IRS commissioner to speak at ABA Taxation Spring conference

WASHINGTON, May 8, 2019 — Charles P. Rettig, commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service, will deliver a keynote speech during the  2019 Tax Meeting and CLE Conference hosted by the American Bar Association Section of Taxation on May 9-11 in Washington, D.C. The conference brings together leading practitioners and professionals from across the country to discuss important domestic and international developments in tax law.

Rettig, who has served as IRS commissioner since October 2018, will serve as a plenary keynote speaker on Saturday, May 11, from Noon to 1:30 p.m.

Program highlights include:

• “Section 199A Regulations” —This panel will feature a dialogue with representatives from the Treasury Department and the IRS Office of the Chief Counsel on the recently issued Section 199A Final Regulations, the Proposed Amendments thereto and the Proposed Revenue Procedure Safe Harbor (Notice 2019-07). Speakers include Colin Campbell, attorney advisor, Office of Tax Policy, Department of Treasury, Washington, D.C; Audrey W. Ellis, attorney advisor, Office of Tax Policy, Department of Treasury; and Wendy L. Kribell, IRS Office of Chief Counsel, Pass-Throughs & Special Industries, Washington, D.C.

• “Repatriation of Foreign Earnings” — Panelists will take us through the new normal, including a discussion of dividends and current inclusions under subpart F and GILTI, as well as related implications for previously (U.S.-taxed) or foreign-taxed earnings. Speakers include Brenda Zent, special advisor on International Taxation, Office of International Tax Counsel, Department of Treasury, Washington, D.C.; and Melinda Harvey, senior counsel, Branch 2, IRS Office of Associate Chief Counsel (International), Washington, D.C.

• “Qualified Opportunity Zones: What Estate Planners Need to Know” —
The 2017 Tax Act introduced the Qualified Opportunity Zone (“QOZ”) program, designed to provide a tax incentive for private, long-term investment in economically distressed communities. Since 2017, QOZs have become a “hot topic” among high net worth investors. Panelists Stacey Delich-Gould and Gregory D. Singer, both from Capital Group Private Client Services, New York, N.Y., will explain the basics of how these vehicles work and outline some of the unanswered questions and potential risks.

A complete agenda can be found online.