Comprehensive coverage of U.S. Federal and State tax laws. Professional insights to help you navigate complex tax regulations and compliance requirements.
What are the construction revenue recognition methods and when does each apply? Construction contractors choose between the percentage of completion method (PCM) — recognizing revenue proportionally as work progresses — and the completed contract method (CCM) — deferring all revenue until substantial completion. PCM is mandatory for long-term contracts held by companies with average annual…
What does IRS Notice 2026-34 require for defined benefit pre-approved plan Cycle 4 submissions? Notice 2026-34 publishes the 2026 Cumulative List of plan qualification changes that providers must reflect in defined benefit qualified pre-approved plan documents submitted for the fourth remedial amendment cycle (Cycle 4) — submission window August 1, 2026 to July 31, 2027…
What are the federal student loan caps 2026 effective July 1? The Department of Education’s final rule eliminates unlimited borrowing under the Graduate PLUS Program effective July 1, 2026. Eleven designated “professional” degrees (law, medicine, dentistry, etc.) face $50K annual / $200K aggregate caps. All other graduate fields — including accounting, engineering, and nursing —…
How can I tell if an IRS letter is real or a scam in 2026? The IRS’s paper-check phase-out has triggered an unprecedented wave of legitimate letters asking taxpayers for bank account information — which looks suspiciously like a scam. Always verify by logging into your IRS online account at IRS.gov, where every real notice…
What does cannabis Schedule III rescheduling mean for IRC Section 280E? The DOJ and DEA’s April 23, 2026 order rescheduling medical cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III removes it from § 280E’s deduction prohibition — potentially cutting cannabis operators’ effective tax burden from 50-60% of operating income to closer to normal corporate rates, and…
Which states are pushing state wealth tax 2026 proposals on millionaires and billionaires? At least a dozen states — including California, Illinois, Minnesota, New York, Rhode Island, and Virginia — have advanced new tax proposals targeting the wealthiest taxpayers in 2026. Mechanisms range from one-time billionaire net-worth levies (California ballot) to pied-à-terre property taxes (NYC),…
What is the IRS conservation easement settlement opportunity announced in 2026? Per IR-2026-63 (May 6, 2026), the IRS updated its Conservation Easement site with expanded warnings on abusive transactions and recent court decisions, and announced a forthcoming time-limited settlement program — letting eligible partnerships resolve disputed federal tax consequences with certainty before pursuing litigation. If…
What is the IPA tariff refund CAPE system and how do importers claim refunds? Following the Supreme Court’s invalidation of IEEPA-based tariffs, CBP launched the CAPE refund mechanism on April 20, 2026 — a new submission system within the ACE environment for recovering an estimated $166 billion collected between April 2025 and February 2026 across…
What does Rev. Proc. 2026-21 change about IRS letter rulings on corporate transactions? Rev. Proc. 2026-21 establishes a new letter ruling program under the Associate Chief Counsel (Corporate) — modifying Rev. Proc. 2026-1 and 2026-3 to expand the scope of significant-issue and transactional rulings available for §§ 332, 351, 355, 368, and 1036 reorganizations, while…
What are the most important state tax updates from May 8, 2026? A California appellate court rejected the FTB’s “unitary business” theory against a Texas-based remote contractor, Maryland enacted OBBBA decoupling and PTET changes via the BRFA of 2026, New York’s appellate court affirmed Article 9-A’s P.L. 86-272 internet activity rule, Massachusetts addressed penny-shortage rounding…
