Everyone who retires from a school district or university not covering employees for Social Security (SS) is subject to GPO. Under a new law - effective July 1, 2004 - if you retire from a school district or university that covers employees for SS and have worked there the last five years you are not subject to GPO. Why is this a big deal? The GPO is a calculation that reduces your SS benefit by two-thirds of your TRS benefit. In many cases the GPO will reduce your SS benefit to zero!

Retirees of TRS are also subject to Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) if the years at a TRS and SS covered institution are less than 30. WEP is a method to calculate SS benefits without giving a larger benefit to low income workers. Current SS benefits are increased for workers that are considered "low income" -- to eliminate higher benefits paid to those who may have maintained summer or part-time jobs to get the minimum 40 quarters for SS the WEP was enacted.

Retirees who worked their entire careers at a charter school or worker at a school having both TRS and SS AND worked 30 years are not subject to either GPO or WEP.

Spousal and survivor benefits are also covered by the GPO and in many cases reduce the SS benefit to zero.

These rules are rather complicated and if you have questions, give us a call. The Association of Texas Professional Educators has a good website that explains the rules and calculations in greater detail (http://www.atpe.org).

A quick note about Medicare coverage. Anyone with at least 30 quarters of service is eligible to be covered at age 65. Those with less than 40 quarters, or not eligible to receive SS benefits, must pay monthly premiums to receive coverage.

--Paul Ask, CPA

We think that QHDHPs will be growing in availability as time goes on with more insurance companies providing this product. We also think more employers will switch to these as they look for ways to reduce their insurance costs. One trend that was quoted in a seminar we attended was that "higher risk to insure people" have been the first to embrace these products. That makes it unclear if initially the cost of insurance will be competitive on these products, but as they grow in popularity the pool should grow and the costs decrease.

-- Paul Ask, CPA

Not everyone is eligible for a Roth IRA - you must have earned income - sweat of the brow - and the availability is phased out for those with income above $95,000 for single and $150,000 for married filing jointly. Beginning in 2005 the maximum contribution limit is $4,000 with an extra $500 for those 50 years of age and above.

-- Paul Ask, CPA

1 - An FLP is a limited partnership like any other limited partnership -- except only family members are owners.

2 - Income tax treatment is no different from any other limited partnership.

3 - If you set out to use it to save estate and gift tax - you will lose your case.

That being said, a FLP is still a good vehicle to use for other valid reasons. The main reasons to use a FLP are for multiple ownership with central control and to keep an asset(s) together for management. Assets could include real estate (farm land, apartments, commercial buildings, raw land, etc) or investments (stocks, bonds, etc.) Sometimes because of a diverse family situation such as farmers and city dwellers, the owners may have differing views and individually owned land may cause a farm to be sold. In order to prevent this, a parent may put the land in a FLP to preserve the family farm. You may have a large investment portfolio and to prevent it from being split-up thereby losing the economies of scale and lower investment management fees, it can put into a FLP. The FLP will generally have language that forbids owners from mortgaging their portion, selling or transferring their portion or otherwise threatening the FLP as a unit. The FLP should have mandatory income distributions to give all owners a true economic interest.

So why is it that a FLP is "sold" as an estate tax savings device? The answer --the asset has been impeded. The whole reason to set this up is to make it difficult to split apart -- to carry the wishes of those setting it up to another generation. First the ones setting it up are giving up total control over the assets and spreading the control to other family members who have differing opinions. You cannot take it back! Second the one receiving an ownership interest does not have full say so over the use of the asset. These two factors need to be considered carefully before creating a FLP.

An attorney familiar with a FLP needs to be used for the set up. The reasons for setting up an FLP need to be carefully considered and then the reasons need to be carefully documented. If gifting is intended, a qualified appraiser must be used to value any gifts. This may be each year depending upon the frequency of the gift. Lastly, the FLP should be reviewed no less than annually and preferable quarterly for asset management and applicable law changes.

See how simple that is! If you have questions, please fee free to call or email the office.

-- Paul Ask, CPA

The IRS has issued the luxury car depreciation limits for business vehicles placed in service in 2021 and the lease inclusion amounts for business vehicles first leased in 2021.

The IRS has issued the luxury car depreciation limits for business vehicles placed in service in 2021 and the lease inclusion amounts for business vehicles first leased in 2021.

Luxury Passenger Car Depreciation Caps
The luxury car depreciation caps for a passenger car placed in service in 2021 limit annual depreciation deductions to:

• $10,200 for the first year without bonus depreciation
• $18,200 for the first year with bonus depreciation
• $16,400 for the second year
• $9,800 for the third year
• $5,860 for the fourth through sixth year

Depreciation Caps for SUVs, Trucks and Vans
The luxury car depreciation caps for a sport utility vehicle, truck, or van placed in service in 2021 are:

• $10,200 for the first year without bonus depreciation
• $18,200 for the first year with bonus depreciation
• $16,400 for the second year
• $9,800 for the third year
• $5,860 for the fourth through sixth year

Excess Depreciation on Luxury Vehicles
If depreciation exceeds the annual cap, the excess depreciation is deducted beginning in the year after the vehicle’s regular depreciation period ends.

The annual cap for this excess depreciation is:

• $5,860 for passenger cars and
• $5,860 for SUVS, trucks, and vans.

Lease Inclusion Amounts for Cars, SUVs, Trucks and Vans
If a vehicle is first leased in 2021, a taxpayer must add a lease inclusion amount to gross income in each year of the lease if its fair market value at the time of the lease is more than:

• $51,000 for a passenger car, or
• $51,000 for an SUV, truck or van.

The 2021 lease inclusion tables provide the lease inclusion amounts for each year of the lease.

The lease inclusion amount results in a permanent reduction in the taxpayer’s deduction for the lease payments.

Vehicles Exempt from Depreciation Caps and Lease Inclusion Amounts
The depreciation caps and lease inclusion amounts do not apply to:

• cars with an unloaded gross vehicle weight of more than 6,000 pounds; or
• SUVs, trucks and vans with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of more than 6,000 pounds.

So taxpayers who want to avoid these limits should "think big."

The IRS has issued guidance for employers claiming the employee retention credit under Code Sec. 3134, enacted by section 9651 of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP), P.L. 117-2, which provides a credit for wages paid after June 30, 2021, and before January 1, 2022. The guidance amplifies previous notices which addressed the employee retention credit under section 2301 of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), P.L. 116-136, as amended by sections 206 and 207 of the Taxpayer Certainty and Disaster Tax Relief Act of 2020, P.L. 116-260.

The IRS has issued guidance for employers claiming the employee retention credit under Code Sec. 3134, enacted by section 9651 of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP), P.L. 117-2, which provides a credit for wages paid after June 30, 2021, and before January 1, 2022. The guidance amplifies previous notices which addressed the employee retention credit under section 2301 of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), P.L. 116-136, as amended by sections 206 and 207 of the Taxpayer Certainty and Disaster Tax Relief Act of 2020, P.L. 116-260.

In general, eligible employers can claim a refundable employee retention credit against the employer share of Social Security tax equal to 70 percent of the qualified wages they pay to employees after December 31, 2020, through June 30, 2021. Qualified wages are limited to $10,000 per employee per calendar quarter in 2021. Thus, the maximum employee retention credit available is $7,000 per employee per calendar quarter, for a total of $14,000 for the first two calendar quarters of 2021. Under Code Secs. 3134(a) and (b)(1)(A), these limits continue to apply in the third and fourth calendar quarters in 2021.

The guidance explains changes made to the employee retention credit for the third and fourth calendar quarters of 2021, including:

• making the credit available to eligible employers that pay qualified wages after June 30, 2021, and before January 1, 2022;
• expanding the definition of eligible employer to include "recovery startup businesses";
• modifying the definition of qualified wages for "severely financially distressed employers"; and
• providing that the credit does not apply to qualified wages taken into account as payroll costs in connection with a shuttered venue grant under section 324 of the Economic Aid to Hard-Hit Small Businesses, Non-Profits, and Venues Act, or a restaurant revitalization grant under section 5003 of the ARP.

The guidance also provides guidance on several miscellaneous issues with respect to the employee retention credit for both 2020 and 2021, including:

• the definition of full-time employee and whether that definition includes full-time equivalents;
• the treatment of tips as qualified wages and the interaction with the Code Sec. 45B credit;
• the timing of the qualified wages deduction disallowance and whether taxpayers that already filed an income tax return must amend that return after claiming the credit on an adjusted employment tax return; and
• whether wages paid to majority owners and their spouses may be treated as qualified wages.

Highlights of some of the items addressed in the guidance are summarized below.

Recovery Startup Businesses
A separate credit limit under Code Sec. 3134(b)(1)(B) applies to "recovery startup businesses." A "recovery startup business" is an employer (i) that began carrying on any trade or business after February 15, 2020; (ii) for which the average annual gross receipts of the employer for the three-tax-year period ending with the tax year that precedes the calendar quarter for which the credit is determined does not exceed $1,000,000; and (iii) that is not otherwise an eligible employer due to a full or partial suspension of operations or a decline in gross receipts. For an eligible employer that is a recovery startup business, the amount of the credit allowed under Code Sec. 3134(a) (after application of the limit under Code Sec. 3134(b)(1)(A)) for each of the third and fourth calendar quarters of 2021 cannot exceed $50,000.

The determination of when a recovery startup business "began carrying on a trade or business" is made in the same manner as for purposes of Code Sec. 162. It is appropriate for the term "qualified wages" to include wages paid by a recovery startup business. In the third and fourth calendar quarters of 2021, a recovery startup business that is a small eligible employer may treat all wages paid with respect to an employee during the quarter as qualified wages. Whether an employer is a recovery startup business is determined separately for each calendar quarter.

Qualified Wages
The rules in Notice 2021-20 for determining the average number of full-time employees continue to apply in the third and fourth calendar quarters of 2021. However, Code Sec. 3134(c)(3)(C) provides a different rule for qualified wages paid by "severely financially distressed employers." For the third and fourth calendar quarters of 2021, an eligible employer with gross receipts that are less than 10 percent of the gross receipts for the same calendar quarter in calendar year 2019 (or 2020, if the employer was not in existence in 2019) is a severely financially distressed employer.

Further, the rules for determining whether an employer is an eligible employer based on a decline in gross receipts also apply, in the third and fourth calendar quarters of 2021, for determining whether an eligible employer is a severely financially distressed employer based on the 10 percent threshold. For the third and fourth calendar quarters of 2021, a severely financially distressed employer that is a large eligible employer may treat all wages paid to its employees during the quarter in which the employer is considered severely financially distressed as qualified wages.

Claiming the Credit
Notice 2021-20 and Notice 2021-23 set forth the rules for claiming the employee retention credit in 2020 and the first and second calendar quarters in 2021, respectively. These rules, including the rules pertaining to claiming an advance and relevant limitations, continue to apply for the third and fourth quarters in 2021.

Reporting
Eligible employers will report their total qualified wages and the related health insurance costs for each quarter on their employment tax returns (Form 941) for the applicable period. If a reduction in the employer's employment tax deposits is not sufficient to cover the credit, certain employers may receive an advance payment from the IRS by submitting Form 7200, Advance Payment of Employer Credits Due to COVID-19.

Effect on Other Documents
Notice 2021-20, I.R.B. 2021-11, 922 and Notice 2021-23, I.R.B. 2021-16, 1113, are amplified.

The Treasury and IRS have provided an optional safe harbor allowing employers to exclude the following amounts from their gross receipts solely for determining eligibility for the employee retention credit.

The Treasury and IRS have provided an optional safe harbor allowing employers to exclude the following amounts from their gross receipts solely for determining eligibility for the employee retention credit:

• the amount of the forgiveness of a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Loan;
• the amount of any Shuttered Venue Operators Grants under the Economic Aid to Hard-Hit Small Businesses, Non-Profits, and Venues Act; and
• the amount of any Restaurant Revitalization Grants under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP) ( P.L. 117-2).

Certain employers may be eligible for an employee retention credit against applicable federal employment taxes if their gross receipts for a calendar quarter decline by a certain percentage as compared to a prior calendar quarter. For most employers, gross receipts are defined by Code Sec. 448(c). For tax-exempt employers, gross receipts are defined by Code Sec. 6033.

Applying Safe Harbor Consistently
Employers must apply the safe harbor consistently in order to exclude these amounts from gross receipts for determining employee retention credit eligibility. An employer consistently applies the safe harbor by:

• excluding these amounts from its gross receipts for each calendar quarter in which gross receipts are relevant to determining eligibility to claim the employee retention credit; and
• applying the safe harbor to all employers treated as a single employer under the aggregation rules.

An employer must also retain in its records substantiating support for the credit claimed, including the use of the safe harbor.

If an employer revokes its safe harbor election, it must adjust all employment tax returns affected by the revocation.

Claiming the Employee Retention Credit
Employers claim the employee retention credit on their employment tax return, generally Form 941, Employers Quarterly Federal Tax Return, or on an adjusted employment tax return, generally Form 941-X, Adjusted Employer’s Quarterly Federal Tax Return or Claim for Refund. An employer is not required to apply the safe harbor.

The safe harbor does not permit the exclusion of these amounts from gross receipts for any other federal tax purpose.

Effect on Other Documents
This guidance updates and amplifies Notice 2021-20, I.R.B. 2021-11, 922, Notice 2021-23, I.R.B. 2021-16, 1113, and Notice 2021-49, I.R.B. 2021-34.

The IRS issued transition relief for certain employers claiming the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) under Code Sec. 51. This would apply for certain employees beginning work after December 31, 2020, in response to legislation permitting the designation of an Empowerment Zone under Code Sec. 1393(b) to be extended from December 31, 2020, through December 31, 2025. Specifically, section IV of this notice provides transition relief by extending the 28-day deadline for employers to request certification from a designated local agency that an individual who begins work on or after January 1, 2021, and before October 9, 2021, is a member of the Designated Community Resident targeted group or the Qualified Summer Youth Employee targeted group.

The IRS issued transition relief for certain employers claiming the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) under Code Sec. 51. This would apply for certain employees beginning work after December 31, 2020, in response to legislation permitting the designation of an Empowerment Zone under Code Sec. 1393(b) to be extended from December 31, 2020, through December 31, 2025. Specifically, section IV of this notice provides transition relief by extending the 28-day deadline for employers to request certification from a designated local agency that an individual who begins work on or after January 1, 2021, and before October 9, 2021, is a member of the Designated Community Resident targeted group or the Qualified Summer Youth Employee targeted group.

Additional Time to Submit Form 8850
The IRS stated that employers may need additional time to comply with the certification requirements of Code Sec. 51(d)(13)(A)(ii). Because the termination dates designated in Empowerment Zone nominations are not automatically extended until after the deadline in Rev. Proc. 2021-18, I.R.B. 2021-15 for submitting a written declination has passed, employers that hired an individual who is a Designated Community Resident or a Qualified Summer Youth Employee and who began work for that employer on or after January 1, 2021, may not have submitted Form 8850 to the designated local agency within 28 days of the individual beginning work. To be eligible for the relief provided by this notice, an employer that did not submit Form 8850 to the DLA within 28 days of an individual beginning work must submit the completed Form 8850 to the DLA.

An employer that hires an individual who is a Designated Community Resident or a Qualified Summer Youth Employee and who begins work for the employer on or after October 9, 2021, is not eligible for the transition relief described in this notice with respect to that new employee.

Effective Date
The effective date of this notice is August 10, 2021

The U.S. Small Business Administration ( SBA) is launching a streamlined application portal to allow certain borrowers to apply for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Loan forgiveness directly through the SBA. The SBA also is explaining why it discontinued use of Loan Necessity Questionnaires for PPP borrowers.

The U.S. Small Business Administration ( SBA) is launching a streamlined application portal to allow certain borrowers to apply for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Loan forgiveness directly through the SBA. The SBA also is explaining why it discontinued use of Loan Necessity Questionnaires for PPP borrowers.

PPP Direct Forgiveness Portal
The SBA announced that it is launching a streamlined application portal to allow borrowers with PPP loans $150,000 or less through participating lenders to apply for forgiveness directly through the SBA. The new forgiveness platform will begin accepting applications from borrowers on August 4th, 2021.

In addition to the technology platform, the SBA is setting up a PPP customer service team to answer questions and directly assist borrowers with their forgiveness applications. Borrowers that need assistance or have questions should call (877) 552-2692, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m.-8 p.m. EST. More information on the PPP direct forgiveness portal is available at https://www.sba.gov/article/2021/jul/28/sba-announces-opening-paycheck-protection-program-direct-forgiveness-portal.

Loan Necessity Questionnaires
In updated FAQs, the SBA has explained why it discontinued use of the Loan Necessity Questionnaire. According to Treasury, based on the results of loan reviews that it has completed thus far, the SBA believes audit resources will be more efficiently deployed across all loans if the loan necessity questionnaire is discontinued. The loan necessity reviews, including the review of the borrower’s completed Loan Necessity Questionnaire, are lengthy and have caused delays beyond the 90-day statutory timeline for forgiveness, thus negatively impacting those borrowers that made their loan necessity certification in good faith. For these reasons, SBA is discontinuing any reliance on the Loan Necessity Questionnaires.

The Loan Necessity Questionnaires (SBA Forms 3509 and 3510) were used to facilitate the collection of supplemental information that would be used by SBA loan reviewers to evaluate the good faith certification made by PPP borrowers on their loan application that economic uncertainty made the loan request necessary to support ongoing operations. Each borrower, that together with its affiliates, received PPP loans with an original principal amount of $2 million or greater was required to complete the form. In July, the SBA said it would no longer request either version of the Loan Necessity Questionnaire. In addition, Loan Necessity Questionnaires previously requested by the SBA are no longer required to be submitted.

The IRS stated that families should use the Child Tax Credit (CTC) Update Portal to confirm their eligibility for the payments. If eligible, the tool also indicates whether taxpayers are enrolled to receive their payments by direct deposit. More information can be found at https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/advance-child-tax-credit-payments-in-2021.

The IRS stated that families should use the Child Tax Credit (CTC) Update Portal to confirm their eligibility for the payments. If eligible, the tool also indicates whether taxpayers are enrolled to receive their payments by direct deposit. More information can be found at https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/advance-child-tax-credit-payments-in-2021.

Direct Deposit
For taxpayers currently using direct deposit, the tool will list the full bank routing number and the last four digits of their account number. This account is where the IRS sent their payments so far and will continue to do so. If necessary, the account can now be changed starting with the September 15 payment.

Monthly Payments
Eligible families for monthly payments include those who (1) filed either a 2019 or 2020 federal income tax return; (2) used the Non-Filers tool on IRS.gov in 2020 to register for an Economic Impact Payment; and (3) registered for the advance CTC this year using the new Non-Filer Sign-Up Tool on IRS.gov. The new maximum credit is available to taxpayers with a modified adjusted gross income (AGI) of (1) $75,000 or less for singles; (2) $112,500 or less for heads of household; and (3) $150,000 or less for married couples filing a joint return and qualified widows and widowers.

The American Rescue Plan (ARP) ( P.L. 117-2) raised the maximum Child Tax Credit in 2021 to $3,600 for children under the age of 6 and to $3,000 per child for children ages 6 through 17. Before 2021, the credit was worth up to $2,000 per eligible child.

The IRS provided additional guidance on the application of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP) ( P.L. 117-2) relating to temporary premium assistance for Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (COBRA) continuation coverage. This notice supplements Notice 2021-31, I.R.B. 2021-23, and addresses additional issues.

The IRS provided additional guidance on the application of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP) (P.L. 117-2) relating to temporary premium assistance for Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (COBRA) continuation coverage. This notice supplements Notice 2021-31, I.R.B. 2021-23, and addresses additional issues.

Eligibility
The IRS noted that if the original qualifying event was a reduction in hours or an involuntary termination of employment, COBRA premium assistance is available to an individual entitled to elect COBRA continuation coverage for an extended period due to a disability determination, second qualifying event, or an extension under State mini-COBRA. This should fall under the extended period of coverage between April 1, 2021 and September 30, 2021, even if the taxpayer had not notified the plan or insurer of the intent to elect extended COBRA continuation coverage before the start of that period.

Next, the eligibility ends when the taxpayer becomes eligible for coverage under any other disqualifying group health plan or Medicare. This includes the other coverage not including all of the benefits provided by the previously elected COBRA continuation coverage.

Finally, if a plan (other than a multiemployer plan) subject to Federal COBRA covers employees of two or more members of a controlled group, each common law employer that is a member of the controlled group is the premium payee entitled to claim the COBRA premium assistance credit with respect to its employees or former employees.

The foreign tax credit did not apply against the net investment income tax (NIIT). The structure of the Internal Revenue Code made the credit inapplicable to the NIIT, and tax treaties did not override that fact.

The foreign tax credit did not apply against the net investment income tax (NIIT). The structure of the Internal Revenue Code made the credit inapplicable to the NIIT, and tax treaties did not override that fact.

Under Code, Foreign Tax Credit Did Not Apply to NIIT
The foreign tax credit is in chapter 1, subtitle A of the Code, and it expressly applies only against taxes imposed by chapter 1. However, the NIIT is in chapter 2A. Thus, the credit does not apply against the NIIT. Although Reg. §1.1411-1(a) provides that all Code provisions that apply to the determination of taxable income under chapter 1 also apply to the NIIT, tax credits are not taken into account in determining taxable income. In fact, Reg. §1.1411-1(e) explicitly provides that credits against the tax imposed by chapter 1, including the foreign tax credit, are not allowed against the NIIT unless specifically provided by the Code.

Tax Treaties Did Not Override Code
Provisions in the U.S.-France and U.S.-Italy tax treaties that provided a foreign tax credit against U.S. income tax also did not provide an independent foreign tax credit against the NIIT. Although the treaties were intended to limit double taxation, they were expressly subject to the provisions and limitations of the Code. Thus, any allowable foreign tax credit had to be determined in accordance with the Code, and was limited by the Code’s provision of a credit. Although the taxpayer claimed that the Code was silent as to whether there was a foreign tax credit against the NIIT, the placement of the NIIT in chapter 2A made the foreign tax credit inapplicable. The creation of a new chapter for the NIIT was not happenstance or a mere clerical choice; rather, it was a deliberate decision by Congress and part of the Code’s fundamental structure.

No Summary Judgment on Penalty
Finally, issues of material fact precluded summary judgement as to the taxpayer’s liability for the penalty for failing to pay tax shown due on a return. She reported zero tax due on her Form 1040, though she did show the correct amount of the NIIT on her attached Form 8060, Net Investment Income Tax. Even if her Form 8960 constituted a return, the taxpayer argued that she had reasonable cause for her failure to pay because when she filed her return, she included a disclosure that she was claiming the foreign tax credit against the NIIT.

A missing or unknown federal gift tax return could constitute reasonable cause for the late filing of an estate tax return.

A missing or unknown federal gift tax return could constitute reasonable cause for the late filing of an estate tax return.

To understand the appropriate steps to take after the decedent’s death, the executor was in contact with the decedent’s tax preparer, a family office service, and an attorney. Several months after the decedent’s death, the attorney advised that no estate tax return needed to be filed because the gross estate was below the basic exclusion amount for the year of death. Nearly two years after the decedent’s death, the decedent’s son, who had not been involved in the estate preparation and administration, indicated that various trusts might have been created. The attorney asked the tax preparer about the trusts and the tax preparer provided a gift tax return reporting gifts to the trusts. The amount of the gifts put the estate over the threshold amount for an estate tax return.

Complaint Established Reasonable Cause
Calling the government’s argument circular, the court concluded that it would not dismiss the complaint based on the position that the attorney’s advice on whether to file an estate tax return was objectively unreasonable. If the court sided with the government on this point, missing information could never constitute reasonable cause because the advice would never be based on all pertinent facts and circumstances. Relying on the complaint alone, the court could not decide whether the attorney’s investigation constituted reasonable due diligence.

The executor is ultimately responsible for providing all of the information available to prepare a tax return. In this case, the question of whether the executor acted reasonably was dependent on the availability of the missing gift tax return. Absent more information from the tax preparer about the gift tax return, the complaint could not be dismissed.