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Around the Tax World- JULY 7, 2026
In The HeadlinesTrump pushes back on foreign digital services taxes by threatening 100% tariffs.
What's New In The Tax World?Could the federal gas tax be on its way out?
State-By-State-UpdatesCalifornia approves a tax on Trump’s “anti-weaponization” fund.
Tax Planning TipsDo Trump Account contributions need to be reported as a gift to the IRS?
READ MOREAround the Tax World- JUNE 23, 2026
In The HeadlinesOpenAI goes on a spending spree to the tune of $3.7 billion.
What's New In The Tax World?Money is running out from a Social Security trust fund—what could that mean for your taxes?
State-By-State-UpdatesCalifornia’s governor pushes back on a proposed billionaire tax.
Tax Planning TipsTax planning could make a major difference to your student loan payments
Around the Tax World- JUNE 9, 2026
In The HeadlinesThe Supreme Court decides to stay out of the California-Florida tax tussle.
What's New In The Tax World?Retail sales spiked in 2026, but the reason might be tax refunds
State-By-State-UpdatesFlorida debates a total overhaul of their property tax system.
Tax Planning TipsHow can Trump Accounts help with tax savings?
Around the Tax World- May 26, 2026
In The HeadlinesTrump settles his lawsuit against the IRS—and gains audit protection in the process.
What's New In The Tax World?Jeff Bezos stirs up talk about eliminating income taxes in a recent interview
State-By-State-UpdatesNew Mexico faces disappointing results from its $512 million in state tax credits.
Tax Planning TipsThe enhanced premium tax credit didn’t make it to 2026—what has the impact been?
Around the Tax World- May 7, 2026
In The HeadlinesThe S&P 500 stalls as the war in Iran continues and the Federal Reserve meets on interest rates.
What's New In The Tax World?Republican lawmakers look to woo voters with lower capital gains taxes
State-By-State-UpdatesCalifornia’s “billionaire tax” makes it a step closer to the November ballot.
Tax Planning TipsWho can benefit most from the IRS’ free tax withholding tool?
Around the Tax World- April 23, 2026
In The HeadlinesJust how bad is the energy crisis? Experts assess the impact of the ongoing war in Iran.
What's New In The Tax World?Despite the OBBBA tax cuts, polls show that most Americans think they are overpaying on taxes—a sentiment that could impact midterm elections
State-By-State-UpdatesHawaii’s climate cruise tax is blocked by an appeals court—what’s next?
Tax Planning TipsAs annuity sales reach record growth levels, what does this mean for tax planning?
Around the Tax World- April 9, 2026
In The HeadlinesPresident Trump projects an end to the war in Iran in April, causing stocks to rally.
What's New In The Tax World?Did you know tax assessments have an expiration date? Here’s what to know.
State-By-State-UpdatesAlaska struggles with lost revenue from properties erroneously claiming a tax exemption.
Tax Planning TipsAre your investments tax-advantaged—and if not, what needs to change?
Around the Tax World- march 25, 2026
In The HeadlinesThe Federal Reserve keeps interest rates as-is but alludes to a future cut.
What's New In The Tax World?The National Taxpayer Advocate anticipates 2026 challenges due to staffing reductions and retroactive changes to tax law
State-By-State-UpdatesCalifornia adds animated and competition TV shows to its Film & Television Tax Credit Program.
Tax Planning TipsHow do the OBBBA tax policies impact retirement planning?
Around the Tax World- march 10, 2026
In The HeadlinesThe Trump administration takes a 10% stake in Intel.
What's New In The Tax World?The IRS has released a new OBBBA schedule: Taxpayers can now claim a tax exemption on tips, overtime, and car loan interest
State-By-State-UpdatesCalifornia lawmakers are torn over a new gas tax study.
Tax Planning TipsHow could A.I. impact the way taxpayers approach filing season?
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CURRENT EDITION

Lessons Learned from the Tax Court: What’s at Stake?
Astute readers of this publication may recognize that I frequently write on Cryptocurrency and also on Tax Court cases. It feels like Christmas to me to be able to write about a tax court case about crypto. This is only the Third Tax court case to even mention crypto, and the first to look at the underlying principles of taxation. (The other two were about including crypto assets in a CDP hearing and a frivolous tax protester argument). Today’s case, Paschall v. Commissioner, is about the taxation of staking income.

What’s New With Hobby Loss: Recent Developments in Section 183
Recent developments in the Section 183 (Hobby loss) area have not led me to change my basic conclusions. Taxpayers who have a sincere objective of ultimately making a profit should not hesitate to claim losses from the underlying activities. That is so even if you believe that profits are improbable. It is critical that they meet the standard of behaving in a businesslike manner. The other regulatory factors should not be ignored, but often there is not that much you can do about them. Reilly’s 18th Law of Tax Planning – Honest objective trumps realistic expectation.

The Art of Income Shifting: Powerful Planning Strategies That Stand Up to Scrutiny
Income shifting strategies address taxation at its most fundamental level by directing income to taxpayers in lower brackets or with offsetting deductions. Unlike many tax strategies that merely time recognition or enhance deductions, effective income shifting can permanently reduce the tax burden on a given dollar of income—often creating tax savings that compound year after year. In this article, we’ll explore systematic approaches to income shifting that create extraordinary value for clients while maintaining impeccable compliance.
