Required Texts

(1) Taxation of Business Enterprises by Peroni & Bank (Thomson West 4th ed. 2012) ISBN 978-0-314-19487-9.

(2) Access to the Internal Revenue Code & Regulations. In class, I shall be using Selected Federal Taxation—Statutes and Regulations (West 2022 ed.) (ISBN 978-1-64708-855-2). If you have an earlier version (e.g., 2021), there is no need to purchase the 2022 edition.
Especially in upper-level tax classes, I highly encourage you to have a hard copy to consult in class, while you prepare for class, and as you review after class, as I find student learning to be higher in those students who have hard copies and who regularly consult them. Nevertheless, for those who prefer online access, you can type the code section (e.g., IRC 61) or treasury regulation (e.g., TR 1.61-2) into your browser’s search box, and the first item to come up will be the Legal Information Institute’s version of the code section or regulation. The LII is hosted by Cornell law school. Whether online or hard copy, you do need to have access to the Code and regs in class, as we shall be regularly consulting the language of the Code and regs, as every good tax lawyer does.

Though the exam is “open book,” you will not be able to access the internet or your computer files during the final exam, so those of you choosing online access will want to print out the Code sections and Treasury Regulations that you wish to have with you during the final exam. (That’s one advantage of having the hard copy of the Code and Regs.)

Syllabus

Always read the assigned Code sections and Treasury Regulations, and always bring your Code book (or electronic access to the Code) to class. I should never get the impression that you are reading and pulling apart the statutory (or regulation) language at issue for the first time in class.

The problems will be covered only if they are specifically assigned below in writing (i.e., they will not be covered even if they are located on assigned pages unless the problem is itself specifically assigned).

I. Introduction

Class 1: p. 1-5 and 15-19 (but beware of the pre-TCJA tax rates that are mentioned). You might also re-read the brief description of § 199A found at the end of Chapter 1, Part B., of my Tax I textbook, which you can download here: https://www.cali.org/books/us-federal-income-taxation-individuals. We won’t be exploring § 199A planning until the last class, however, dealing with choice of entity.

For those who wish to look ahead, I have attached a hard copy of the entire syllabus, though I shall distribute hard copies on the first day of class to help you avoid printing costs.

I look forward to meeting you all!

Professor Deborah A. Geier