The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) has issued a final rule (the Residential Real Estate Rule) requiring certain persons involved in residential real estate closings and...more
On August 28, 2024, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (“FinCEN”) issued its “Anti-Money Laundering Regulations for Residential Real Estate Transfers” (the “Final Rule”), to become effective December 1, 2025. This Final...more
Former Congressman George Santos Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft - On August 19, former US Representative George Santos pleaded guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. As part of the...more
On June 10, 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court granted certiorari in Advocate Christ Medical Center v. Becerra for the October 2024 – 2025 term to review a D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling potentially affecting up to $4 billion...more
Section 6417 of the Internal Revenue Code was added by the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA). The section provides that eligible taxpayers may make an election to claim certain clean energy credits even though they have...more
The various forms of information reporting required by the Internal Revenue Code form the backbone of both voluntary compliance with tax laws and the starting point for audits by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). One form...more
The IRS’s Office of Chief Counsel recently published a memorandum providing information for cannabis companies struggling to comply with the completion of Form 8300, which must be filed every time a company receives a cash...more
Following consideration of comments received from an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, on February 16, 2024, FinCEN issued a proposed rule (the “Proposed Rule”) that for the first time would require non-financed...more
How many times have you wished that you could undo something from your past, perhaps a string of incoherent statements made at a client dinner while slightly under the influence, or an expletive-filled email composed and sent...more
While many Americans are struggling to achieve the dream of homeownership, there are criminals that abuse the housing market for financial gain. To avoid the scrutiny of financial institutions that have anti-money laundering...more
The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) on Feb. 7, 2024, issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) proposing a new nationwide reporting obligation to be imposed on settlement...more
On December 13, 2023, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC” or the “Commission”) voted 4-1 to approve Standards for Covered Clearing Agencies for U.S. Treasury Securities and Application of the Broker-Dealer...more
Please note this an update to a Client Alert that was issued on January 4, 2024. If you receive more than $10,000 in digital assets in one transaction (or a series of related transactions), the Infrastructure Investment and...more
Although the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has postponed broker-related digital asset reporting, a less publicized requirement that applies long-standing reporting rules for physical cash payments to businesses that accept...more
On December 13, 2023, the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) voted 4-1, to adopt Standards for Covered Clearing Agencies for U.S. Treasury Securities and Application of the Broker-Dealer Customer Protection Rule...more
Under a new federal law enacted in 2021 (the “American Rescue Plan” or the “New Law”), Venmo, Pay Pal, Cash App, Etsy, eBay and other e-commerce platforms are now required to send individual users income tax Form 1099-K for...more
There is an important new requirement from the IRS for US businesses based upon a new release from the IRS. Any US business who receives a cash payment exceeding $10,000 is required to file Form 8300 – “Report of Cash...more
It is scary to think of cyber warfare and how it may affect us. But the reality is there, and we should be prepared. I was chatting with a colleague this morning who asked for the top two things to do to prepare for a massive...more
The accounting industry is in a state of transition. The influx of private equity, labor shortages, and remote/hybrid work have all impacted accounting firms to varying degrees. To better understand the landscape of the...more
The cashless ban aims to support over 100,000 unbanked Detroit residents. The ordinance was enacted by the City Council on June 13, 2023 and is effective on September 11, 2023. While there is no existing federal law...more
Starting on April 25, 2023, and ending on October 21, 2023, the U.S. Department of the Treasury Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) is requiring disclosure of beneficial ownership of entities that purchase...more
Since what feels like the beginning of time, cash currency has dominated the business of monetary compensation. Beginning in the 1950’s, cash met one of its toughest competitors: the credit card. Piggybacking off the idea of...more
Cannabis-based business audits are lucrative for the Internal Revenue Service. IRS auditors are more likely to see returns from cannabis audits than from mainstream industries and therefore prioritizes the cannabis industry....more
As more states legalize cannabis, license businesses, and regulate product (not to mention engorge tax coffers), entrepreneurs and customers in ‘legal’ states continue to confront fundamental questions often left in the...more