Misclassification of employees is a hot enforcement topic for the IRS. Determining whether a worker should be classified as an independent contractor or an employee is not always clear. The IRS has 20 factors that they consider when determining whether one is an employee or an independent contractor. The factors focus on the ability of [...]
If you are a Michigan homeowner who has recently purchased another home and you are unable to sell your old Michigan home, Michigan law may provide some relief. Michigan homeowners may simultaneously claim a Principal Residence Exemption on two properties so long as certain conditions are met. The law allows property owners who have established [...]
The Michigan Court of Appeals recently ruled that it is the municipality’s legislative body, and not the County Treasurer, who has the final say as to whether a proposed purchase of tax foreclosed property is for a “public purpose,” as required under Michigan’s General Property Tax Act. In Bay City v. Bay County Treasurer, a [...]
In a unanimous decision, a panel of the Michigan Court of Appeals ruled that a municipality is barred from uncapping the taxable value of a property in future years, so long as the transferee properly filed a Property Transfer Affidavit in the year of transfer. In Michigan Properties, LLC v Meridian Township, the Michigan Court [...]
In a recent opinion, the Michigan Supreme Court clarified some instances where the death of a joint tenant, or the creation or termination of a joint tenancy may lead to an uncapping of the property’s taxable value. In Michigan, a property’s tax bill is calculated by multiplying the applicable millage rate by the property’s taxable [...]
The time has once again arrived to focus on cost reductions achievable by appealing your property taxes. You have recently received your 2011 Notice of Assessment. As discussed below, there is a very limited window of opportunity to protest your property tax assessment. To understand the importance of that Notice of Assessment, a bit of [...]
The Michigan Supreme Court’s March 30, 2010 ruling in favor of the Detroit Public Schools (DPS) allows DPS to keep millions of dollars that DPS collected improperly, by continuing to charge taxpayers for a millage for three years after it expired. Briggs Tax Service, LLC v Detroit Public Schools. In September 1993, voters in Detroit [...]
The Internal Revenue Service is making a one-time, extraordinary allowance to taxpayers who make qualifying contributions for Haitian earthquake relief.[1] Individual taxpayers who itemize their deductions for 2009 may deduct on their 2009 income tax return cash contributions to qualifying charities for Haitian earthquake relief made after January 11, 2010 and before March 1, 2010. [...]
Under Michigan law, a property’s taxable value is capped and may not increase by more than the rate of inflation until ownership of the property is transferred. However, there are certain types of transfers of ownership that are exempt from this rule and will not cause an uncapping of the taxable value. These no-transfer-of-ownership exemptions [...]
There are two new energy credits available to eligible taxpayers on their 2009, 2010 & 2011 Michigan tax returns. I am frankly shocked that these two credits where maintained during the budget cuts that came out of Lansing in October. In fact the state would have been far better off taking the tax monies from [...]
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