In the Blogs: Dark Shadows

Highlights of some of our favorite tax-related blogs from the past week.

Big names

  • Tax Analysts: Apple, the EU, one of the biggest tax bills in history to be footed, and a country that somehow doesn’t want the money.
  • Tax Policy: Lunch Links include how the Trump tax plan benefits real estate, how Philly has more incentive programs than any other major American city, and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s moves regarding the tax reciprocity agreement between his state and Pennsylvania.

Dark shadows

  • IRS Tax Trouble: Weakly Reader Dept.: “Adobe PDF File Not Sufficient to Prove Refund Claim Was Timely Filed” looks at Chan v. United States in which the court considered whether an Adobe PDF file was sufficient to prove that a refund claim was timely filed.
  • Mauled Again: “Danger, Will Robinson!”: Will robots ever do returns? Maybe, with the continuing advancement of intelligence even more artificial than that of the IRS.
  • Summing It Up: A long-term employment contract in an exotic foreign country may sound like the stuff of romance, but beware in the darkness the looming shadow payroll.
  • Don’t Mess With Taxes: The tax breaks lurking in the average commute.

Own little worlds

  • IRS Problem Solver Blog: Despite all thorough efforts, “Burying Or Avoiding Tax Problems Won’t Make Them Go Away.” Blogger Darrin Mish addresses this popular fantasyland scenic outlook of clients, and talks about his own one-time challenge with the IRS.
  • Solutions for CPA Firm Leaders: A fave opening this week: “No wonder so many firms are beginning to explore the option of doing away with formal, annual performance sessions with all of their individual team members … Many firms can’t seem to get them done within the publicized timeline.” You’re not going to find the right people until you also find the right time.

The more things change

  • Rubin on Tax: The IRS has issued final regulations that codify same-sex marriages for federal tax purposes, regardless of gender.
  • Tax Vox: You know, the Supreme Court asked Congress to sort out when and how states can impose sales taxes on online and catalogue sales – in 1992, back when “online” meant waiting to vote for the first Clinton.
  • Taxjar: Continuing the above, a discussion draft of House Judiciary Chairman Rep. Bob Goodlatte’s long-awaited “Sales Tax Simplification Act of 2016” will, if passed, impact every online seller who sells to customers in the U.S. Other than that, meh.
  • The Income Tax School: When fall nips the air, who doesn’t think of heading back to class? A reminder to formally further and nurture your education and growth as a preparer.
  • The Tax Times: Been There Dept.: Our favorite opening the week: “So here I am, just another 59-year-old tax attorney who is sure that technology has it out for him, sitting in my office trying to get a few more cases moving forward while I wait for the Labor Day weekend, and I’m trying to fax to (267) 941-1115 a preclearance for yet another client who wants to enter the OVDP program.” Guess what happens next.
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