Check out our summary of significant Internal Revenue Service (IRS) guidance and relevant tax matters for the week of May 1, 2023 – May 5, 2023.

May 1, 2023: The IRS released Internal Revenue Bulletin 2023-18, which highlights the following:

• Announcement 2023-13: The Office of Professional Responsibility announced recent disciplinary sanctions involving lawyers, certified public accountants, enrolled agents, enrolled actuaries, enrolled retirement plan agents and appraisers.

• Revenue Procedure 2023-15: This revenue procedure provides a safe harbor method of accounting that taxpayers may use to determine whether expenses to repair, maintain, replace or improve natural gas transmission and distribution property must be capitalized. This revenue procedure also provides procedures for obtaining automatic consent to change to the safe harbor method for linear property and non-linear property.

• Notice 2023-33: This notice provides the corporate bond monthly yield curve and corresponding spot segment rates and the 24-month average segment rates for April 2023. This notice also provides guidance as to interest rates on 30-year Treasury securities and 30-year Treasury weighted average rates.

• Revenue Ruling 2023-8: This revenue ruling obsoletes Revenue Ruling 58-74 relating to the deductibility of research or experimental expenditures for prior taxable years to which the expense method is applicable. There are insufficient facts in Revenue Ruling 58-74 to properly analyze whether a taxpayer’s failure to deduct certain research or experimental expenditures (when it deducted other research or experimental expenditures) constituted a method of accounting or an error.

May 1, 2023: The IRS released Tax Tip 2053-59, highlighting the Small Business Virtual Tax Workshop. This resource can help business owners learn how to navigate their federal tax responsibilities and is an easy and convenient way for both new and experienced small business owners to learn or review topics relevant to their businesses.

May 2, 2023: The IRS announced that Florida storm victims now have until August 15, 2023, to file various federal individual and business tax returns and make tax payments as a result of tornados, severe storms and flooding that occurred from April 12 to April 14, 2023. Relief is available to anyone in an area designated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as qualifying for individual or public assistance. The current list of eligible localities is available here.

May 2, 2023: The IRS released Tax Tip 2023-60, suggesting tools and resources to help small businesses.

May 2, 2023: The IRS urged business taxpayers to begin planning now to take advantage of tax benefits and to prepare for reporting changes that take effect in 2023. This reminder comes as part of National Small Business Week, where the IRS is joining the Small Business Administration and others in both the public and private sector to celebrate the hard work, ingenuity and dedication of small businesses and their contributions to the economy.

May 3, 2023: The IRS encouraged small businesses to take advantage of the numerous resources available to them on IRS.gov. The IRS provides a variety of resources for small business owners to help them understand and meet their tax responsibilities.

May 3, 2023: The IRS released Tax Tip 2023-61, providing guidance on distinguishing between a hobby or a business. The biggest difference is that businesses operate to make a profit while hobbies are for pleasure or recreation.

May 3, 2023: The IRS issued proposed regulations relating to Section 367(d), Rules for Certain Repatriations of Intangible Property. The proposed rules would, in certain instances, terminate the continued application of certain tax provisions after the previous transfer of intangible property to a foreign corporation where the intangible property is repatriated to certain US persons.

May 4, 2023: The IRS released Notice 2023-36, inviting the public to submit recommendations for items to be included in the 2023-2024 Priority Guidance Plan. Each year, the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Tax Policy and the IRS use the Priority Guidance Plan to identify and prioritize the tax issues that should be addressed through regulations, revenue rulings, revenue procedures, notices and other published administrative guidance.

May 4, 2023: The IRS reminded taxpayers that making certain energy efficient updates to their homes could qualify them for home energy tax credits. The credit amounts and types of qualifying expenses were expanded by the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.

May 4, 2023: The IRS released Tax Tip 2023-62, highlighting the Work Opportunity Tax Credit, which is extended through the end of 2025 to help employers that hire workers certified as members of certain groups.

May 5, 2023: The IRS released its weekly list of written determinations (e.g., Private Letter Rulings, Technical Advice Memorandums and Chief Counsel Advice).

Upcoming Events: Registration for the 2023 IRS Nationwide Tax Forums is now open, and the events are returning to an in-person format for the first time since 2019. The IRS Nationwide Tax Forums are designed specifically for tax professionals (e.g., enrolled agents, certified public accountants, certified financial planners and Annual Filing Season Program participants) as well as uncredentialed tax professionals. The dates and locations are as follows:

• July 11-13: New Orleans, LA

• July 25-27: Atlanta, GA

• August 8-10: National Harbor, MD (Washington, DC area)

• August 22-24: San Diego, CA

• August 29-31: Orlando, FL