Page 449 - TaxAdviser_2022
P. 449

Once determined, the guaranty fee may   However, the court considered the
         be paid in the form of a separate fee, a   totality of the facts, with no specific   The average in May
         higher salary, or a cash bonus. It could   weight given to any particular fact. If
         also be paid in the form of equity in   the tests for deductibility are not met,   2022 was $4.545 per
         the company (see Davis, T.C. Memo.   any fee paid separately may receive   gallon according to
         2011-286, aff’d, No. 12-10916 (11th   dividend treatment.
         Cir. 5/16/13)). If equity is used as the                              the EIA, an increase
         form of payment, the guarantor may   Final thoughts                  of $1.145 from $3.40
         need to find a source of cash to pay   Even though a guarantor may never   in December, or an
         income taxes. Alternatively, it may be   have to make a personal payment
         possible to structure the guaranty as a   toward the company’s debt, the   increase of 33.7%.
         tax-free contribution of property to the   guaranty may cause issues for the
         company under Sec. 351 rather than   guarantor. For example, that contingent
         as a service. The distinction between   liability could hurt the guarantor’s   between Jan. 1, 2022, and June 30, 2022
         property and service may be swayed   credit rating. Yet, for the owners of   (Announcement 2022-13). While the
         by whether the guaranty is provided   private companies, providing personal   IRS usually sets the optional standard
         because the shareholder is protecting   guaranties may be a necessary part of   mileage rates for computing deductible
         his or her investment or because   the process.                     costs of operating an automobile only at
         an officer is protecting his or her   From Stephen D. Kirkland,     the beginning of each calendar year, the
         future compensation.              CPA/CFF, Columbia, S.C.           July increase represented the third time
                                                                             since 2008 it has done so at midyear.
         Dividends                         Standard mileage rate               The rate for purposes of a deduction
         The fourth and fifth factors listed in   increased July 1           of the cost of transportation primarily
         Clary Hood are intended to weed out   Effective for miles traveled on or after   for, and essential to, medical care under
         fees that are in fact disguised dividends   July 1, 2022, the standard mileage rate   Sec. 213 also goes up by 4 cents, to 22
         to the shareholders, which would   for purposes of deductible business   cents per mile from 18 cents in the first
         not be deductible. In Clary Hood, the   expenses is 62.5 cents per mile, an   half of the year. The 18- or 22-cent
         court noted that the business did have   increase of 4 cents from the 58.5   rate also applies to moving expenses
         profits but had not paid dividends.   cents per mile applicable to travel   (restricted in 2018–2025 to members


















     PHOTO BY BRUCE LEIGHTY/GETTY IMAGES
















         www.thetaxadviser.com                                                               September 2022 9
   444   445   446   447   448   449   450   451   452   453   454