No holiday break for US Tax Court, as fresh developments arise, and some old doctrines need reenforcing. As usual, we've got both common problems and arcana on the radar, with one potential blockbuster.

There are roughly 42.7 million federal student loan borrowers as of Q4 2024, creating an opportunity to provide additional insight to your clients beyond tax preparation. By leveraging certain tax and repayment strategies, you can help your clients reduce their tax liability and lower their student loan payments in one strategic swoop. Here’s how.

Just a few new developments out of United States Tax Court in November. Technical issues predominate in this short working month.

In the prior article "Tax Trends in M&A and What It Means for Your Clients," we had discussed certain techniques to, e.g., maximize net operating loss (“NOL”) and interest expense deduction utilization in the context of M&A transactions. This article examines certain additional strategies to monetize expiring, latent, or otherwise disallowed tax attributes.

On the website for Axium Wealth, Charles Dombek tells us that: “Most CPAs are historians that tell their clients how much they make, how much they owe, when and where to file their taxes, and oftentimes how to write large checks at the last minute when you least expect.” When it comes to Axium, though: “We help clients recover dollars they unnecessarily pay in State and Federal income taxes.” Axium also helps clients diversify capital into off-market passive real estate and alternative investments. Before Axium, there was The Optimal-Financial Group LLC. Of course many of the readers of Think Outside The Tax Box are CPAs, or EAs or others who both help their clients be compliant and advise on ways to minimize their liability. When I was practicing I would call the things I might suggest my “bag of tricks.”

It's been said that the United States Tax Court is "a vital cog in the financial machinery of the country," and October proved that point yet again.

As states increasingly focus on taxing digital products, tax professionals need to be aware of how these changes will affect their clients and businesses. The Multistate Tax Commission (MTC) is at the forefront of efforts to create more uniform approaches to taxing digital goods, and their proposals could have far-reaching consequences for compliance, pricing strategies, and audit risks. Here’s a breakdown of the major proposals under consideration and how they will impact sellers of digital products—and the tax professionals advising them.

In this fascinatingly original article, we explore the striking parallels between America's pastime and the high-stakes world of tax litigation. Prepare to be surprised as we reveal the hidden connections between the umpires of the diamond and the judges of the Tax Court. From the precise strike zones of regular judges to the veteran expertise of senior judges, and the specialized skills of special trial judges, you'll gain a newfound appreciation for the officials who keep the game of tax law fair and balanced.