The California State Board of Equalization (BOE) is responsible for assessing property tax on certain public utilities and other specified companies, including telephone companies and companies selling or transmitting gas or electricity, enabling counties to use those assessed values to collect local property taxes. These companies are commonly referred to as “state assessees” and their … Continue Reading
On Sept. 18, 2019, Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill No. 5 (AB 5) into law in California. The landmark legislation, which came into effect Jan. 1, 2020, promises to significantly expand the number of workers treated as employees for state tax and labor purposes. Although the legislation was aimed at participants in the “gig … Continue Reading
In South Dakota v. Wayfair, Inc., et al., 138 S. Ct. 2080 (decided June 21, 2018), the Supreme Court of the United States held that physical presence in a state was not necessary for retailers to be required to collect and remit state sales and use tax. Many states, including New York, have passed statutes implementing … Continue Reading
The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act provided a 100% first year write-off for many types of capital expenditures. Congressional tax writers intended this benefit to be available for leasehold improvements, which would be a boon to retail and restaurant businesses and their landlords. Unfortunately, in the rush to get the tax bill pushed through, … Continue Reading
Many blame rising home prices, construction and land costs, and a lack of inventory, but a large part of the reason for this disconnect between home sales and the economy may be due to changes in the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) that either reduced or eliminated the tax advantage of purchasing a … Continue Reading
On June 21, 2019, in a unanimous decision, the U.S. Supreme Court held as unconstitutional a North Carolina statute that had been interpreted by North Carolina to mean that a trust owed income tax to North Carolina whenever a beneficiary of the trust lived in the state, even if, in the relevant year, the beneficiary … Continue Reading
This GT Alert addresses the recent Court of Appeal decision in DFS Group LP v. County of San Mateo (Calif. Ct. App., 1st Dist., January 31, 2019, 31 Cal.App.5th 1059; Petition for Review denied by Calif. Supreme Ct., April 24, 2019), which held that local assessors and assessment appeals boards must address intangible assets in their assessment of property for … Continue Reading
On April 25, 2019, the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit decided that refundable state tax brownfield credits are taxable income for federal purposes. The court held in Ginsburg v. United States, “The excess amount of the brownfield redevelopment tax credit received by the Ginsburgs in 2013 is taxable gross income because it … Continue Reading
Just in time for the holidays, the New Jersey Division of Taxation announced a tax amnesty program. Taking a “carrot and stick” approach, the Division of Taxation said that it would take amnesty applications from Nov. 15, 2018, through Jan. 15, 2019, for outstanding liabilities for taxes administered and collected by the New Jersey Division … Continue Reading
Greenberg Traurig’s private client/high net worth team has the experience to advise mega-lottery winners. Our attorneys have worked with individuals who have won some of the biggest lottery awards in the United States. Our approach to advising lottery winner clients is based on three basic principles: Family privacy, security, and freedom from publicity Tax and estate … Continue Reading
County Assessors across California believe that the property located in their counties is worth substantially more this year than it was last year. Each Assessor is required to prepare an annual assessment roll consisting of all taxable property in their county. In many counties, roll values increased substantially: San Francisco (↑10.80 percent), San Mateo (↑8.03 … Continue Reading
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) placed a $10,000 annual limit on the deductibility of state and local taxes (SALT). In response to and attempting to work around that limitation, several states enacted programs that create charitable entities, contributions to which would entitle the donor to a credit reducing their property tax. This would … Continue Reading
Although the sales tax collection obligation of online retailers was the focus of last month’s momentous U.S. Supreme Court case South Dakota v. Wayfair, it will also impact state corporate and income tax obligations. Companies may now be exposed to state income tax as a result of the Wayfair case and should examine their activities … Continue Reading
On June 21, the U.S. Supreme Court decided South Dakota v. Wayfair, allowing states to tax online sales even if the retailer does not have a physical presence in the state. This decision, abandoning a 26 year-old precedent (based on a case heard 25 years before that) has shaken the retail industry. This case will … Continue Reading
On June 21, 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court in South Dakota v. Wayfair, Inc., et al., decided (5-4 although not the usual liberal/conservative split) that an online retailer does not have to maintain a physical presence in a state in order to be required to collect the state’s sales and use tax. This opinion overturns … Continue Reading
This week the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments for South Dakota v. Wayfair, regarding whether physical presence is required within a state for sales and use tax purposes, specifically addressing internet sellers. The case is challenging the Court’s 1992 decision in Quill v. North Dakota, 504 US 298, which upheld a decision from 1967 … Continue Reading
California’s Documentary Transfer Tax Act (Rev. & Tax. Code §§ 11901, et seq.) is based upon the former federal Documentary Stamp Tax Act first enacted by Congress to raise revenues for the Spanish-American War. The federal law was repealed, effective Jan. 1, 1968, and simultaneously California, like many other states, picked up the tax with … Continue Reading
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) limited the deduction for state and local taxes (SALT) to $10,000 for federal tax purposes. For those living in states that impose a personal income tax, this limitation may result in an increase in federal tax if their deductions for property taxes and income taxes paid to states … Continue Reading
Several states are considering proposals in an attempt to reduce the impact of federal tax reform’s $10,000 limit on state and local tax (SALT) deductions. In New York, the Governor’s budget proposal includes establishing two charitable organizations (one for health care and one for education) that will enable taxpayers to make a contribution to those … Continue Reading
Recently proposed legislation would require sellers to collect sales and use tax on the sales price of certain services to California businesses. On Feb. 5, 2018, California Senator Robert Hertzberg introduced a bill, which if enacted, would impose sales and use tax on purchases of services by businesses for benefit and use in California, effective … Continue Reading
The following is a summary of the real estate provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) signed into law by President Trump on Dec. 22, 2017. Individual Rates (Temporary) General tax rate and bracket reductions for individuals (top rate of 37 percent applies to income above $600,000 for joint filers, $500,000 for single … Continue Reading
U.S. Supreme Court grants certiorari in South Dakota v. Wayfair, et al. The U.S. Supreme Court will review the validity of a South Dakota law which requires remote retailers to collect the state’s sales and use tax even if the retailer does not have a physical presence there. If this state law is upheld by … Continue Reading
Many U.S. taxpayers are trying to prepay their 2018 real property taxes by Dec. 31 in order to avoid the $10,000 cap on deductibility of state and local taxes that will go into effect for the 2018 tax year under the new tax law signed by President Trump last week. The IRS said in a … Continue Reading
Whether to be closer to family member or a new job opportunity, individuals are increasingly relocating to another state. If reduction in the applicable state income tax is a motivating reason, avoiding dual-residency should be a primary objective. It is very common for owners of certain assets (closely-held businesses, highly-appreciated assets, and/or highly compensated executives … Continue Reading
