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Louis Vlahos

Louis Vlahos practices tax law and has extensive experience in corporate, individual and partnership income taxation, and in estate and gift taxation, including tax planning, ruling requests and tax controversy.

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Hasta La Vista N.Y.

Wealthy individuals continue to leave New York[i] for tax friendlier jurisdictions.

Be Prepared[ii]

Some of these taxpayers take a very methodical approach toward planning for their departure. They consult their tax advisers many months, if not a few years, in advance of any move.[iii] They educate themselves in the rules that New York will apply to determine their tax residence. Then they formulate a plan and implement it in a very deliberate way.Continue Reading Can You Be Sure You’ve Left New York Before The Sale of Your Business? Will It Matter?

Solace in the Mundane?  

At war with Russia in eastern Europe, a nascent competing world order, mass shootings and bank failures at home, questionable audit practices by the Big 4 . . . everywhere, debt ceilings and the risk of default, inflation, tighter credit, recession, crypto-nonsense, recreational cannabis, legalized gambling, men competing in women’s sports, a nation divided over all too many things, the Knicks down to the Heat 3 games to 2,[i] the prospect of Biden vs Trump II,[ii]. . . , the list goes on.[iii]Continue Reading Indirectly Held Profits Interests and Rev. Proc. 93-27

Charitable Giving Update

According to a recent report on charitable giving, the number of donors at every level of giving dropped during the first three quarters of 2022.[i] The number of new donors was down by over 19 percent and the number of “newly retained” donors was down by almost 25 percent. The number of individual donors was down 7 percent.

That said, the amount donated was up 4.7 percent. According to the report, however, “the amount of goods and services that money could purchase was down,” citing the rate of inflation.Continue Reading Selling Your Business? Careful of Pre-Sale Contributions of Stock to Charity

A Dirty Business?

The art world is replete with tales of whodunits, forgeries, thefts, money laundering, looting of antiquities, murders, ancient curses, etc. You might say it’s a perfect environment for the more “sophisticated” type of criminal.[i] For the same reasons, it has proven to be a rich source of material for literature and Hollywood – “art” imitating life, as they say.Continue Reading Sotheby’s N.Y. Sales Tax “Woes” Revisited

Every year, the IRS compiles a list of common scams that taxpayers may encounter – its so-called “Dirty Dozen.”

Today, the Service wrapped up the annual Dirty Dozen list of tax scams for 2023 with a reminder for taxpayers, businesses and tax professionals to watch out for these schemes throughout the year, not just during tax season.

To help folks with identifying, and staying away from, these scams, the IRS has provided an overview recapping this year’s Dirty Dozen scams.[i]Continue Reading IRS Wraps Up Its 2023 Dirty Dozen List

Conforming

Many years ago, New York revised its personal income tax law to achieve close conformity with the Federal system of income taxation. The stated purpose for the revision was to simplify tax return preparation, improve compliance and enforcement, and aid in the interpretation of tax law provisions.[i] In furtherance of this policy of conformity, as the Code is amended by Congress, New York automatically adopts the Federal changes.[ii]Continue Reading New York Examines Federal Income Tax Issues –Conformity and . . . Disclosure?

What Is It?

Where one stands on an issue of tax law may depend upon context and perspective, including the facts and circumstances one finds relevant, and whom one is counseling or representing.[i] 

Tax advisers often find themselves in situations in which they must ascertain either the “true” nature of a transfer of property between taxpayers[ii] – what they intended – or the character of the property that is the subject of the transfer. The determination of one may influence the outcome as to the other.Continue Reading Sale of Partnership Interests . . . In the Ordinary Course of Business?

Annual Ritual

The Budget and Accounting Act of 1921 established the requirement that the President submit a budget to Congress for the upcoming fiscal year.[i] Among other things, the proposed federal budget affords the President an opportunity to identify priorities for the next fiscal year, to quantify how much the Administration expects it will cost the government to attain the President’s goals, and to explain how and from what sources the funds needed to cover these expenses will be raised.Continue Reading The President’s 2024 Federal Budget: “Reforming” the Taxation of High-Income Taxpayers