2011 Lays Groundwork For Tax Reform, Makes Important Changes Impacting 2012: “2011 had been predicted to be a quiet year in federal tax news – as it landed between major tax legislation in 2010 and expected tax reform in 2012 – but the year brought many significant tax developments from the Obama Administration, Congress, the Treasury Department, the IRS, and the courts. President Obama signed bills enacting hiring incentives, repealing three percent government withholding, and more. Congress initiated a national conversation on the pros and cons of tax increases, tax reform, and deficit reduction, which will frame tax proposals for 2012 and beyond. The IRS issued a steady stream of much-needed guidance for businesses and individuals, ratcheted up its attention on tax compliance, particularly in the international area, and continued its multi-prong initiative on return preparer oversight. Meanwhile, the Tax Court and other federal courts handed down decisions of their own, impacting rules for many other taxpayers. This Tax Briefing provides a review of the key tax law developments of 2011 and more.”