Kevin Spencer

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Kevin Spencer focuses his practice on tax controversy issues. Kevin represents clients in complicated tax disputes in court and before the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) at the IRS Appeals and Examination divisions. In addition to his tax controversy practice, Kevin has broad experience advising clients on various tax issues, including tax accounting, employment and reasonable compensation, civil and criminal tax penalties, IRS procedures, reportable transactions and tax shelters, renewable energy, state and local tax, and private client matters. After earning his Master of Tax degree, Kevin had the privilege to clerk for the Honorable Robert P. Ruwe on the US Tax Court. Read Kevin Spencer's full bio.

Court Rules That Wind Farm Did Not Provide Proof of Development Fee to Receive 1603 Cash Grant


By , and on Jun 28, 2019
Posted In Environmental, Project Development and Finance, Tax

On June 20, 2019, the United States Court of Federal Claims published its long-awaited opinion in California Ridge Wind Energy, LLC v. United States, No. 14-250 C. The opinion addressed how taxpayers engaging in related party transactions may appropriately determine the cost basis with respect to a wind energy project under the Internal Revenue Code (IRC). Central...

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Alta Wind: Federal Circuit Reverses Trial Court and Kicks Case Back to Answer Primary Issue


By and on Aug 6, 2018
Posted In Renewables, Tax

On July 27, 2018, the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Alta Wind v. United States, reversed and remanded what had been a resounding victory for renewable energy. The US Court of Federal Claims had ruled that the plaintiff was entitled to claim a Section 1603 cash grant on the total amount...

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SOL and the 1603 Cash Grant – File Now or Forever Hold Your Peace


By , and on May 10, 2018
Posted In Tax

Taxpayers are running out of time to file refund claims against the government. If the government reduced or denied your Section 1603 cash grant, you can file suit in the Court of Federal Claims against the government to reclaim your lost grant money. Don’t worry, you will not be alone. There are numerous taxpayers lining...

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Initial Republican Tax Reform Proposal Includes Tax Cuts and Changes to Energy Credits


By , , and on Nov 3, 2017
Posted In Featured, Power Markets, Project Development and Finance, Renewables, Tax, U.S. Congress

Changes to the energy credits proposed in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act could impact the eligibility of renewable energy projects that had been relying on the guidance previously issued by the Internal Revenue Service. Continue Reading

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DOE Says Wind Power Creates Lots of Jobs!


By and on Aug 10, 2017
Posted In Renewables

According to the Department of Energy (DOE) renewable energy wind installations had explosive growth through 2016, and added approximately 32,000 jobs since 2015, to a total of 102,000! In the Wind Technologies Market Report, DOE says the Production Tax Credit (PTC) is directly responsible for the expansion. Congress, however, is phasing out the PTC, which...

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IRS Rules (Again) That Taxpayers Are Not Entitled to Claimed Refined Coal Credits


By , and on Jul 28, 2017
Posted In Renewables, Tax

In a highly-anticipated Technical Advice Memorandum (TAM) dated March 23, 2017 and released on July 21, 2017, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) ruled that two taxpayers who had invested in a Limited Liability Company that owned and operated a refined coal facility (the LLC) were not entitled to refined coal production credits they had claimed...

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Government Appeal of Alta Wind Supports Decision to File Suit Now


By , and on Jan 31, 2017
Posted In Renewables, Tax

As you may know, several taxpayers have sued the federal government because they believe they were underpaid under the Section 1603 grant program. Indeed, the taxpayer in the Alta Wind case was successful in convincing the court that the government had inappropriately reduced the amount of its 1603 grant by approximately $200 million. For more information...

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Court Awards $206 Million to Alta Wind Projects in Section 1603 Grant Litigation


By , , and on Nov 4, 2016
Posted In Environmental, Project Development and Finance, Renewables, Tax

The US Court of Federal Claims awarded damages of more than $206 million to the Plaintiffs in a case with respect to the cash grant program under Section 1603 of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (the Section 1603 Grant). In its opinion, which was unsealed on Monday, October 31, the Court held...

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Energy Tax Extenders in FAA Bill Unlikely


By , , and on Jun 30, 2016
Posted In Environmental, Project Development and Finance, Renewables, Tax, U.S. Congress

As discussed in our post on April 7, US Congress extended the Production Tax Credit (PTC) under Internal Revenue Code (IRC) Section 45 and the Investment Tax Credit (ITC) under IRC Section 48 in December 2015, but failed to include extensions for certain types of renewable energy property, including fuel cell power plants, stationary microturbine power...

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IRS Revises Recent Begin Construction Guidance


By , , and on May 20, 2016
Posted In Renewables, Tax

On May 18, 2016, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) revised Notice 2016-31 (Notice), its recent guidance on meeting the beginning of construction requirements for wind and other qualified facilities (including biomass, geothermal, landfill gas, trash, hydropower, and marine and hydrokinetic facilities). For a discussion of the Notice, click here. The revisions clarify that the Continuity...

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