Can you deduct car and truck expenses, such as mileage, if your business has minimal activities? The court addressed this in Samadi v. Commissioner, T.C. Summary Opinion 2018-27, which provides an opportunity to consider the question. Facts and Procedural History The facts and procedural history for the case are not unusual. The taxpayer obtained a real……
TX-LW Blogs
What Happens if You Lose an Original Will?
We live in a digital world–well, most of our important documents do. Even today there are some documents that have to be kept in paper form. A will is an example. This begs the question, what happens when you lose your original will? Or what happens if you cannot locate the original will for a…
Contesting a Will After the Probate Assets are Distributed
Contesting a Will After the Probate Assets are Distributed There are a number of challenges an executor can face in administering an estate. Will contests are an example. These disputes can be particularly troubling if they are filed after the estate has been administered and the probate assets have been distributed. The court recently considered…
Can the IRS Take Property Purchased in a Business Name?
If you owe the IRS back taxes but want to buy real estate or some other type of property, can you form a legal entity and use it to acquire property and thereby put the property beyond the IRS’s reach? The court recently addressed this in United States v. Jones, No. 8:17-cv-2389-T-24 AEP (M.D. Fla.……
IRS Refuses to Enforce Lien, Leaving Taxpayer Without Recourse
If the IRS has a superior lien on real estate, it should enforce its lien and apply the sales proceeds to reduce the taxpayer’s unpaid taxes. But what if there is a junior lien that acquires the real estate first? Can the IRS work out a deal with the junior lien holder and divert a……
Managing IRS Debts With Retirement Account Assets
Retirement accounts can present a number of challenges when trying to resolve an IRS debt. The IRS considers a retirement account as an asset in its collection analysis. The recent Scanlon v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo. 2018-51, court case provides an opportunity to consider the impact of retirement assets on IRS collection matters. The Facts &……
Executor Not Required to Post Bond Absent Complaint
Texas law allows for an informal probate process. This gives the executor a considerable amount of leeway to administer the probate estate. But as highlighted in the recent In Re Cassar, No. 14-17-00825-CV (Ct. App.–Houston 2018) case, there are instances when the probate court will order the executor to post a bond to ensure that…
Texas Probate Attorney Ad Litem Fee is Not Negotiable
Texas Probate Attorney Ad Litem Fee is Not Negotiable Probate courts in Texas appoint attorneys to represent the unknown heirs. The attorneys fee is paid out of the probate assets. In Estate of Erwin, No. 07-16-00130-CV (Tex. App.–Amarillo 2018), the court addressed whether the beneficiaries and the attorney ad litem can negotiate or agree on…
Texas Courts Strictly Construe Language in Wills
Texas Courts Strictly Construe Language in Wills The courts will generally enforce the terms of a valid will. The focus is on the language of the will, not external evidence that suggests a different meaning for the language included in the will. A good example of this can be found in Estate of Neal, No. 02-16-00381-CV…