Set Phasers to Stun: Corporate Tax Cuts May Be Delayed Under Phase-in Plan
Posted on Oct 31, 2017 in News
An unnamed member of the House Ways and Means Committee stated Monday that the Committee is discussing a phase-in plan for the corporate tax-rate cut. In response, Kevin Brady, Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, said only that the Committee preferred an option with no phase-in. Both President Trump and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin also expressed their preference for an...
Even with Concession on Property Tax Deductions, Tax Bill Aimed for Wednesday Release Faces Early Opposition
Posted on Oct 30, 2017 in News, State and Local Tax
Kevin Brady, Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, announced that the House’s tax plan will allow individuals to deduct their state and local property taxes from their federal returns, “to help taxpayers with local tax burdens,” although not their state and local income or sales taxes. However, the National Association of Home Builders has already voiced its opposition to the...
House Democrats Release Their Tax Reform Principles
Posted on Oct 27, 2017 in News
The ranking Democrat on the House Ways and Means Committee, Rep. Richard Neal, released their principles on tax reform on Wednesday, outlining the Democrats’ priorities for tax reform legislation. The outline calls for increases to tax credits and incentives targeted towards the middle class and expanding infrastructure investment. On the corporate side, the Democrats’ goals...
House Passes Budget, Clearing the Way for Tax Reform
Posted on Oct 26, 2017 in News
The House of Representatives approved the Senate version of the 2018 federal budget by a narrow margin (216-212). The budget will allow for tax legislation that could add up to $1.5 trillion to the federal deficit over 10 years, and will clear the path for Congress to fast-track tax reform legislation. House Republicans are expected to unveil the text of their tax bill next week....
State and Local Tax Deduction Presents a Potential Roadblock to Tax Reform
Posted on Oct 25, 2017 in News, State and Local Tax
Republican leaders are counting on a swift vote on the budget in order to meet their end-of-year deadline for passing tax reform. However, House Republicans from high-tax states like New York, California, Illinois, and New Jersey indicated that they might not vote to pass the budget on Thursday unless they receive a guarantee that tax reform will not eliminate the State and Local Tax...
“Trick or Treat?: Top House Republicans Discuss Timing for Release of Tax Reform Bill”
Posted on Oct 24, 2017 in Uncategorized
Yesterday, Rep. Mark Meadows, Chairman of the House Freedom Caucus, revealed that he has been promised that the text of the tax reform bill will be published by November 3rd; he expects a vote on the legislation prior to Thanksgiving. Rep. Kevin Brady, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee that is currently drafting the legislation, offered a less-specific timeline, saying...
President Trump Urges House Republicans to Adopt the Senate-Approved Budget to Speed Up Tax-Reform Process
Posted on Oct 23, 2017 in News
President Trump and Vice President Mike Pence urged House Republicans on a conference call yesterday to speed up the tax reform process by adopting the Senate-approved budget without further amendments. The chairwoman of the House Budget Committee, Rep. Diane Black, as well as Speaker Paul Ryan also voiced their support for the passage of the Senate budget this week. The end of this...
Senate GOP Passes Amendment to Repeal State and Local Tax Deduction
Posted on Oct 20, 2017 in News, State and Local Tax
With a 52-47 vote, Senate Republicans passed an amendment to the budget resolution to repeal the state and local tax deduction, which allows federal filers to deduct taxes paid for their real estate, personal property, state income, and sales taxes. The measure is expected to raise $1.3 trillion over the next ten years. Opponents of the move are critical of the fact that only...
Senate Approves Budget, Easing Path Toward Tax Reform Legislation
Posted on Oct 19, 2017 in News, Tax Accounting
The Senate approved a budget for 2018 with language permitting a simple majority vote on tax legislation through reconciliation. The budget language allows tax legislation to add up to $1.5 trillion dollars to the deficit over a decade, which the budget blueprint balances by assuming greater economic growth, cuts in spending and an accounting method that does not include Social...
McCain Announces Support for Budget Resolution
Posted on Oct 18, 2017 in News
Sen. John McCain buoyed GOP tax reform hopes by announcing his support for the Senate budget resolution, set for a vote later this week. Debate on the resolution began midday Tuesday following a 50-47 vote, split along party lines, to move the process forward. While Sen. John Thune expressed optimism toward passing the resolution, some Senate Republicans remain uncommitted, including...
Trump Tempers Tax Reform Timing Expectations
Posted on Oct 17, 2017 in News, State and Local Tax
President Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, at an October 16th White House news conference, acknowledged that the tax code rewrite may not occur by year’s end, though the goal remains to accomplish reform in 2017. With the release of a detailed tax plan still pending, Republicans are faced with disputes regarding how to tax corporations, the fate of the estate tax, and...
Senate Republicans to Vote on Fiscal Year 2018 Budget
Posted on Oct 16, 2017 in News
Senate Republicans anticipate voting on the fiscal year 2018 budget this week, allowing their tax plan to add up to $1.5 trillion to the deficit over the next ten years. The resolution will also contain provisions allowing the GOP to pass the tax reform bill, promised to be brought to the floor by year’s end, by a simple majority and avoid a Democratic filibuster in the Senate. While...
Senate Finance Committee Holds Hearing on International Tax Reform
Posted on Oct 4, 2017 in International Tax, News
Led by Chairman Hatch, the Senate Finance Committee held a hearing on international tax reform, following the release of the Republican tax reform framework. The hearing and witnesses focused on the competitive disparity between foreign multinationals and domestic multinationals. The witnesses differed on whether a switch to a territorial system or stronger earning stripping provisions...
Administration Official States that Repatriation Tax Will Be in the 10% Range
Posted on Oct 3, 2017 in News
National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn stated on Sunday that the Trump administration has proposed taxing profits accumulated offshore in the “10 percent range.” The tax reform framework released on September 27 stated that there would be two rates for the repatriation tax, with cash taxed at a higher rate than illiquid assets, but did not specify an amount. Cohn did not indicate...