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Weekly IRS Roundup March 4 – March 8, 2024

Check out our summary of significant Internal Revenue Service (IRS) guidance and relevant tax matters for the week of March 4, 2024 – March 8, 2024.

March 4, 2024: The IRS released Internal Revenue Bulletin 2024-10, which includes the following:

  • Revenue Ruling 2024-6, which provides that the overpayment interest rate under § 6621 of the Internal Revenue Code (Code) for the calendar quarter beginning April 1, 2024, will be 8% (7% in the case of a corporation), the underpayment interest rate will be 8% and the interest rate for large corporate underpayments will be 10%. The rate of interest paid on the portion of a corporate overpayment exceeding $10,000 will be 5.5%.
  • Notice 2024-24, which provides updates on the corporate bond monthly yield curve and corresponding spot segment rates for January 2024 used under Code § 417(e)(3)(D), the 24-month average segment rates applicable for February 2024, and the 30-year Treasury rates, as reflected by the application of § 430(h)(2)(C)(iv).
  • Announcement 2024-13, which revokes § 501(c)(3) determinations 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 2024-04, which provides the March 2024 applicable federal rates.

March 4, 2024: The IRS announced that registration for its 2024 Nationwide Tax Forum is now open, providing tax professionals the opportunity to attend special continuing education sessions in five cities across the nation.

March 4, 2024: The IRS reminded taxpayers that the legal deadline for claiming the Recovery Rebate Credit in 2020 is May 17, 2024. The deadline for claiming the Recovery Rebate Credit in 2021 will be April 15, 2025.

March 5, 2024: The IRS issued final regulations, providing that certain tax-exempt organizations and political entities that earn certain clean energy credits can choose to make an elective payment election. Such an election results in the credits being treated as payments against the electing entity’s federal income tax liabilities with the IRS refunding any excess value. Notice 2024-27, in turn, requests additional comments on situations in which an elective payment election should be permitted with respect to credits purchased in a transfer for which an election under § 6418(a) is made.

March 6, 2024: The IRS reminded taxpayers that they are generally required to report all earned income on their tax returns, including income earned from digital asset transactions, the gig economy and the service industry as well as income from foreign sources.

March 6, 2024: The IRS released a statement acknowledging concerns related to a proposed policy change from January 2 that would limit access to tax return information from the IRS to protect taxpayer confidentiality. In response to comments, the IRS has suspended any changes under the proposed policy.

March 6, 2024: The IRS announced that Margie Rollinson took the oath [...]

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Protecting Confidential Taxpayer Information in Tax Court

Taxpayers value confidentiality, particularly if there is a dispute with the IRS that involves highly-sensitive trade secrets or other confidential information. Not surprisingly, complex tax litigation often raises the question of what confidential information has to be “made public”—through discovery responses or the introduction of exhibits or testimony in a deposition or at trial—so that a taxpayer can dispute IRS adjustments in court if administrative efforts to resolve the case are not successful. Fortunately, the Tax Court tends to protect highly-sensitive trade secrets or other confidential information from public disclosure even when the judge must review the information to decide the case.

In the Tax Court, the general rule is that all evidence received by the Tax Court, including transcripts of hearings, are public records and available for public inspection. See Internal Revenue Code (Code) Section 7461(a). Code Section 7458 also provides that “[h]earings before the Tax Court . . . shall be open to the public.” Code Section 7461(b), however, provides several important exceptions. First, the court is afforded the flexibility to take any action “which is necessary to prevent the disclosure of trade secrets or other confidential information, including [placing items] under seal to be opened only as directed by the court.” Second, after a decision of the court becomes final, the court may, upon a party’s motion, allow a party to withdraw the original records and other materials introduced into evidence. In our experience, the trend appears to be erring on the side of protecting information from disclosure.

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