Month: August 2011

Aircraft Personal Use: SIFL Rates For The Second Half Of 2011

Posted by Ari Good, JD LLM on

Part of the “ingredients” in calculating personal use under the SIFL (Standard Industry Fare Level) rules include a per-mile charge for flights that require this methodology. For the uninitiated, the SIFL calculation is used to impute income to a plane owner who either: (i) brings “hitchkikers” along as personal guests on business trips, or (ii) flies for a special class of reasons known as “personal non-entertainment”. In short, the business owner compensates the U.S. taxpayer for using, or granting, the “fringe benefit” of allowing a business plane to be used for personal reasons.

The most updated figures (for flights taken between 7/1/11 -12/31/11):

Period During Which the Flight Is Taken

Up to 500 miles = $.2395 per mile
501-1500 miles = $.1826 per mile
Over 1500 miles = $.1756 per mile

Terminal Charge = $43.79

These charges are calculated for that group of miles and added together, so, for example, a 1000 mile flight will require calculating (500 miles x $0.2395) plus (500 miles x $0.1826). The more you fly, the better the deal (sometimes).

There is also a “terminal charge” that is updated twice a year. For the second half it is $43.79 per SIFL-qualified flight.

(Updated 10/03/2011)
Source: Rev. Rul. 2011-21, 2011-40 IRB 458, 09/30/2011

IRS Takes Aim At Professionals

Posted by Ari Good, JD LLM on

The IRS maintains “Audit Technique Guides” for use by its examiners in auditing different types of businesses. These guides identify the issues that the auditor should be reviewing and the types of documentation the auditor should review in addressing these issues.

The taxpayer can use these Guides to his advantage in several ways. Naturally it is always helpful to have your opponent’s playbook before the game. While an auditor might not be bound strictly to the principles in the Guide (it is advisory rather than mandatory), you can point to its guidelines if there are points of disagreement as to what the auditor wants to review or the scope of the audit. Always remember, too, to verify that the years to be examined are not closed (generally tax years more than 3 years absent fraud and with timely filed returns). You can similarly point to the Internal Revenue Manual (I.R.M.) as “persuasive” authority that you are correct on a particular point of tax law.

With that background, the Service has recently updated its guides for audits of Attorneys and Business Consultants. One particular area of interest is in the Attorney guide on the subject of attorney-client privilege. The guide correctly recognizes that an attorney and his or her client have the right to assert this privilege against the IRS. The Service may be able to overcome this privilege in some cases by issuing a summons, if there is evidence of fraud or in criminal matters. The tax attorney must carefully review the information to be produced, however, consistent with his or her ethical obligations to his clients, and insist that the Service strictly adhere to its procedures for issuing summons to acquire protected communications. The Service may not audit an attorney as a fishing expedition for information about the attorney’s clients.

As a tax attorney I often represent other professionals against the IRS and Florida Department of Revenue in federal income tax, and Florida sales tax, use tax and employment tax audits. If you would like more information about defending your legal rights in this area please visit me at https://www.goodattorneysatlaw.com/tax.html.

For the IRS Attorney Audit Technique Guide see http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/article/0,,id=241098,00.html