generally require that, for contributions of property for which a deduction of more than $5,000 is claimed, the taxpayer must obtain a “qualified appraisal” of the property.

MEETING THE QUALIFIED APPRAISAL REQUIREMENT

An appraisal can only be qualified if it is conducted by a qualified appraiser in accordance with generally accepted appraisal standards. To be qualified, an appraiser must (1) be an individual, (2) have earned an appraisal designation from a recognized professional appraiser organization or meet minimum education and experience requirements set by the Treasury or the IRS, and (3) regularly perform appraisals for which he or she receives compensation.

Furthermore, the appraisal must not be made and signed by the appraiser sooner than 60 days before the donation or later than the due date (with extensions) of the tax return on which the deduction is claimed. The qualified appraiser must sign and date the appraisal report and include a declaration that such person (1) understands the appraisal will be used in connection with a return or claim for refund, (2) understands that such person may be subject to a penalty if the appraisal contains a substantial or gross valuation misstatement of the value of the property and the taxpayer claims a deduction based on the appraisal, and (3) has not, within the past three years, been barred from presenting evidence or testimony before the Treasury or the IRS. The appraiser may not receive a fee that is based to any extent on the appraised value of the property.

EXCEPTIONS TO THE QUALIFIED APPRAISAL REQUIREMENT

While the qualified appraisal requirement may seem to impose an onerous burden on taxpayers, given the philanthropic purpose of charitable donations, this is mitigated by rules excepting certain readily valued property from the qualified appraisal requirement. For example, a taxpayer is not required to obtain a qualified appraisal for cash donations, stock in trade, inventory, inventory property, publicly traded securities and certain vehicles.

Notably, “publicly traded securities” for this purpose is limited to mean corporate stock; a right to subscribe for or to receive a share of corporate stock; or a bond, debenture, note, certificate, or other evidence of indebtedness issued by a corporation, a government or [...]

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