Tag:Department of the Treasury
The Corporate Transparency Act: Now Featuring Much Less Transparency
Among some of the big changes being made by the new Administration is the intention to no longer enforce the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) against U.S. citizens and domestic reporting companies. The CTA, enacted back in 2021, was designed and implemented to enhance corporate accountability and combat financial crimes like money laundering, fraud, tax evasion, and the like. It requires certain businesses to disclose their beneficial owners to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) with the goal of increasing transparency in corporate structures and organization. However, some recent developments have led to significant changes in the ability to enforce this act, sparking a lot of debate on the implications of (or without) the act.
IRS & Treasury to Crack Down on Basis Shifting Among Complex Partnerships
On June 17, 2024, the Biden Administration issued a press release detailing plans to push forward a new multi-stage regulatory initiative targeting tax evasion among large business partnerships. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and U.S. Treasury Department will lead the charge to end abuses of a practice known as “basis shifting,” often used by complex partnerships to maximize deductions and consequentially minimize tax liability.
It’s About to Get Much Harder to Launder Money
In January 2021, Congress passed the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) as part of the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2020. The CTA requires entities to list names and addresses connected to both the company and beneficial owners. Ultimately, the goal is to reduce the ease at which shell companies can be formed and used to launder money.
Do More Bank Failures Equal More Bank Regulations?
The recent closures of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank, the second and third largest bank failures in U.S. history, have sparked intense discussions pertaining to banking regulations and resulted in both statements and ongoing investigations by the Biden administration, members of Congress, the Federal Reserve, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), and U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO).
The Role of Regulators During the Collapse of Silicon Valley Bank
On March 10th, 2023, Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) collapsed practically overnight, followed only two days later by the collapse of Signature Bank. Prior to its collapse, SVB uniquely served a single category of customers – start-ups. As the largest bank failure since the 2008 financial crisis, SVB’s bankruptcy resulted in significant consequences for the tech industry. While SVB has since been acquired by First Citizens BancShares, the House Financial Services Committee is currently seeking answers from both regulators and SVB executives about how such a failure could have occurred and how to prevent it from happening again.
Stablecoins: Tying Cryptocurrencies to Other Assets
Cryptocurrency has an air of mystery about it. It seemingly burst onto the scene a decade ago, and while some of the stories about it may seem outlandish, many of them are true. The first known Bitcoin purchase was for two pizzas and prices can fluctuate wildly based off of tweets. With the origins of such a thing being the subject of internet humor and its value being so volatile, what level of attention and care is due to it?
White House Issues Guidance Regarding Fighting Corruption
On December 6, 2021, the White House issued a consolidated federal strategy regarding fighting corruption that threatens national security. The memorandum directed a number of federal departments to conduct interagency reviews that allowed them to come together and proceed with a joint strategy to combat corruption in the United States.
Injunctions Halt Trump Administration’s Attempt to Expand Religious Exemption for Obamacare Contraceptive Mandate
A pair of injunctions in the Northern District of California on January 13, and the Eastern District of Pennsylvania on January 14, halted the implementation of amendments to a religious exemption to the so-called contraception “mandate” of the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. The “mandate” requires most employers to include contraception coverage in the insurance plans they offer to employees. While Obama administrative agencies contemplated religious exemptions early on, contentious litigation and political transition expanded the scope of the exemption until these latest developments.