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markdown Awaiting Input I am ready to analyze your tax-related document. To provide a thorough analysis, please provide the document text. Understanding the relevant tax law landscape is critic
Case: N/A
Court: US Tax Court
Opinion Date: January 31, 2026
Published: Jan 24, 2026
IRS_WRITTEN_DETERMINATION
## Awaiting Input
I am ready to analyze your tax-related document. To provide a thorough analysis, please provide the document text. Understanding the relevant tax law landscape is critical; therefore, it is useful to be aware of key changes and precedents.
Federal tax law is derived from statutory, administrative, and judicial authorities. The primary source is the **Internal Revenue Code (IRC)**, enacted by Congress and found in **Title 26 of the U.S. Code**. It is the highest authority unless deemed unconstitutional. Interpretations and guidance also come from the IRS and Treasury Department in the form of **Treasury Regulations** (official interpretations of the IRC published in the Federal Register and codified in 26 CFR), **Revenue Rulings** (IRS interpretations applied to specific facts), **Revenue Procedures** (official IRS procedures affecting taxpayer rights), **Private Letter Rulings (PLRs)** (written statements to individual taxpayers, *not* precedent per IRC § 6110(k)(3)), and **Notices and Announcements** (early guidance). Judicial authority comes from the U.S. Tax Court (T.C. Opinions, T.C. Memo opinions, and Summary Opinions), and Federal District and Appellate Courts.
Recent shifts in tax law demand attention. The **One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA)**, officially signed into law as **Public Law 119-21 (139 Stat. 72)** on July 4, 2025, brought about significant changes. The OBBBA was the centerpiece of the 119th Congress's tax and spending policy. Primarily, it permanently extended individual tax rates and standard deduction levels originally enacted under the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA). However, the legislation is estimated to increase the federal deficit by approximately $4.5 trillion over ten years. The OBBBA included the "No Tax on Tips" deduction, exclusions for certain overtime income, and the creation of "Trump Accounts" designed to promote youth wealth-building.
For instance, **IRC § 132 (Employee Fringe Benefits)** has seen changes. Note that while the initial query mentioned proposed regulations REG-108822-25 in connection to Section 132, that regulation in fact pertains to **IRC § 6050K** and **IRC § 751(a)**, which modify information reporting obligations for sales or exchanges of partnership interests (Form 8308). The correct regulatory connection to IRC § 132 is **REG-132805-17** (Proposed August 2025), which updates the industry classification system used for **IRC § 132(a)(1)** (no-additional-cost services) and **(a)(2)** (qualified employee discounts). The proposed regulations replace the 1974 ESIC Manual with the **2022 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS)**, specifically using the four-digit "Industry Group" level to define an employer's line of business. Furthermore, the OBBBA permanently eliminated the exclusion for qualified bicycle commuting reimbursements under **IRC § 132(f)(8)**, effective for tax years beginning after December 31, 2025. Employers may still provide these benefits, but they must be treated as taxable income to the employee. The OBBBA also added **IRC § 530A**, codified under Section 70204 of the OBBBA, which establishes "Trump Accounts," a new category of tax-advantaged savings for individuals under age 18. **Notice 2025-68** outlines the intent to issue regulations for "Trump Accounts" under IRC § 530A, defining the "growth period" (birth until age 18) and providing a safe harbor for employer contributions. These accounts allow for tax-free growth and may allow for employer-sponsored contributions of up to $2,500 per year under **IRC § 128**, which governs employer contributions to these accounts.
The OBBBA also added **IRC § 224 (Tipped Income)**, creating a new "above-the-line" income tax deduction for individuals receiving "qualified tips." This deduction is capped at $25,000 annually, and it begins to phase out for taxpayers with Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) exceeding $150,000 ($300,000 for joint filers). To be eligible, tips must be cash-based (including credit/debit card, gift cards, and casino chips), voluntary, non-negotiated, and received in an occupation that customarily received tips on or before December 31, 2024. The deduction does not apply to digital assets, non-cash items, or tips from illegal activities, nor does it exempt tips from Social Security or Medicare taxes. **REG-110032-25** (Proposed September 19, 2025) provides critical guidance for the new **IRC § 224** tips deduction, defining "qualified tips" as voluntary cash payments (including electronic equivalents), and explicitly excluding mandatory service charges or gratuities that a customer cannot modify. This regulation also includes the mandated list of approximately 70 eligible occupations. Because 2025 tax forms (W-2, 1099) were not updated in time for the OBBBA, the IRS issued Notice 2025-69, providing transition relief for 2025 filers by allowing taxpayers to claim the § 224 deduction based on their own records for the 2025 tax year. Notably, Notice 2025-69 permits deductions for employees in "Specified Service Trades or Businesses" (SSTBs) during a limited transition period, despite statutory exclusions. **Notice 2025-62** granted penalty relief to employers who fail to separately report qualified tips and overtime on 2025 information returns, recognizing the "phased implementation" of the OBBBA.
Conversely, **IRC § 45W and § 30D (Clean Vehicles)** saw many credits repealed for acquisitions after September 30, 2025, impacting tax planning for late 2025 and 2026. However, under **IRC § 168(k) (Bonus Depreciation)**, businesses can deduct 100% of the cost of qualifying property in the first year it's placed in service, provided it's on or after January 20, 2025.
Recent court cases are also reshaping the tax landscape. *Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo* (2024) is the most impactful, overturning *Chevron* deference and empowering the Tax Court to independently judge statutory meaning, which has led to more challenges to Treasury Regulations. The Supreme Court held that the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) requires courts to exercise independent judgment in deciding whether an agency (such as the IRS) has acted within its statutory authority. *3M Co. v. Commissioner* (2023/2025 Appeal), involving **IRC § 482**, which governs the allocation of income and deductions among related taxpayers, and its "blocked income" regulations, is a target for post-*Loper Bright* challenges. Similarly, *Coca-Cola Co. v. Commissioner* (2020/2024 Appeal) focuses on transfer pricing and the IRS's power to retroactively change income allocation, and the 11th Circuit appeal is shaping how "reasonable reliance" arguments are considered. Moreover, *SEC v. Jarkesy* (2024) has fueled Tax Court challenges regarding the Seventh Amendment right to a jury trial for civil tax penalties, leading to conflicting district court interpretations. Other relevant precedents include *Moore v. United States* (2024), which affirmed the constitutionality of the Mandatory Repatriation Tax (MRT) but reinforced the "realization" principle for income, and *Farhy v. Commissioner* (2024), which initially challenged the IRS's authority to assess penalties for failure to file Form 5471.
While Section 224 is too recent for significant Tax Court litigation, recent cases involving Section 132 provide a framework for how the Court interprets fringe benefit exclusions. In *Mihalik v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo. 2022-36*, the Tax Court rejected a taxpayer’s attempt to exclude standby airline tickets for adult relatives as "de minimis" fringes. The Court emphasized that exclusions under **IRC § 132** demand precise adherence to statutory definitions (e.g., "dependent child" or "spouse") and that high-value benefits cannot be reclassified as "de minimis" simply due to low marginal cost to the employer. *Aspro, Inc. v. Commissioner (8th Cir. 2022)*, affirmed the Tax Court's position on the necessity of thorough documentation. In the absence of contemporary records, the Court will recharacterize payments (e.g., from "consulting fees" to "distributions"), a principle highly relevant to the new substantiation requirements for tips under § 224.
Additionally, beginning in the 2025 tax year, brokers must issue **Form 1099-DA** for cryptocurrency transactions to report **gross proceeds** for digital asset sales. Taxpayers will receive these forms in early 2026. Mandatory reporting of **cost basis** and holding periods begins for "covered securities" (assets acquired on or after Jan 1, 2025) in Tax Year 2026. Transactions must be reported on a per-wallet or per-account basis, with decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols and non-custodial platforms excluded under current 2025 guidelines. Lawsuits are ongoing against the IRS due to the **Employee Retention Credit (ERC)** moratorium, with courts increasingly interpreting eligibility based on the statute itself rather than non-binding IRS Notices. With the OBBBA implementation underway, practitioners are also closely watching the potential impact of the 2026 midterm elections on tax policy. The combination of *Loper Bright* and the rapid rollout of OBBBA regulations creates a high-volatility environment for tax litigation, and taxpayers and brokers should expect frequent challenges to the occupational lists in REG-110032-25 and the definition of "brokers" for digital assets.
I am ready to perform a detailed analysis, focusing on identifying the controlling legal standard, the weight of the authority post-*Loper Bright*, and any factual nuances.
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