Tax Strategies

Congress should consider making all taxpayers reporting rental real estate activity subject to the same information reporting requirements as other taxpayers with a trade or business, according to the Government Accountability Office.

While the Treasury bailout seems to be heading toward another vote this week, the state of the alternative minimum tax patch and the various tax extenders now seems in doubt.

The Internal Revenue Service has released Notice 2008-82, which protects reservists from losing funds in their health Flexible Spending Arrangement accounts after being called to active duty.

A majority of tax and financial executives favor the research and development tax credit simplification proposed by the Senate, according to a survey by Grant Thornton.

The Internal Revenue Service plans to issue guidance on technical terminations of a publicly traded partnership resulting in multiple short tax years within one calendar year.

The House has passed a bill that includes extensions of various expiring tax credits and deductions, including the R&D tax credit and incentives for renewable energy, along with a provision equalizing the penalty standards for tax preparers and taxpayers, but its fate remains uncertain as it faces the threat of a veto.

A new Web site uses a financial modeling program to calculate a user's taxes under either of the major presidential candidates.

The House has passed a fix for the alternative minimum tax to keep it from spreading to more taxpayers next year, as well as a separate bill to provide tax relief to businesses and families affected by natural disasters.

A group advocating the First Amendment right of pastors to endorse political candidates plans to stage a protest this Sunday encouraging clergymen to defy the rules governing tax-exempt organizations.

Under pressure from Congress and the IRS, H&R Block has decided that 100 percent of its tax products and services, including its TaxCut software, will now include free federal electronic filing.