The Internal Revenue Service is urging taxpayers involved in syndicated conservation easement transactions to consult with their tax advisors following a recent U.S. Tax Court decision. The IRS also plans to continue aggressive enforcement efforts in this area. In late 2016, the Internal Revenue Service designated certain syndicated conservation easement arrangements as “listed transactions” in
IRS Steps Up the Pressure on Abusive Syndicated Conservation Easements
The Internal Revenue Service announced today a significant increase in enforcement actions for syndicated conservation easement transactions, a priority compliance area. According to the announcement, coordinated audits are being conducted throughout various examination divisions of the IRS. At the same time, the IRS Criminal Investigation division has criminal investigations underway in this area. These audits
Conservation Easements: A Year End Review
The IRS has been cracking down on conservation easement transactions for over ten years. Nevertheless, taxpayers have continued to claim charitable contribution deductions attributable to the donation of conservation easements and promoters have continued to assemble investments utilizing conservation easement charitable deductions. The IRS began focusing on syndicated conservation easement transactions when it issued Notice
LB&I Announces Five More Compliance Campaigns
The Internal Revenue Service Large Business and International division (LB&I) has announced the approval of five additional compliance campaigns. LB&I announced on January 31, 2017, the rollout of its first 13 campaigns, followed by 11 campaigns on November 3, 2017, five campaigns on March 13, 2018, six campaigns on May 21, 2018, and five more
Conservation Easements: Charitable Deduction Disallowed Under “Substantial Benefits” Test
In Wendell Falls Development, LLC v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo. 2018-45, the Tax Court denied a charitable contribution deduction for a taxpayer’s contribution of a conservation easement because the taxpayer expected to receive a substantial benefit from the donation.
The taxpayer purchased 27 contiguous parcels of unimproved land, comprising 1,280 acres. The taxpayer planned to
Courts Issue Victories to Conservation Easement Donors
August brought three wins for taxpayers who donated conservation easements that were challenged by the IRS. In all of the cases, terms of the conservation easement deed document carried the day.
- In BC Ranch II, L.P. v. Comm’r, No. 16-60068, 2017 BL 282040 (5th Cir. Aug. 11, 2017), the Fifth Circuit overturned a Tax