From renting spare rooms and vacation homes to car rides or using a bike…name a service and it’s probably available through the sharing economy. Taxpayers who participate in the sharing economy can find helpful resources in the IRS Sharing Economy Tax Center on IRS.gov. It helps taxpayers understand how this activity affects their taxes. It also gives these taxpayers information...

Sahni v. Tajima (In re Tajima) 2022 WL 3354006 (9th Cir. BAP Aug 15, 2022)(unpublished) S.Klein J ISSUE Did the Bankruptcy Court err when confirming Chapter 13 plan? RULING Yes. FACTS This case involves the tension of litigation in bankruptcy causing delay, and the need to get a Chapter 13 plan confirmed quickly. Here, there was a dispute between debtors...

By Jan Hamilton, Chapter 13 Trustee (Topeka, KS) Click here for Part 1 of 3 Click here for Part 2 of 3 19. In the Courtroom ― Leading Questions Learning how to conduct a direct examination of your witnesses is the cornerstone to your case. Early . . . It looks like you are not signed in or registered! This...

Who is the person sitting at that workstation? Is it Noah Non-exempt? Is it Emma Exempt? Or, is it Connie Contractor? It is vital that I know who the person is sitting at that workstation. Do I have to pay the person sitting at that workstation overtime pay? Can I reduce the person’s pay for leaving an hour early? Do...

If you intend to seek to discharge student loans under §523(a)(8), do not consolidate the loans after the case is filed. Prebankruptcy planning is most important if one wishes to discharge student loans. A recent Texas Chapter 7 case highlights the pitfalls if one does not act accordingly. Debtors obtained 27 separate student loans prior to when they filed their...

By Henry E. Hildebrand, III, Chapter 13 Standing Trustee (Nashville, TN) While the debtors failed to meet the high threshold to establish excusable neglect to permit their claim filed on behalf of a creditor after the bar date to be allowed, where a Chapter 13 case is dismissed and then reinstated prior to the expiration of the bar date, the...

Bankruptcy Court found violation of automatic stay to be “technical”, thus no damages. Ninth Circuit BAP did not agree. Continuing to pursue state court fraudulent transfer action after transfer or filed for Chapter 7 relief violated the automatic stay; even if the violation of the stay is “technical”, damages, including attorneys’ fees and costs, should be assessed against the violator....

Taxpayers with expiring Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers (ITINs) can get their ITINs renewed more quickly and avoid refund delays next year by submitting their renewal application soon, the Internal Revenue Service said 10/10/19. An ITIN is a tax ID number used by taxpayers who don’t qualify to get a Social Security number. Any ITIN with middle digits 83, 84 ....

Introduction This series reviews developments in bankruptcy procedure during the past year. One new rule and amendments to 16 rules took effect December 1, 2022. Many reflected changes necessitated by the Small Business Reorganization Act of 2019 (SBRA), and had been in place in the same or similar form on an interim basis since that legislation took effect.