The recent MBJ v. Commissioner ruling highlights the important role of contract language in determining eligibility for Research and Development (R&D) Credits. MBJ, a structural engineering firm, had $190,000 in credits disallowed due to inadequate contract language. Although MBJ's contracts allowed for phase inspections and termination for substantial failure to...

A recent Tax Court ruling in S Moore v. Commissioner serves as a reminder of the important role documentation plays in supporting claims for research credits. In this case, the Tax Court disallowed a tax credit for research expenses claimed by a married couple due to inadequate documentation...

In an interview by Arda Bircan from STR Tax Loophole, Alex Bagne, President of ICS, explains how savvy investors combine cost segregation with the short-term rental loophole to minimize income taxes, grow a real estate portfolio, and build generational wealth. He discusses a real-life scenario in which a successful C-level...

On Thursday, March 21, the Senate Finance Committee held a hearing on the Biden 2025 Budget Proposal, questioning Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen on various aspects of the proposed budget, with many members noting concern about the proposed increase of the corporate tax rate and aspects of the budget that would...

The §179D Energy Efficient Commercial Building Deduction is a federal tax incentive encouraging energy efficient construction by providing building owners and designers with substantial financial benefits. An exciting aspect in 2024 is the inflationary increase of the maximum §179D Deduction to $5.65 per square foot for projects meeting the prevailing...

The proposed Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024 changes the period for when companies must start the five-year period for the deduction of research and experimental expenditures from tax years beginning after December 31, 2021, to tax years beginning after December 31, 2025...

The short-term rental loophole allows investors in vacation homes and similar properties to offset wage income with accelerated tax deductions generated by cost segregation studies. The article titled "Expanding the Short-Term Rental Loophole with Cost Segregation," co-written by Alex Bagne, President of ICS, details the mechanics of this beneficial tax...

The American Society of Cost Segregation Professionals (ASCSP) just concluded its annual conference in Washington, DC. ICS Tax, LLC sent three of its cost segregation professionals, Alex Bagne, Roel Vicerra and Luis Barreira to stay abreast of developments within this ever changing industry. Alex Bagne, a Certified Cost Segregation Professional (CCSP)...

On September 27, 2023, the IRS released guidance on §45L New Energy Efficient Home Credit (§45L Credit) through Notice 2023-65. The guidance provided in this notice addresses: (i) the person that is eligible for the credit, (ii) determining the applicable amount of the credit, (iii) energy saving requirements, (iv) certification...

On September 8, 2023, the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) and Department of the Treasury (“Treasury”) released an advance version of Notice 2023-63. This Notice provides interim guidance intended to clarify the amortization and capitalization of specified research and experimental (“SRE”) expenditures under Section 174, amended by the Tax Cuts and Jobs...

An Internal Revenue Service new release previews proposed changes to certain sections of Form 6765, Credit for Increasing Research Activities, commonly known as the Research & Development (R&D) tax credit. The IRS is soliciting feedback in the absence of the formal draft release process for form changes. The...

An Internal Revenue Service new release announced that the IRS would halt processing new Employee Retention Credits (ERC). The moratorium, beginning September 14, 2023, is expected to run through at least the end of the year. The news report stated that the IRS will “continue to work previously filed Employee...

ICS Tax, LLC is pleased to announce that Roel Vicerra has joined our team as a Cost Segregation Senior Manager. Based in Houston, Texas, Roel brings over a decade of experience in the cost segregation industry. He is an associate member of the American Society of Cost Segregation Professionals and...

The IRS has publicly issued several warnings on the aggressive promotion of the Employee Retention Credits, even making it onto their 2023 Dirty Dozen list of tax scams. Many ERC promotions can be based on misleading information related to eligibility and credit calculations. Radio and internet ads promising guaranteed credits...

In a recent case, Michael Johnson, et ux. v. Commissioner, the tax court denied the majority of a taxpayer’s Energy Efficient Commercial Building Deduction under IRC §179D since it claimed a §179D Deduction exceeding the cost of the Energy Efficient Commercial Building Property (EECBP)...