State Tax Conference

8:00 – 8:10 a.m. - Opening Remarks

Amy Pitter, Massachusetts Society of CPAs

8:15 – 9:15 a.m. - DOR Update

Chris Harding, Massachusetts Department of Revenue

Rebecca Forter, Massachusetts Department of Revenue

Dana Ackerman, Massachusetts Department of Revenue

Join Commissioner Chris Harding and senior leaders from the Department of Revenue for updates on: the latest administration initiatives, news from Rulings and Regs., briefing from the Taxpayer Advocate and more...

9:15 – 10:00 a.m. - Appellate Tax Board Update

Mark DeFrancisco, Esq., Massachusetts Appellate Tax Board

During this session, you’ll learn best practices for a CPA’s participation in Appellate Tax Board (ATB) litigation, examine the ATB’s mediation program and small claims procedure, receive an overview of recent ATB and appellate court decisions and more.

10:00 – 10:15 a.m. - Break

10:15 – 11:30 a.m. - Federal Trends

Joe Crosby, MultiState Associates, Inc.

Karl Frieden, Council on State Taxation

The past year produced two "once in a generation" changes to state and local taxes – federal tax reform and a repudiation of 50 years of Supreme Court jurisprudence regarding state tax jurisdiction. We’ll discuss how states are responding and more importantly, how  they should respond. This panel will roam the sizzling state tax landscape discussing topics such as the state taxation of Global Intangible Low Taxed Income (GILTI), the ascendancy of economic nexus, the future of the Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement (SSUTA) and sales tax simplification, the potential divergence of federal and state income tax approaches and the bright and dark side to state fiscal outlooks.

11:30 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. - Wayfinding after Wayfair

David Nagle, Sullivan & Worcester, LLP

Adam Giera, Thompson Tax & Associates, LLC

Join us for a discussion of the multistate tax compliance challenges facing sellers after the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in South Dakota v. Wayfair.  The panel will focus on the consequences of eliminating physical presence as a necessary condition for substantial nexus and the critical decisions for businesses under states’ differing and still evolving economic nexus regimes.  In addition to the legal limits on state tax jurisdiction after Wayfair, the panel will address collection and reporting obligations both pre- and post-Wayfair, compliance best practices, and potential income tax ripple effects for multistate businesses and trusts.

12:45 – 1:30 p.m. - Lunch Break

1:30 – 2:45 p.m. - Update on Tax Reform Law

Steve Burke, McLane Middleton

Audrey Young, McLane Middleton

One of the primary goals of the 2017 Tax Act was to reward business owners operating as pass-through entities with a 20% deduction. The resulting new code section, 199A, is complex with definitions and hurdles that must be navigated. Last month, the IRS released proposed regulations to clarify both the application and the implementation of 199A. This seminar will discuss the new regulations and provide an in-depth look at the elements of 199A, including the calculation of Qualified Business Income, the limitations based on the entity's W-2 wages and qualified property, the exclusion for specified service trades or businesses, the income restrictions and more!

2:45 – 3:00 p.m. - Break

3:00 – 4:15 p.m. - Tax Considerations for Emerging Cannabis Business

Richard Hindlian, Davis, Malm & D'Agostine, P.C.

Andrew Myers, Davis, Malm & D'Agostine, P.C.

Recent legislation permitting medical and recreational cannabis use in Massachusetts creates economic and business opportunities, as well as strict regulatory governance for this emerging industry. What are the tax implications on a marijuana business that is legal in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, but illegal under federal law? This session will provide an overview of Massachusetts cannabis law and state and federal tax issues. We will also explore the considerations for organizations converting from nonprofit to for-profit entities, examine ways in which state taxes vary for medical and recreational marijuana businesses and review the tax repercussions for businesses under Section 280E of the Internal Revenue Code

Basic Course Information

• DOR Update
• Appellate Tax Board Update
• Federal Trends
• Wayfinding after Wayfair
• Update on Tax Reform Law
• Tax Considerations for Emerging Cannabis Business 

• State Tax