State & Local
-
August 07, 2024
Tax Court's Economic Substance Foray May Clarify Limits
A U.S. Tax Court judge plans to address an ill-defined provision governing the relevance of the economic substance doctrine in a microcaptive insurance case, offering the courts another chance to clarify an anti-abuse tool the IRS has been deploying more often.
-
August 07, 2024
Iowa Revenues In July $128M Higher Than Last Year
Iowa's total receipts for July were $128 million higher than the same month in the previous fiscal year, according to a memo from the state's Department of Management.
-
August 07, 2024
Calif. Office Says Partner's Loss Claims Properly Disallowed
A California audiovisual company that is a partner with two other companies cannot claim $853,000 in flow-through partnership losses because the company did not have the basis in the partnerships to be able to claim the losses, the state Office of Tax Appeals ruled.
-
August 07, 2024
NH Starts Fiscal Year 2025 $4 Million Over Revenue Estimate
New Hampshire's general fund receipts in July were $4 million higher than budget estimates, according to the state Department of Administrative Services.
-
August 07, 2024
Missouri Voters Reject Exemption For Child Care Facilities
Missouri will not allow local governments to exempt child care facilities from property tax after a constitutional amendment was rejected by voters Wednesday.
-
August 07, 2024
Logistics Co. CEO Denies Role In NJ Racketeering Scheme
The chief executive officer of logistics firm NFI Industries on Wednesday denied that he played a role in an alleged scheme led by a New Jersey power broker accused of reaping millions in tax credits by using extortion to acquire waterfront property in the distressed city of Camden.
-
August 06, 2024
Calif. Sales By Snowmaking Co. Are Taxable, OTA Says
A company that creates and supplies snow for entertainment companies in California had $1.93 million in taxable sales in 2012 through 2015 despite the company saying the snow was not tangible personal property, the California Office of Tax Appeals ruled.
-
August 06, 2024
Wash. Appeals Court Reverses On Gas Chain Owing State Tax
A Pacific Northwest gas station chain that issued fuel cards to customers must pay the Washington state business tax when cardholders purchase gas from other participating gas station chains as well as from nonparticipating chains, a state appeals court panel said Tuesday, reversing an earlier opinion.
-
August 06, 2024
Calif. Hoteliers Denied Tax Break On Property Sale
The owners of a California hotel were correctly assessed taxes on the gains from sale of a property, the state Office of Tax Appeals said, finding the owners did not demonstrate they qualified for a tax deferral.
-
August 06, 2024
Ohio Board Affirms Nix Of Tax Break For Church's Rec Site
A recreation field owned by an Ohio-based church doesn't qualify for a property tax exemption because it wasn't used as a place of worship, the state Board of Tax Appeals affirmed.
-
August 06, 2024
Bressler Grows In NJ With New Litigation, Tax Experts
Bressler Amery & Ross PC added longtime experts in tax law, trusts and estates, and commercial litigation in a recent round of expansion in New Jersey announced this week.
-
August 06, 2024
Calif. Investor Can't Exclude $15.2M In Gains, OTA Finds
A real estate investor may not exclude about $15.2 million in capital gains from his California tax return for the 2012 tax year, the state Office of Tax Appeals found, siding with the Franchise Tax Board that the income was not subject to double taxation.
-
August 06, 2024
Calif. Biz Not Entitled To Cost Of Goods Deduction, OTA Says
A California construction business is not entitled to an income tax deduction for the cost of goods sold, the state Office of Tax Appeals ruled.
-
August 06, 2024
Mont. July Revenue Collection Up $5M From Last Year
Montana's general revenue collection for July outpaced last year's total by $5 million, the state Department of Revenue said Tuesday.
-
August 06, 2024
Mass. Revenue Collection In July Trails Last Year By $18M
Massachusetts' revenue collection in July was down $18 million from July 2023, the state Department of Revenue said.
-
August 06, 2024
Calif. OTA Says Biz Owes Use Tax On Vehicle Purchase
California's use tax still applies to a business's purchase of a commercial vehicle despite the business's argument that it was used for interstate and foreign commerce and therefore exempt, the state Office of Tax Appeals ruled.
-
August 06, 2024
Arnold & Porter Adds Abramson Cancer Center Chief Counsel
Throughout her career and while working in progressive leadership roles for the Abramson Cancer Center at the University of Pennsylvania, Mir Masud-Elias, Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP's newest counsel, has asked herself the same question: Is this role the best use of her time on Earth?
-
August 05, 2024
Netflix, Hulu Reject Owing Missouri Video Service Fees
A new Missouri law that exempts streaming and satellite television services from video service provider fees was a clarification and does not prove the fees previously applied to streaming services, Netflix and Hulu told a state Circuit Court in a filing released Monday.
-
August 05, 2024
Va. Owes Refund To Remote Worker, Tax Commissioner Says
Virginia wrongly denied an individual income tax refund to a man who worked remotely in another state to cover the amount withheld by his Virginia employer, the state tax commissioner said in a ruling published Monday.
-
August 05, 2024
Va. Biz Correctly Classified Contractors, Tax Boss Says
Workers for a Virginia drywall and painting business did not qualify as employees, the state tax commissioner said, reversing a state tax department finding that the business owed withholding taxes on the workers' payroll.
-
August 05, 2024
Va. Tax Head Says Man Must File Return Despite Move To Md.
A Virginia resident who moved to Maryland to work at a hospital was still considered a domiciled resident of Virginia and required to file a state tax return there, the Virginia tax commissioner determined, saying the man maintained several links to the state.
-
August 05, 2024
Chamber Asking 4th Circ. To Revive Md. Digital Ad Tax Fight
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other groups are seeking Fourth Circuit review of a federal district court decision throwing out their First Amendment complaint against Maryland's digital advertising tax, the groups told the lower court.
-
August 05, 2024
North Dakota Ballot Initiative Seeks To End Property Tax
North Dakota would prohibit political subdivisions from imposing property taxes if a constitutional amendment is approved by voters in November.
-
August 05, 2024
Fla. Net Revenue In Fiscal Year 2024 Beat Estimates By $1B
Florida's net revenue collection in the 2024 fiscal year was $1.09 billion higher than estimates, according to the state Office of Economic and Demographic Research.
-
August 05, 2024
Ala. Net Tax Collection Through July Up $226M From Last Year
Alabama's net general revenue from October through July was $226 million higher than the same period last fiscal year, according to the state Department of Revenue.
Expert Analysis
-
Nebraska Should Abandon Proposed Digital Ad Tax
If passed, Nebraska’s recently proposed Advertising Services Tax Act, which would finance property tax relief by imposing a 7.5% gross revenue tax on advertising services, would cause a politically risky shift of tax burdens from landowners to local businesses and consumers, and would most certainly face litigation, say attorneys at McDermott.
-
The Legal Industry Needs A Cybersecurity Paradigm Shift
As law firms face ever-increasing risks of cyberattacks and ransomware incidents, the legal industry must implement robust cybersecurity measures and privacy-centric practices to preserve attorney-client privilege, safeguard client trust and uphold the profession’s integrity, says Ryan Paterson at Unplugged.
-
As Promised, IRS Is Coming For Crypto Tax Evaders
The IRS is fulfilling its promise to crack down on those who have neglected to pay taxes on cryptocurrency earnings, as demonstrated by recently imposed prison sentences, enforcement initiatives and meetings with international counterparts — suggesting a few key takeaways for taxpayer compliance, say attorneys at BakerHostetler.
-
5 Reasons Associates Shouldn't Take A Job Just For Money
As a number of BigLaw firms increase salary scales for early-career attorneys, law students and lateral associates considering new job offers should weigh several key factors that may matter more than financial compensation, say Albert Tawil at Lateral Hub and Ruvin Levavi at Power Forward.
-
The Pop Culture Docket: Judge Djerassi On Super Bowl 52
Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Judge Ramy Djerassi discusses how Super Bowl 52, in which the Philadelphia Eagles prevailed over the New England Patriots, provides an apt metaphor for alternative dispute resolution processes in commercial business cases.
-
Envy, Regressivity And Other Sins: SALT In Review
From a California official's remarks on a star athlete's contract to another study documenting the regressivity of tax policies across the land, RSM's David Brunori offers his thoughts on noteworthy state and local tax news.
-
Employee Experience Strategy Can Boost Law Firm Success
Amid continuing business uncertainty, law firms should consider adopting a holistic employee experience strategy — prioritizing consistency, targeting signature moments and leveraging measurement tools — to maximize productivity and profitability, says Haley Revel at Calibrate Consulting.
-
6 Practice Pointers For Pro Bono Immigration Practice
An attorney taking on their first pro bono immigration matter may find the law and procedures beguiling, but understanding key deadlines, the significance of individual immigration judges' rules and specialized aspects of the practice can help avoid common missteps, says Steven Malm at Haynes Boone.
-
Lessons From Country Singer's Personal Service Saga
Recent reports that country singer Luke Combs won a judgment against a Florida woman who didn’t receive notice of the counterfeit suit against her should serve as a reminder for attorneys on best practices for effectuating service by electronic means, say attorneys at Jenner & Block.
-
7 E-Discovery Predictions For 2024 And Beyond
The legal and technical issues of e-discovery now affect virtually every lawsuit, and in the year to come, practitioners can expect practices and policies to evolve in a number of ways, from the expanded use of relevancy redactions to mandated information security provisions in protective orders, say attorneys at Littler.
-
Other Views On Administration And Land Tax: SALT In Review
From another take on ranking the states' tax agencies to the latest proposal on a different approach to land values, RSM's David Brunori offers his thoughts on noteworthy state and local tax news.
-
5 Litigation Funding Trends To Note In 2024
Over the next year and beyond, litigation funding will continue to evolve in ways that affect attorneys and the larger litigation landscape, from the growth of a secondary market for funded claims, to rising interest rates restricting the availability of capital, says Jeffery Lula at GLS Capital.
-
4 Legal Ethics Considerations For The New Year
As attorneys and clients reset for a new year, now is a good time to take a step back and review some core ethical issues that attorneys should keep front of mind in 2024, including approaching generative artificial intelligence with caution and care, and avoiding pitfalls in outside counsel guidelines, say attorneys at HWG.