2024 Higher Education Tax eConference

Recent Developments in College and University Tax Law (Aug 2024)

Review recent tax law developments that affect the higher education community, such as Congressional legislation, IRS enforcement measures and pronouncements as well as judicial decisions. Discuss the impact on prevalent tax issues, including unrelated business taxable income, compensation and fringe benefits, charitable contributions, international activities, endowments, and reporting requirements.

Originally presented: Jun 2024 Higher Education Taxation Institute

Benjamin A. Davidson, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill - Chapel Hill, NC
Edward J. Jennings, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, MI

Charitable Giving in a Changing World (Aug 2024)

This session addresses key tax issues relating to charitable giving currently faced by colleges and universities (and their donors). How should your institution handle donor requests for involvement in scholarship selections, or for race- or gender-based scholarship criteria? As sophisticated donors increasingly turn to strings-attached philanthropy, what opportunities and pitfalls are there in the qualified sponsorship UBTI rules and rules relating to completion of a gift? How can your institution’s donation acknowledgment and Form 8283/8282 practices impact your donors’ likelihood of successfully taking tax deductions for their gifts? Will your institution feel the impact of the newly proposed donor-advised fund regulations? The session discusses both the theory and practice of tackling these questions in the higher education environment.

Originally presented: Jun 2024 Higher Education Taxation Institute

Brittany Cvetanovich, The Ohio State University - Columbus, OH
Alexandra O. Mitchell, RSM US LLP - Seattle, WA
Sean P. Scally, Vanderbilt University - Nashville, TN

IRA Energy Tax Credits (Aug 2024)

A discussion of available credits and tips on working with campus partners to identify and quantify projects. The discussion is from the university perspective to highlight experiences and challenges we’ve encountered in working with the tax credits.

Originally presented: Jun 2024 Higher Education Taxation Institute

Susan P. Clark, Emory University - Atlanta, GA
Jodi R. Kessler, Massachusetts Institute of Technology - Cambridge, MA
Kimberly A. Maxwell, University Of Illinois - Urbana, IL

Legislative and Policy Update; Playing Defense for 2024 and Preparing for 2025 (Aug 2024)

Gain insight into what has been and will be occurring in 2024 regarding taxation of universities, their endowments, and examinations of school conduct and governance policies. Discuss the upcoming 2024 elections and the impact on tax policy, including the expected rewrite of the 2017 tax bill and related issues.

Originally presented: Jun 2024 Higher Education Taxation Institute

Richard A. Grafmeyer, Capitol Tax Partners - Washington, DC

NIL Updates (Aug 2024)

Where are we today when it comes to Name, Image & Likeness? This session discusses the background and current state of NIL legislation from NCAA, Federal and State levels with a focus on institutional compliance.

Originally presented: Jun 2024 Higher Education Taxation Institute

Tyrone P. Thomas, Holland & Knight LLP - Washington, DC
Alexander L. Reid, Baker & Hostetler LLP - Washington, DC
Kyle R. ZumBerge, The University of Texas - Tax Services - Austin, TX

Joint Ventures with For-Profits (Aug 2024)

Walk through specific examples of operating agreements for joint ventures structured as a partnership. Learn what language you should include, what to watch out for and some common approaches to ensuring the joint venture will further tax-exempt purposes. This session is intended to provide a practical approach to joint ventures based upon real-world examples.

Originally presented: Jun 2024 Higher Education Taxation Institute

Colby Rogers, Ropes & Gray LLP - Boston, MA
Thomas C. Schroeder, Davis Wright Tremaine LLP - Seattle, WA

Tax-Exempt Bond Compliance Overview (Aug 2024)

This session provides an overview of the IRS rules and regulations applicable to tax-exempt bonds, including arbitrage rebate, private business use, and change in use of bond financed facilities, and provides an update on IRS enforcement and oversight in these areas. In addition, our university representative provides insight on how her organization manages its post-issuance tax compliance responsibilities.

Originally presented: Jun 2024 Higher Education Taxation Institute

Alan Bond, BLX Group - New York, NY
Kirsten Muller, University of Minnesota - Minneapolis, MN
Sandee Stallings, BLX Group - Dallas, TX

Managing UBTI to Infinity and Beyond (Aug 2024)

The new tax landscape with recent legislation and a significant budget increase for the IRS raises the risks and stakes in managing unrelated business taxable income (UBTI). This session discusses reporting UBTI for both alternative investments and other university operations, including issues that have arisen during the post pandemic period, such as debt from lines of credit, rent from unused office space, and the use of energy resources. Also, hear best practices, tips and planning strategies (including considerations for using a corporate blocker structure), to identify, quantify and minimize UBTI liabilities while maximizing tax savings. Proper management of these emerging UBTI challenges and concerns will provide executive management with awareness, avoiding unnecessary surprises, which may result in an increase in needed resources and support.

Originally presented: Jun 2024 Higher Education Taxation Institute

Robert W. Friz, PwC - Philadelphia, PA
Edward J. Jennings, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, MI

Preparing Your Institution Today for Tomorrow's Audits (Aug 2024)

This session addresses navigating the shifting tax landscape of audits due to the increased IRS budget and innovative information technology and discusses current issues in higher education that are being audited by the IRS and state taxing agencies. This session also explores best practices to prepare your institution for examinations, inquiries and compliance checks in the near future, including managing additional risks from new or emerging issues, bolstering files, communicating compliance to campus units and updating executive management on risks and resources.

Originally presented: Jun 2024 Higher Education Taxation Institute

Preston J. Quesenberry, KPMG LLP - Washington, DC
Kyle R. ZumBerge, The University of Texas - Tax Services - Austin, TX

People Payment Puzzles: Decoding Payments to Individuals and Related Tax Implications (Aug 2024)

Highlight and discuss some of the hot topics higher education institutions are facing in the accounts payable and payroll spaces.

Originally presented: Jun 2024 Higher Education Taxation Institute

Meghan McCollum, University of Central Florida - Orlando, FL
Rebecca Menin, Massachusetts Institute of Technology - Cambridge, MA
Paula T. Torres, KPMG LLP - Houston, TX

International Jeopardy (Aug 2024)

An interactive game of Jeopardy with topics highlighting international issues including; BEPS 2.0, indirect and digital taxes, nexus and triggering permanent establishment, NSPM33, 117 compliance, audit notices, and more!

Originally presented: Jun 2024 Higher Education Taxation Institute

John M. Kelleher, Crowe LLP - Dallas, TX
Jodi R. Kessler, Massachusetts Institute of Technology - Cambridge, MA
Artemis Velahos Koch, University of Pennsylvania - Philadelphia, PA
Bob Lammey, Ernst & Young LLP - Boston, MA

Public Policy Issues and Concerns (Aug 2024)

Congress views tax exemption of colleges and universities as a subsidy to produce charitable goods and services for the benefit of society. Recently, some members of Congress have expressed the view that the subsidy entitles them to demand that schools adopt certain policies and procedures. Executive Branch agencies from the IRS and Treasury to Department of Education and Department of Labor are actively pursuing various regulatory agendas as well. These range from prohibiting investments in Chinese companies, attacks on endowments, setting tuition rates, requiring campus speech and antisemitism policy, regulating name image and likeness payments to student athletes, dictating what donor advised funds can do, granting authority to executive branch agencies to enact regulations furthering these and other positions. The federal government’s actions will impact your university. The question is: how will you respond?

Originally presented: Jun 2024 Higher Education Taxation Institute

Alexander L. Reid, Baker & Hostetler LLP - Washington, DC
Kyle R. ZumBerge, The University of Texas - Tax Services - Austin, TX

Privileged Communications: Ethical Challenges and Best Practices for Tax Practitioners with Organizational Clients  (Aug 2024)

Originally presented: Jun 2024 Higher Education Taxation Institute

Brittany Cvetanovich, The Ohio State University - Columbus, OH
Benjamin A. Davidson, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill - Chapel Hill, NC