Federal

  • May 07, 2026

    Jackson Hewitt Tax Loans Flout Military Credit Law, Suit Says

    A U.S. Navy service member has accused tax preparer Jackson Hewitt Inc. of overcharging military clients for short-term loans tied to tax refunds, claiming in a proposed class action the company's effective interest rates for "refund anticipation loans" exceed what is allowed under the federal Military Lending Act.

  • May 07, 2026

    Trump's Temporary Global Tariffs Illegal, Trade Court Rules

    President Donald Trump's temporary global 10% tariffs are unlawful because the narrow set of economic conditions required for the measure to be imposed were not met, the U.S. Court of International Trade said Thursday in a divided opinion.

  • May 07, 2026

    Wyden Probes Wall Street Firms For Tariff Refund Stakes' Info

    The top Democratic lawmakers on the Senate Finance Committee sent letters to major Wall Street firms Thursday about their activity in buying the rights to importers' tariff refund interests at a discount following the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in February striking down President Donald Trump's emergency tariff regime. 

  • May 07, 2026

    Wyden Questions Company On Tribal Tax Credit Sales

    The Senate Finance Committee's top Democrat asked a company that he said may have defrauded clients into buying millions of dollars in nonexistent tribal tax credits to explain the extent of its involvement in such conduct in a letter released Thursday.

  • May 07, 2026

    IRS Needs Reliable Data To Reduce Improper EITC Payments

    The Internal Revenue Service doesn't have the data necessary to efficiently identify and prevent improper earned income tax credit payments made by noncitizens who are not authorized to work in the U.S., the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration said in a report Thursday.

  • May 07, 2026

    Judge Cuts 13 Wire Fraud Counts From $1B Tax Shelter Case

    A Texas federal judge dismissed 13 wire fraud charges against four men accused of running a $1 billion tax shelter scheme, ruling prosecutors improperly relied on a statute with a lower intent standard than the applicable tax fraud law.

  • May 07, 2026

    Stinson Real Estate Finance Atty Joins Reed Smith In DC

    Reed Smith LLP has hired a Stinson LLP lawyer who focuses her practice on real estate finance matters, renewable energy tax credit and new market tax credit issues, the firm has announced.

  • May 07, 2026

    Toss Of Ex-Shkreli Atty's Deal May Be Error, 2nd Circ. Hints

    A Second Circuit judge hinted Thursday that a trial judge may have erred in rejecting a retirement-fund garnishment deal that would have protected Martin Shkreli's convicted former lawyer from a potential $1 million "punitive tax event."

  • May 06, 2026

    Sony Reaped 'Windfall' From Illegal Tariffs, Gamers Say

    Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC retained a "substantial windfall" generated by illegal tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, two Sony PlayStation console owners said Wednesday in a proposed class action in California federal court.

  • May 06, 2026

    Calif. Tribe Can't Get ATF's Cigarette Sales Decision Tossed

    A Ninth Circuit panel determined Wednesday that federal tobacco regulators acted appropriately when placing the Twenty-Nine Palms Band of Mission Indians on a noncompliance list, concluding the tribe's remote cigarette sales to retailers of other tribes count as "off-reservation" activities covered by California state tax and licensing laws.

  • May 06, 2026

    Booz Allen Says Fla. Senator's Tax Leak Suit Is Too Late

    U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Florida, waited too long to file a lawsuit over the leak of his personal tax returns, according to federal contractor Booz Allen Hamilton, which moved to dismiss the suit Tuesday.

  • May 06, 2026

    Fla. Couple Sentenced For Evading $37M In Payroll Taxes

    An Orlando couple were sentenced to prison for participating in a $148 million construction payroll scheme and evading more than $37 million in payroll taxes, Florida federal prosecutors announced Wednesday.

  • May 06, 2026

    IRS To Settle More Syndicated Easement Disputes

    Eligible partnerships may soon be able to settle their disputes with the IRS over charitable tax deductions claimed on their donated conservation or historic preservation easements under an upcoming "time-limited" opportunity, the agency announced Wednesday.

  • May 06, 2026

    4th Circ. Appears Unpersuaded By $22M Tax Fraud Appeal

    Two attorneys and an insurance agent faced a Fourth Circuit panel Wednesday that seemed hard-pressed to overturn their convictions for orchestrating a $22 million tax avoidance scheme, with the judges casting doubt on their venue objections and claims that the false tax returns contained truthful information.

  • May 06, 2026

    IRS Gets Protest Of Wedding Gift Penalties Narrowed

    A Chinese citizen seeking a refund of penalties imposed by the IRS over a failure to report wedding gifts she received from abroad cannot argue the agency must collect the penalties through a civil action, a California federal court said, partially dismissing her suit.

  • May 06, 2026

    Insurers Ask To Ignore Simplified Foreign Currency Rules

    The insurance industry should be allowed to ignore regulations from 2024 covering how corporations determine taxable income with respect to affiliates that conduct business in a foreign currency, the American Council of Life Insurers told the U.S. Treasury in a letter released Wednesday.

  • May 06, 2026

    Average US Residence Costs $554K, IRS Data Shows

    The nationwide average purchase price for U.S. residences in 2026 is $553,900, an increase of $13,200 from last year, according to data the Internal Revenue Service published Wednesday.

  • May 06, 2026

    Investors Want Puerto Rican Opportunity Zone Safe Harbor

    Investors, developers and policy organizations requested clear and timely guidance on the transition protections for existing opportunity zone investments in Puerto Rico before they expire at the end of 2027 in a letter to the U.S. Department of the Treasury released Wednesday.

  • May 06, 2026

    Extend Immediate Expensing For Plastic Recycling, IRS Told

    Advanced plastic recycling should be eligible for a new tax perk allowing full expensing of a qualified production property's costs, a chemical trade association said in a letter, released Wednesday, recommending the industry-specific change for the IRS' upcoming proposed regulations.

  • May 05, 2026

    Tax Shelter Trial Defendants Claim Promoter Misled Them

    More than a dozen lawyers and defendants packed a Colorado federal courtroom Tuesday to mark the first day of testimony in the trial against four individuals accused of using their businesses to help promote and sell abusive trust tax shelters.

  • May 05, 2026

    IRS Modifies Significant Issue Ruling Program

    The IRS outlined the process for taxpayers to request rulings on one or more issues that are solely under the agency's corporate associate chief counsel's jurisdiction that involve certain tax consequences and transactions, according to guidance released Tuesday.

  • May 05, 2026

    Tax Court Revives Ga. Collections Case Over Notice Flaws

    The U.S. Tax Court remanded a Georgia man's collections due process dispute Tuesday, saying that while he "certainly did not facilitate the consideration of his case" with the IRS Office of Appeals, the office improperly failed to consider whether he timely received notices.

  • May 05, 2026

    Ending Carried Interest Tax Break May Net $88B, Report Says

    Ending the carried interest tax break could raise far more than previously estimated, nearly $88 billion in a decade, based on a new methodology put forward in a report by the Yale Budget Lab.

  • May 05, 2026

    IRS Beats Suit Claiming Secret Rule Targeted Stock Plan

    A transportation company cannot pursue its claims that the IRS adopted a secret rule that targeted its stock ownership plan, a Wisconsin federal judge ruled, throwing out the company's suit.

  • May 05, 2026

    Limited Partners Reject Self-Employment Tax In 1st Circ.

    An energy investment company told the First Circuit that its self-employment tax dispute is distinct from that of the taxpayer in a 2009 Federal Circuit ruling that barred refunds to a partnership's individual partners, saying the cases involve different subsections of U.S. income tax law.

Expert Analysis

  • 5 Tips For Navigating Your Firm's All-Attorney Summit

    Excerpt from Practical Guidance
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    Law firm retreats should be approached strategically, as they present valuable opportunities to advance both the firm's objectives and attorneys' professional development through meaningful participation, building and strengthening internal relationships, and proactive follow-up, says James Argionis at Cozen O’Connor.

  • How Bankrupt Cos. Can Seek Refunds For Illegal Tariffs

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    In light of the U.S. Supreme Court's recent decision striking down President Donald Trump's International Emergency Economic Powers Act tariffs as illegal, some companies may have strong prospects for recovering refunds from the government, and trustees in bankruptcy may have a significant role to play in seeking such recovery, say attorneys at Stinson.

  • Legal And Industry Impacts Of America's Maritime Action Plan

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    America's Maritime Action Plan, unveiled by the White House last month, introduces changes to trade investigations, a new maritime trust fund and more — adding regulatory and compliance obligations for companies and counsel, but also new avenues for client engagement in project finance, contract negotiation and dispute resolution, say attorneys at Holland & Knight.

  • 4 Ways To Help CBP Curb Shell Co. Import Schemes

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    Shifting to a proactive rather than reactive enforcement posture in addressing shell companies set up to skirt tariffs requires equipping U.S. Customs and Border Protection with enhanced investigative authorities, better intelligence support, and mechanisms to identify and hold accountable the ultimate illicit actors, say attorneys at Kelley Drye.

  • 7 Steps For Gov't Contractors In Post-IEEPA Tariff Landscape

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    In response to U.S. Supreme Court's recent decision to strike down tariffs issued by the Trump administration under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, there are several actions federal contractors should take to preserve their place in any refund waterfall, and to manage audit, overpayment and False Claims Act risk, say attorneys at Holland & Knight.

  • The Benefits Of Choosing A Niche Practice In The AI Age

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    As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly accessible, lawyers with a niche practice may stand out as clients seek specialized judgment that automation cannot replicate, but it is important to choose a niche that is durable, engaging and a good personal fit, says Daniel Borneman at Lowenstein Sandler.

  • Section 122 Tariffs Show Shift In Strategy, Not Trade Policy

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    By imposing temporary tariffs under Section 122 of the Trade Act as a stopgap measure while it pivots to less transitory statutory authorities, the Trump administration sent a clear message that the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Learning Resources v. Trump, invalidating duties imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, will not precipitate a change in policy direction, say attorneys at Snell & Wilmer.

  • Tax Court Ruling Signals Cross-Border Loan Scrutiny

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    The U.S. Tax Court’s recent decision in Aventis v. Commissioner compounds ongoing regulatory focus on debt originations and should prompt practitioners to assess their existing cross-border lending structures for potential exposure to U.S. federal income tax, say attorneys at Eversheds.

  • Lessons From Justices' Split On Major Questions Doctrine

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    The justices' varied opinions in Learning Resources v. Trump, which held the International Emergency Economy Powers Act did not confer the power to impose tariffs, offer a meaningful window into the U.S. Supreme Court's perspective on the major questions doctrine that will likely shape lower courts' approach to executive action challenges, say attorneys at Venable.

  • Resilience Planning As Nat'l Security Shifts Tech Import Policy

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    In response to a sustained reorientation of U.S. trade policy around national security considerations, businesses reliant on processed critical minerals must closely monitor diplomatic negotiations and the potential expansion of trade measures, incorporating contingency planning into procurement and long-term investment strategies, says attorney Sohan Dasgupta.

  • How The New Tariff Landscape May Unfold

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    To replace tariffs formerly imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, the administration will rely on a patchwork of statutes, potentially leading to procedural challenges and a complex tariff landscape with varying levels, durations and applicability, says Joseph Grossman-Trawick at King & Spalding.

  • What Orgs. Should Note In IRS Group Tax Exemption Overhaul

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    In a significant update, the IRS Revenue Procedure 2026-8 shows that the group exemption program is moving into a new regulatory era involving more uniformity, oversight and compliance obligations, and early action is key to preserve group exemption status and avoid disruption for subordinate organizations, says Ravi Sundara at Spencer Fane.

  • How Banks Can Apply FinCEN Beneficial Ownership Relief

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    A recent Financial Crimes Enforcement Unit order limiting the circumstances under which banks should identify and verify beneficial owners may allow banks to tailor their approach to verification compliance, but only after reviewing customer due diligence policies and evaluating alignment with their risk profiles, say attorneys at Cleary.

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