Stephen P. Kranz
Subscribe to Stephen P. Kranz's PostsStephen (Steve) P. Kranz is a tax lawyer who solves tax problems differently. Over the course of his extensive career, Steve has acquired specific skills and developed a unique approach that helps clients develop and implement holistic solutions to all varieties of tax problems. He combines strategic thinking with effective skills for the courtroom, the statehouse and the conference room. Read Stephen Kranz's full bio.
California Bill Would Remove Tax Bar to False Claims Act
By Diann Smith, Mark Nebergall and Stephen P. Kranz on May 1, 2019
Posted In California, False Claims Act, Nationwide Importance
California legislators have recently introduced a bill, AB 1270, that would amend the False Claims Act (Act) to strike the tax bar. As introduced, the bill would amend the existing false claims statute in the state of California to expressly authorize tax-related false claims actions against a person whose reported taxable income, net income, or...
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Nevada Bill Proposes Broad New Excise Tax on Sales of Digital Goods and Services
By Eric D. Carstens, Mark Nebergall and Stephen P. Kranz on Apr 2, 2019
Posted In Nevada, Tax Base, Transaction Taxes
A bill (AB 447) was introduced on March 25th in the Nevada Assembly that would create a broad new excise tax on the retail sale of “specified digital products” to Nevada customers. Instead of expanding the scope of Nevada’s sales and use tax, the bill would enact an entirely new chapter of the Revenue and...
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QHTC You Later: DC Bids Farewell to Historic QHTC Certification Process
By Diann Smith, Eric D. Carstens and Stephen P. Kranz on Feb 8, 2019
Posted In District of Columbia, Incentives, Local Tax, Procedure
The District of Columbia (DC) Office of Tax & Revenue (OTR) implemented sweeping changes to the Qualified High Technology Company (QHTC) certification process this year. As you may remember, beginning last year, OTR implemented a new online QHTC self-certification process for companies to obtain exempt purchase certificates. This year, OTR is expanding the scope of...
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Delaware Starts Unclaimed Property “Compliance Reviews” (Different from Audits)
By Diann Smith, Eric D. Carstens and Stephen P. Kranz on Jan 16, 2019
Posted In Delaware, Unclaimed Property
If the Delaware Office of Unclaimed Property believes that a person may have filed an “inaccurate, incomplete, or false report,” the State Escheator may authorize a “compliance review” under Del. Code Ann. tit. 12, § 1170(b). This is not a standard audit and as a result, the target is not entitled to the option of...
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Court Strikes Down New York Opioid Surcharge on Manufacturers and Distributers
By McDermott Will & Emery, Diann Smith, Eric Hageman and Stephen P. Kranz on Jan 11, 2019
Posted In Constitutional Issues, Nationwide Importance, New York, Procedure
On December 19, 2018, the US District Court for the Southern District of New York ruled in favor of McDermott’s client, the Healthcare Distribution Alliance (HDA), the trade association for pharmaceutical distributors. In Healthcare Distribution Alliance v. Zucker, the court granted summary judgment and enjoined enforcement of the New York Opioid Stewardship Act, which imposed...
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Hearing Scheduled for DC False Claims Expansion – Taxpayers Beware!
By Diann Smith, Eric D. Carstens and Stephen P. Kranz on Dec 10, 2018
Posted In District of Columbia, False Claims Act, Nationwide Importance
DC Council Chairman Phil Mendelson recently announced that a public hearing will take place later this month before the Committee of the Whole to consider a bill (The False Claims Amendment Act of 2017, B22-0166) that would allow tax-related false claims against large taxpayers. The hearing will begin at 9:30 am on Thursday, December 20,...
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STAR Partnership and State Responses to GILTI
By Diann Smith and Stephen P. Kranz on Nov 27, 2018
Posted In Federal Tax, Nationwide Importance, Tax Base
While the state treatment of global intangible low-taxed income (GILTI) was on the mind of many taxpayers, most state legislatures that enacted legislation in 2018 focused on the state treatment of foreign earnings deemed repatriated under IRC § 965, leaving the state treatment of GILTI unclear in many states. That said, of the states that...
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2018 Recap: State Responses to the Repatriation Transition Tax in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act
By Diann Smith and Stephen P. Kranz on Nov 26, 2018
Posted In Federal Tax, Income Tax, Nationwide Importance, Tax Base
Since the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) passed in December 2017, over 100 bills were proposed by state legislatures responding to the federal legislation. Thus far in 2018, nearly half of states have passed legislation responding to the TCJA. With some exceptions, in this year’s legislative cycles the state legislatures were primarily focused on...
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Federal Digital Goods Bill: Rules of the Road for State Sales and Use Taxation of Digital Goods and Services
By Eric D. Carstens, Mark Nebergall and Stephen P. Kranz on Oct 11, 2018
Posted In Nationwide Importance, Sales Tax, Uncategorized
Today, US Senators John Thune (R-SD) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) filed the Digital Goods and Services Tax Fairness Act of 2018 (S.3581) for reintroduction in the United States Senate. A companion version is expected to be reintroduced tomorrow in the House of Representatives by Representatives Lamar Smith (R-TX) and Steve Cohen (D-TN). This bill, if...
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House Judiciary Committee to Consider Wayfair Decision Impact
By McDermott Will & Emery, Eric D. Carstens, Mark Nebergall and Stephen P. Kranz on Jul 20, 2018
Posted In Constitutional Issues, Nationwide Importance, Nexus, Sales Tax
The US House Committee on the Judiciary has scheduled a hearing for Tuesday, July 24 at 10:00 am EDT in 2141 Rayburn House Office Building. According to a press release circulated last night, the topic of the hearing will be “[e]xamining the Wayfair decision and its ramifications for consumers and small businesses.” According to comments made by...
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