Hooray for Rev. Proc. 2015-20

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    Topic
  • #192022
    northernlights
    Participant

    There seems to be very few things in busy season that makes anyone happy… but I sat through another training on Form 3115 this morning, to come out of the training to find the newest Rev Proc had made just my life a lot simpler. There are advantages to working at a small firm with small business clients 🙂

    FAR: 55, 52, 66
    REG: 84*
    AUD: 54, 70, 73, 72, 79!!!
    BEC: 75*

    *expired

Viewing 8 replies - 1 through 8 (of 8 total)
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  • #646956
    s2sylvir
    Member

    Can you translate Rev. Proc. 2015-20 into laymen terms? I've attended numerous trainings since the final repair regs came out, so I don't need a backstory… Just what's this simplified procedure?

    BEC - PASS (79)
    AUD - PASS (63, 71, 74, 74, 83)
    REG - PASS (88)
    FAR - PASS (58, 89)

    Becker for all + FAR 10 Point Combo

    #646957
    northernlights
    Participant

    Small companies, assets less than $10 mil or average yearly revenue of less than $10 mil, don't have to do a flippin' Form 3115. And changes can be made for transactions on a going forward basis, dated from January 1 2014, I guess instead of backdating anything. Journal of Accountancy did a nice sum up article

    https://journalofaccountancy.com/news/2015/feb/form-3115-repair-regs-for-small-business-201511829.html

    What it means to me is that instead of doing hundreds of F3115s this season, my firm will end up doing about 4. And I'm low enough in the food chain that those big-for-us clients are handled at a much higher level. So less work for me 🙂

    FAR: 55, 52, 66
    REG: 84*
    AUD: 54, 70, 73, 72, 79!!!
    BEC: 75*

    *expired

    #646958
    s2sylvir
    Member

    Oh…. I've just been filing zero change 3115's….. Doesn't make sense for me to write another statement to opt out of Form 3115…

    Right? Or am I interpreting this incorrectly..

    BEC - PASS (79)
    AUD - PASS (63, 71, 74, 74, 83)
    REG - PASS (88)
    FAR - PASS (58, 89)

    Becker for all + FAR 10 Point Combo

    #646959
    northernlights
    Participant

    I don't think you have to write a statement to opt out of form 3115, you just don't file one. Businesses still have to make the changes going forward, but the form is no longer necessary, businesses simply indicate they adopted the standards by doing what the standards require.

    this article might be clearer –

    https://www.kpmg.com/US/en/IssuesAndInsights/ArticlesPublications/taxnewsflash/Pages/2015-1/rev-proc-2015-20-accounting-method-change-relief-for-small-business-taxpayers.aspx

    “The IRS noted that some small business taxpayers may choose to file a Form 3115 in order to retain a clear record of a change in method of accounting or to make permissible concurrent automatic changes on the same form, whereas other small business taxpayers may prefer the administrative convenience of being able to comply with the final tangible property regulations in their first tax year that begins on or after January 1, 2014, solely through the filing of a federal tax return.

    Accordingly, for the first tax year that begins on or after January 1, 2014, small business taxpayers that choose to apply the tangible property regulations prospectively to amounts paid or incurred, and dispositions, in tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2014, have the option of making certain tangible property and dispositions changes in method of accounting on the federal tax return without including a separate Form 3115 or separate statement.”

    FAR: 55, 52, 66
    REG: 84*
    AUD: 54, 70, 73, 72, 79!!!
    BEC: 75*

    *expired

    #646960
    mt3130
    Member

    I always thought it was weird that the IRS would require taxpayers to file a 3115 to notify the IRS that they were going to change the way they account for things in order to comply with new IRS Regs.

    Tax laws change every year. Why would they require taxpayers to file 3115s for this particular change?

    We had several people within the firm dedicate a lot of time to this. We even had someone start preparing 3115s for all of our business clients in December so we wouldn't have to do it in busy season. Glad that wasn't me lol.

    REG - 90 (08/2014) - Study Time = 6 days
    FAR - 89 (10/2014) - Study Time = 9 days
    BEC - 83 (11/2014) - Study Time = 4 days
    AUD - 89 (01/2015) - Study Time = 2 days

    Final score released - 2/4/15
    Application mailed - 2/5/15
    Licensed CPA - 2/12/15

    #646961
    northernlights
    Participant

    @mt3130 Congratulations on your shiny new CPA license!!!

    FAR: 55, 52, 66
    REG: 84*
    AUD: 54, 70, 73, 72, 79!!!
    BEC: 75*

    *expired

    #646962
    mt3130
    Member

    Thanks! I was shocked at how fast I received it. I was expecting at least a month, and preparing for 2.

    REG - 90 (08/2014) - Study Time = 6 days
    FAR - 89 (10/2014) - Study Time = 9 days
    BEC - 83 (11/2014) - Study Time = 4 days
    AUD - 89 (01/2015) - Study Time = 2 days

    Final score released - 2/4/15
    Application mailed - 2/5/15
    Licensed CPA - 2/12/15

    #646963
    s2sylvir
    Member

    @northernlights

    Thanks for all the links… I've read them and they have been super helpful!

    BEC - PASS (79)
    AUD - PASS (63, 71, 74, 74, 83)
    REG - PASS (88)
    FAR - PASS (58, 89)

    Becker for all + FAR 10 Point Combo

Viewing 8 replies - 1 through 8 (of 8 total)
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