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Tax Research Databases

Tax Research Databases. Charles Wu Research Librarian for Accounting & Finance Charles.wu@utsa.edu Spring 2012. Tax Research Guide. UTSA Library Home Page – lib.utsa.edu ACC 6763 Course Research Guide - http://libguides.utsa.edu/ACC_6763 Your text book online Other books –

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Tax Research Databases

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  1. Tax Research Databases Charles Wu Research Librarian for Accounting & Finance Charles.wu@utsa.edu Spring 2012

  2. Tax Research Guide • UTSA Library Home Page – • lib.utsa.edu • ACC 6763 Course Research Guide - • http://libguides.utsa.edu/ACC_6763 • Your text book online • Other books – • Tax-exempt organizations KF6285.T35no.869 • Volume = 869 >> also available in BNA database > Estates, Gifts and Trusts Portfolios

  3. Outline • Our Library has the following databases most relevant to and useful for tax research: • CCH Tax Research • RIA Checkpoint • LexisNexis (Academic Universe) • BNA Tax Management • Business Source Complete • ProQuest(Accounting and Tax sub-database)

  4. Research Source: Primary Source • Primary Source • The original text. Theactual lawitself, could be • Legislative, Administrative, or Judicial Tax Law • Examples: • L>>Internal Revenue Code (IRC) • A >>Federal Tax Regulations, IRS Publications, Letter Ruling • J >>United States Tax Cases (USTC), Tax Court Memoranda (TCM)

  5. Research Source: Secondary Source • Secondary Source • Materials that explain, analyze and interpretprimary authority or sources • You can tell by the titles of sources, e.g.: • in CCH - ”EditorialContent” portion and • in RIA Checkpoint - “EditorialMaterials” • In BNA - “Expert Analysis”  • In a nutshell, they are NOT original law

  6. Secondary Source Databases • Additional Secondary Source: • Tax law review articles • can be found from academic / Trade Journals and magazines that available in such databases as • Business Source Complete • ProQuest (Pull-down menu > select Sub-database: Accounting and Tax) • LexisNexis (Academic Universe)

  7. LexisNexis > Find Sources > type “tax”

  8. ProQuest: Accounting & Tax

  9. BNA Tax Management • primary source – SOURCE DOCUMENTS • secondary source – EXPERT ANALYSIS • Get into BNA Tax Management • Click “List of Portfolios/Chapters” (a link within the box “Expert Analysis”), or • Click “Guided Search” (a link below the search box) • U.S. Income Portfolios; • Foreign Income Portfolios; and • Estates, Gifts & Trusts Portfolios

  10. CCH Platform / Publication List • The Publications Covered by CCH • Get the list of the publications in CCH • FSA = Field Service Advice: covered by CCH? • Click “Browse” > “Titles A to Z” > Click “F” >Field Service Advice Memorandum • One Platform - IntelliConnect • Two distinct CCH databases, the same Platform • IntelliConnect Interface: • “All content” box • Citations • Citator

  11. Three Ways to Search CCH

  12. Known-Itemsvs.Unknown-Items • When seeking information, two possibilities: • you already have known a specific thing (like a citation of a case), you just need to access to this item. • You don’t know exactly yet which specific titles / cases; you only have your topic interest (keywords) • This determines which one of three searching ways to be used (and more effective)

  13. Unknown Items Search • Unknown Items Search – what? / where? • You don’t know precisely what have been published • even don’t care what sources (where) already existing • All you need is relevant results -- relevant to your topic / your specific research interest • Unknown Items Search Starting with keywords • keywords = Significant words • Significant words in / about your topic • Use Thesaurus (specified databases usually have their own thesaurus) to pick up some terms widely-used in your field

  14. Citator / Citations /all content

  15. CCH: Search “all content” • “all content” box in CCH • Like Google-search-box • searching all in CCH • All == those parts in CCH (all that the UTSA library subscribed to CCH) • The most powerful, easiest way of search • Double edged sword: cut two way, overwhelming results • Example of Keyword Search: • Type: Retroactively change accounting method • Click: View search settings (on the right of “653 results for”) • View search settings = Synonym Lookup >>> method of accounting, recordkeeping method, reporting method..

  16. Narrow Down Search Results • Use the Filter (on the left pane of your screen) • By library • By document type • Modify search terms with more restrictive connectors • Retroactive*w/3 chang*w/7 accounting w/4 method* • 277 results • Comparison - tabs in search result pages (10 max)

  17. Filter: by library / document type Document type Source from where Summary Date

  18. Meaning of W/n, and why * • W/n = within n (specified number) of words between your search terms • accounting w/4 method = method of accounting, accounting method, method used in accounting … • Asterisk(*) • find documents containing several words with the same root. The * replaces ANY characters at the end of a word. • Examples: • Type School* • School* = school, schools, schooling, • depreciat*==depreciate, depreciating, depreciation

  19. Click Citation…Select Federal Tax Primary Sources

  20. Use a Right Citation Template • Why Citations Search? • The fastest way to get to a document – a direct, exact result; “Citations” = known items search • Which Template is right to select? • E.g.: IRC 72, IRC 307, IRC 446 • Rev. Rul. 70-474 • In the “Rulings & Other Documents” part, select “Revenue Ruling” template box, then type in 70 and 474 separately into boxes • Rev. Rul. 2009-32 (click “Document Path” to get “extra”) • Rev. Proc. 2004-16 • What if you don’t know Rev. Proc. = Revenue Procedure • Where is the Rev. Proc. template on the Citation page

  21. Using “Citations”: 74 TC1266

  22. Comparison: All Content v. Citations • E.g.: Hynes v. Commissioner, 74 TC1266 (1980) • All Content vs. Citations: two different results • if using “all content”: • Hynes v. Commissioner =300 results • 74 TC1266 =26 results (Click - View search settings) • if using “Citations” template • 74 TC1266 =1 result …. • Cannot use the “Citations” pull-down menu to search 74 TC1266. Must use its template - a template for TC • TC = Tax Court… use “Find” in your Internet browser to quickly find TC on the template page, • My research Guide > Abbreviated Titles … Citation format

  23. Citator: Why Use It? • When to use: • When you know the number or citation of the case or ruling; • tracks the history of cases and ruling through the legal process and indicates whether a case or ruling is still current. • Citator: • Has an icon with a judge’s hammer • good for cases search, why? • Comparison search: Citator vs. Citations: Mortrud v. Commissioner, 44 TC 208 (1965) TC = Tax Court

  24. Citator Result: 44 TC 208

  25. Why “Citator” • It has an icon with a judge’s hammer • Get the history of a case or ruling. • The CCH Citator tracks the history of cases and rulings through the legal process and indicates whether a case or ruling is still current. The case / ruling of your interest may have been superseded by others, or it may supersede other cases. • Video Tutorial (watch 10 minutes) • http://researchhelp.cch.com/flashfiles/flashhelp.html

  26. Watch or Play (10 minutes) Watch Video or Play CCH yourself • Video Tutorial – the Link is located • http://researchhelp.cch.com/flashfiles/flashhelp.html • Compare yourself – Three ways to Search CCH • http://libguides.utsa.edu/content.php?pid=247335&sid=2061555 Note for “Citator” search: • Firstly, use the 2nd box “Enter a complete citation”  • Secondly, use the TC search box within the “CASES” category

  27. Interface - RIA Checkpoint • Two Tabs • Search • Table of Contents > Titles > IRS Rulings & Releases > Private Letter Rulings & TAMs, FSAs… > Field Service Advice • Practice Area drop-down menu • Select a sub database – e.g., Federal, State & Local … Similar to CCH Tab / Libraries • Unique Content in RIA Checkpoint • Accting, Audit & Corp. Finance > FASB documents

  28. Table of Contents… FSA

  29. RIA: Tax Form / Line Finder • Go to – Form / Line Finder • Uniqueness of RIA • Search based on a specific tax return form and line number, by tax year • E.g.: yr = 2010, form number = 1040, • line = 9b (Line 9b—Qualified dividends)

  30. CCH - Ways to Search • Keyword Search(used most) • Find by Citation(used most) • Date Range Search • Legislation Search

  31. Find by Citation • Find by citation • Use pre-designed citation search templates • Based on specific citations, users must choose / click one • Code & Regs • Cases • Rulings/IRB • Furthermore, must choose an appropriate template to enter a citation number • E.g.: TCMemo1994-15 • click >Cases • Select> the TemplateTax Court Memorandum Decisions • in this template box, type > TCMemo1994-15

  32. Search Result Comparison • E.g.: Rev. Rul. 2009-32 • Keyword Search v. Find by Citation • Keyword Search = 8 total results • Find by Citation = 1 result, exact one, directly giving the full text; but must use Rulings/IRB • Getting more documents, by clicking: • Track It… Annot … FTC … Citator • what is point of clicking it? • Citator = View related documents for citator. • Cited favorably= “The later case or ruling is citing to an earlier case or ruling in a favorable way …” (for details, check out a Library Research Guide)

  33. Keyword Search v. Find by Citation

  34. Find by citation vs. Keyword Search • Use Keyword SearchIf not sure TCMemo1994-15 should be under which category or not sure which template is right one to be used • Then Use Keyword Search • Keyword: a double edged sword, it cut two ways • Upside: most powerful search, not missing results, as it searches everywhere • Downside: got too many results, sometimes overwhelming results

  35. Keyword Search Connectors

  36. Keyword Search • Can your client retroactively elect to change its accounting method? • Retroactively change accounting method • Retroactive* /Paccounting /5 method* • Retroactive* /Saccounting /5 method* /10 change*

  37. RIA - Keyword Search

  38. Why not click: Thesaurus/Query Tool

  39. Sample Topic / Issue • Is an individual required to include in gross income the proceeds from redemption of a tax-exempt bond, which was purchased in 1988 and called by the school district this year. Redemption proceeds were $90,000 and purchase price was $76,000 • Extract Keywords from a topic / issue and combine them by Connectors; then we got the following search statement “gross income"/stax-exempt bond /p1988 • 29 results • /S = with in the same sentence (20 words-any order) • /p = with in the same paragraph (50 words)

  40. Extract Keyword / Connectors Search Statement -- • “gross income"/stax-exempt bond /p1988 • 29 results • “gross income" /14 tax-exempt /20 bond /30 1988 - got 5 results • 2 results – Preambles to Final and Temporary Treasury Regulations (Treasury Decisions) (RIA) > • Then - TD 8418, 26 CFR Parts 1 and 602 Arbitrage Restrictions on Tax-exempt Bonds, 05/18/1992 • Use web browser to find “gross income” in the context of the document… ”interest on the bond is not excluded from gross income under section 103(a).”

  41. IRC section 57(a)(5)(C)

  42. Private activity bond

  43. Long shot to Snowball Effect • “gross income" /14 tax-exempt /20 bond /30 1988 • One of 5 results >>>> • IRC Section 57(a)(5)(C) • Specified private activity bonds • IRC Section 103(a) •  Interest on State and local bonds • Treasury Regulation Section 1.141-2 • Private activity bond tests /qualified  bond

  44. Last Resort: another access point in CCH • Peel the onion: • Left pane - All content • Federal Tax • Federal Tax Primary Sources • Topical Indexes (last item in the list) • Current Internal Revenue Code Topical Index • A .. Z • Examples: • Bonds • Accounting methods - 446—483 • Gambling losses 165(d) • After click 165(d) > Snowballing … • Regulations …CCH Explanations … Annotations … Related Information – Federal

  45. Summary • What are the similarities between CCH and RIA Checkpoint, in terms of interface / search ways • All content (in CCH) = Keyword Search (RIA) = Goolge • Citation / Citator (CCH) = Find By Citation (RIA) • ClickBrowse> A..Z title (CCH) = Click Table of Contents (RIA) • What are connectors to combine two keywords • W/n (e.g.: accountingW/4 method) – in CCH • /n (e.g.: accounting /5 method) – in RIA • How to quickly get to a template right for your citation on that citation template page • Use your Internet Browser’s “Find” feature

  46. Library Free Workshops • Visit library website and register online • http://lib.utsa.edu/services/workshops/ • Finance and Investment Databases (2/14/12) • Introduction to Datastream (2/21/12) • All my workshops on Tuesdays • 3:30-5:00 PM • at JPL 3.02.32

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