CLE Presentation by Shamsey Oloko
AN ANALYSIS OF THE TAX CUTS AND JOBS ACT
January 2018
AN ANALYSIS OF THE TAX CUTS AND JOBS ACT
On December 22, 2017, after much, well-publicized legislative skirmishes, President Donald Trump signed into law H.R. 1, otherwise known as the “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.” Provisions affecting individuals are generally effective beginning December 31, 2017 and expire on December 31, 2025. Most business-related provisions are permanent and are effective beginning December 31, 2017.
This new law is, by all accounts, the most significant revisions to the U.S. tax code since 1986, affecting almost all individual and business taxpayers. Our firm’s general assessment of the new law will therefore be a two-part series: this first part covers changes to individual taxpayers, and the second part will cover changes to business taxpayers.
Trump’s Tax Plan Then And Now, Part 1
What specific tax plan will Donald Trump implement as President of the United States? Trump’s initial plan released in September 2015, set forth four tax brackets of 0%, 10%, 20% and 25%. In October, just prior to the election, he released a new plan that adopted the House Republicans’ approach using three tax brackets, 12%, 25% and 33%. Either plan seems to adopt aspects of the tax reform pursued by House Republicans, as the president-elect moves closer to the Republicans’ tax agenda. Here’s a look at Trump’s tax plan then and now.
President Trump’s 2005 Tax Returns – What It Tells Us
President Trump’s 2005 Tax Return – What It Tells Us
Yesterday, Tuesday March 14, 2017, while most of the New England area was buried in snow, MSNBC published President Trump’s 2005 income tax return – or at least the first two pages of it. What does the return tell us and what does it not?
The Basics – We know he had a positive income in the amount of $152,737,866 and $103,201,242 in tax write-offs. He paid a total of $38,435,451 in taxes for the year.
The Effects Of Trump’s Tax Plan On Individuals And Businesses
Donald Trump’s most current tax plan promises to save taxes for most individual taxpayers. One way is the elimination of the alternative minimum tax. What are some other ways? Trump’s tax plan:
- Adapts the current rates for qualified capital gains and dividends to the new brackets.
- Eliminates the head of household filing status.
- Eliminates the Net Investment Income Tax.
- Increases the standard deduction from $6,300 to $15,000 for singles and from $12,600 to $30,000 for married couples filing jointly.
Unpaid Loans – Tax Consequences To Lenders And Borrowers
One redeemable quality about humans is that we tend to be more willing to loan money than borrowing it. No one really likes to borrow money, but if a friend is in need, many of us help as much as our financial means allow. When this occurs, it is important to understand that there are income tax consequences for both lenders and borrowers when interest is earned, paid or forgiven on a loan. This blog will address the tax consequences of unpaid loans.
Tax Treatment of Business Entities Part 5: S Corporations
Startup business owners must consider the legal and tax considerations associated with selecting a particular type of business structure. This is the fifth part of a series of blogs on the tax treatment of business entities. This final segment will address the tax treatment of S corporations.
S corporations are entities that elect to pass corporate income, losses, deductions, and credits through to their shareholders who report any flow-through income and losses on their personal tax returns and taxed at individual income tax rates, similar to a partnership. Thus, S corporations avoid double taxation on corporate income, unlike C corporations. However, S corporations are responsible for tax on some capital gains and passive income at the corporate level. The rules for Subchapter S corporations are found in Subchapter S of Chapter 1 of the Internal Revenue Code.
Jan Brady’s Capital Gain: Sells House (She Bought In 1969 For 55.3k) For 3.9 Million
Here’s the story of a middle child who made one heckuva investment! Eve Plumb, who played Jan Brady on the iconic 70s TV show, The Brady Bunch, recently sold her Malibu bungalow for $3.9 million. Ms. Plumb purchased the seaside property in 1969 for a mere $55,300, equivalent to approximately $360,000 in our present economy. Sure, it will be subject to tax as a long term capital gain, but it still made Marcia and Greg’s younger sister a rich gal.
Receipt Of Stock In A Demutualization
Demutualization is the process in which a member-owned business becomes owned by shareholders. Traditionally, Insurance companies have used the word “mutual” in their name (i.e., Liberty Mutual) indicating mutually-held ownership by their policy holders as a group, rather than ownership by shareholders. These policyholders possess ownership rights such as voting and distribution. Recently, a strong trend has emerged for such companies to demutualize, converting to a shareholder-held ownership base.
Typically, policy holders are offered shares or money in exchange for ownership rights. Demutualization increases the profit potential of shareholders who can sell or trade their stock, in contrast to mere ownership rights, which cannot be sold or traded. The term “demutualization” no longer applies to just insurance companies but also to the process by which any member-owned organization becomes shareholder-owned.
Tax Issues for new Widows and Widowers
It’s a traumatic experience to lose a spouse. While there is little that can be done to replace this physical and emotional loss, the Tax Code provides some relief for newly widowed taxpayers. Here is a summary of some of the tax breaks for the newly widowed:
Filing Status