#audit
Independent audit and assurance engagements — SOC 2, financial statement audits, internal controls testing, evidence collection, and audit readiness for service organizations and growing businesses
Section 7463 lets a taxpayer challenge an IRS deficiency of $50,000 or less in U.S. Tax Court without a lawyer for a $60 filing fee, using a simplified Form 2 petition and informal trial — in exchange for giving up the right to appeal and the ability to set precedent.
The step transaction doctrine lets the IRS treat a sequence of formally separate steps as one taxable transaction. This guide explains the three tests courts apply — end result, mutual interdependence, and binding commitment — the landmark cases (Gregory v. Helvering, Court Holding, Kimbell-Diamond), the 2026 transactions most exposed (1031 drop-and-swaps, pre-sale entity conversions, gifts before the estate exemption sunset), and the documentation habits that keep multi-step plans defensible.
ASC 815 requires derivatives to be marked to market through earnings unless you elect hedge accounting at inception. A guide to the three hedge models, the simplified approach for private companies, and the documentation mistakes that turn a clean economic hedge into quarterly earnings volatility.
Form 8275 lets taxpayers disclose debatable tax positions with the IRS to defeat the 20% Section 6662 accuracy-related penalty when a position has at least a reasonable basis. Covers when to use Form 8275 versus Form 8275-R, what counts as adequate disclosure, timing rules, and Section 6694 preparer-penalty protection.
A practical guide to splitting nonprofit costs across program, management, and fundraising — covering ASU 2016-14 requirements, Form 990 Part IX, time studies, square-footage methods, the three-test joint cost rule, and the written cost allocation plan auditors expect to see.
Revenue Procedure 2019-38 lets landlords treat rental real estate as a trade or business for the 20% QBI deduction if they log 250 hours of qualifying services, keep contemporaneous records, avoid triple net leases, and file a signed election — now permanent under the 2025 One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
Section 4958 imposes 25% and 200% excise taxes on excess benefit transactions between public charities and disqualified persons, with a 10% manager tax on knowing approvers. Following three procedural steps creates a rebuttable presumption of reasonableness that shifts the burden of proof to the IRS.
A Section 6603 deposit freezes IRS underpayment interest on contested tax while preserving your appeal, Tax Court, and withdrawal rights. This guide covers the written designation under Rev. Proc. 2005-18, when a deposit beats a payment, LIFO withdrawal mechanics, and the procedural traps that turn planned deposits into accidental payments.
A Section 6603 deposit halts interest on a disputed IRS liability without paying the tax, conceding the position, or forfeiting Tax Court access. Revenue Procedure 2005-18 spells out the mechanics—a written designation that names the tax, year, amount, and basis for disputability.
A working blueprint for splitting authorization, custody, recording, and reconciliation across a three-person business — including the compensating controls that stop the $141,000 median fraud loss that hits small companies hardest.
A practical guide to AR-C 70 preparation, AR-C 80 compilation, and AR-C 90 review engagements — what each delivers, typical fee ranges, and how private companies match the right tier to lender, surety, and investor requirements without paying for unused assurance.
How private-company controllers build the ASC 740 income tax provision—current and deferred components, valuation allowances, UTBs, and the new ASU 2023-09 disclosures that take effect for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2025.
