Per the IRS Education Provider Standards this course must be COMPLETED by 12/31/2025 to receive credits. NOTE: Go to My Professional Profile in your CCH CPELink account settings to ensure your name, and PTIN number; matches your PTIN card
The number of significant federal tax changes in the past decade has increased leading to complex Code sections, lengthy regulations and some “guidance” that is not binding. In addition to the complexity of Code and regulations, we are seeing new challenges of even finding the tax law. For example, how are you to know when reading Reg. 1.163-8T(c) written in 1987 that it was modified in 2021 by Reg. 1.163-15?
This course explains the types of changes and guidance that have made the tax law more complex to find and use, and offers tips to apply in compliance and planning to help reduce the risk of error caused by the complexity. Suggestions for how we can encourage Congress and the IRS to reduce complexity are also addressed.
Publication Date: April 2023
Designed For
Practitioners who advise individuals and businesses.
Topics Covered
- Tips for not overlooking subtle changes in Code sections
- How to find all relevant regulations and other guidance
- Types of guidance and their level of authority
- Tips and cautions in using non-binding guidance even when it is the only non-statutory information available
- Suggestions for additions and modifications to your tax research methodology to limit overlooking or misusing information
Learning Objectives
- Identify common "guidance" techniques of the IRS that make finding and understanding all relevant information challenging
- Identify legislative events that can increase complexity
- Recognize and apply new research techniques to avoid missing important tax guidance and information
- Recognize how to explain higher level ideas for addressing the complexity of finding guidance
Level
Intermediate
Instructional Method
Self-Study
NASBA Field of Study
Taxes (2 hours)
Program Prerequisites
Basic understanding of tax laws.
Advance Preparation
None
Instructor
Annette Nellen
Annette Nellen, CPA, CGMA, Esq., is a professor in and director of San Jose State University's graduate tax program (MST), teaching courses in tax research, accounting methods, property transactions, advanced individual taxation, employment tax, ethics, leadership, and tax policy.
Annette chairs the AICPA Digital Assets Tax Task Force and serves on the AICPA Disaster Relief Tax Task Force. She formerly served on the AICPA Tax Executive Committee, including 2.5 years as chair. She was the lead author of the AICPA tax policy concept statement #1, Guiding Principles of Good Tax Policy: A Framework for Evaluating Tax Proposals (2001, updated 2017), still in use today. Annette is also active with the tax sections of the ABA, CalCPA and California Lawyers Association. Annette is the recipient of the 2013 Arthur J. Dixon Memorial Award given by the Tax Division of the AICPA, the highest award given by the accounting profession in the area of taxation. In 2019, Annette was the recipient of the CLA’s Benjamin F. Miller Award for outstanding achievement and contribution in the field of state and local taxation law. Annette was included in Accounting Today's 2024 List of the Most Influential People in Accounting.
Annette is a regular contributor to Tax Notes State, authoring a column called Moving Forward? She is the author of Bloomberg BNA Tax Portfolio #533, Amortization of Intangibles. She is co-author and co-editor of four tax textbooks from Cengage. Annette has testified before the House Ways & Means Committee, Senate Finance Committee, California Assembly Revenue & Taxation Committee, and tax reform commissions and committees on various aspects of federal and state tax reform. She maintains the 21st Century Taxation website and blog (www.21stcenturytaxation.com). Prior to joining SJSU in 1990, Annette was with Ernst & Young and the IRS.