Individual Strategies

Cecile Barker and Why You Need to Keep Records Longer Than You Thought

Cecile Barker has bad news from the Eleventh Circuit. They have upheld the Tax Court’s disallowance of his multi-million dollar net operating loss deduction (NOL) largely generated by SoBe Entertainment LLC. SoBe Entertainment is a record label that has represented numerous artists included Brooke Hogan, daughter of Hulk Hogan. The indirect Hulk Hogan connection makes Mr. Barker a tangential figure in a fascinating story you can read about in Conspiracy – Peter Thiel, Hulk Hogan, Gawker and the Anatomy of Intrigue by Ryan Holiday. For purposes of this article, we will stick to the tax story which began with a Tax Court opinion in 2018, which I covered previously.

Subscribe to Read the rest of the article

Think Outside the Tax Box provides tax reduction strategies along with practical implementation advice in order to reduce your clients’ federal tax bill with ease.

Already have an account? Sign in

CURRENT EDITION

Charitable Impacts of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act

Thomas Gorczynski, EA USTCP CTP

For charitable-minded taxpayers, several provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OB3 Act) will impact the tax reduction associated with their charitable giving starting next year in 2026. In one case, the change increases the deductible amount, but all other changes surprisingly reduce the value of charitable contribution deductions. This article will review how the OB3 Act changed the charitable contribution deduction landscape and strategies for tax year 2025 and beyond to maximize the tax reduction value from charitable contributions.

A Tax Tailored for Twenty-Six: OBBBA’s Impact on College Endowments

Peter J Reilly CPA

Chapter 4 of the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBBA) is titled “Investing In American Families, Communities.” Subchapter B of Chapter 4 is “Permanent investments in students and reforms to tax-exempt institutions.” That is where you will find “Modification of excise tax on investment income of certain private colleges and universities.” What is really amusing about this rewrite of IRC Section 4968 “Excise tax based on investment income of private colleges and universities” is that it applies to such a small number of institutions that you can identify them with a decent degree of certainty from publicly available information. The tax does not apply to state universities.

10 Key Things Tax Professionals Should Know About State and Local Business Incentives

Garret Wasny, MA, CMC, CITP/FITP

State and local business tax incentives are powerful tools that can significantly reduce a company’s tax burden and influence business decisions. Every U.S. state offers some form of incentive to attract or retain businesses, from tax credits and exemptions to cash grants and property tax abatements. For experienced tax professionals, understanding these incentives is crucial for effective tax planning and helping clients maximize savings. Below are ten key things to know about state and local business incentives, along with real-world examples and actionable insights. We’ll also wrap up with essential dos and don’ts when advising clients on these programs.