Courses

Join with other New England states for the annual Tax Conference! We will hear from senior leaders on the latest tax issues right before we start our tax season. This conference is geared towards CPAs and financial advisors who are gearing up for tax season. There will be a session the first morning specific to each state, including one for Vermonters. 

The conference takes place virtually over 2 mornings for a total of 8 hours of CPE.

Agenda

Thursday, January 16, 2025
8:25-8:30 a.m. - Welcome and Opening Remarks

8:30-9:30 a.m. - State Specific Sessions
Session 1: Massachusetts Department of Revenue (DOR) Update
Commissioner Geoffrey Snyder, Massachusetts Department of Revenue
Rebecca Forter, Massachusetts Department of Revenue
Sharen Brown, Massachusetts Department of Revenue

Session 2: Maine Legislative and Professional Issues Update
Jonathan Block, JD, LLM, partner, Pierce Atwood LLP
Elizabeth Frazier, JD, partner, Pierce Atwood LLP
Olga Goldberg, JD, LLM, partner, Pierce Atwood LLP

Session 3: New Hampshire Legislative Update 
Teresa Rhodes Rosenberger, Bernstein Shur
Kevin Kennedy, CPA, CFE, ABV, Maloney & Kennedy, PLLC

Session 4: Vermont Legislative Update
Jamie Feehan, Primmer Piper Eggleston & Cramer PC (see Bio below)

9:40-10:20 a.m. - Concurrent Sessions

Session 1: Appellate Tax Board Update
Mark DeFrancisco, Esq., Massachusetts Appellate Tax Board
An update on state tax decisions from the Appellate Tax Board (ATB) and appellate courts. We’ll also cover best practices for appearing before the ATB and procedures for participating in remote hearings.

Session 2: Tech Update for Tax Professionals
Tommy Stephens, Jr., CPA, CGMA, CITP, K2 Enterprises
Stay ahead with essential updates on hardware, software and cybersecurity that are critical for your practice’s efficiency and security. In this session, we’ll cover key hardware advancements and requirements, the latest software updates including new features in Microsoft Office, current cybersecurity threats with practical solutions and emerging technologies shaping the future of accounting. You’ll gain insights into identifying impactful hardware developments for accounting and tax practices, exploring new features in Microsoft Office and other essential applications, and applying effective cybersecurity practices and tools.

10:30-11:20 a.m. - Updates in the Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts Report Case World (topic tentative, maybe have other selections post-election)
Rita Ryan, Wolf & Company, P.C.
Navigating Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts Report (FBAR) litigation is complex. In this session, we’ll explore the evolving landscape of FBAR litigation, highlighting recent court decisions that have changed the game for taxpayers contesting penalties for failing to report foreign accounts. We’ll also examine key cases that illustrate different strategies for challenging assessed FBAR penalties.

11:30 a.m.-12:20 p.m. - Mass. Audits and Assessments of Use Tax on National Transportation Carriers
Rich Jones, Sullivan & Worcester LLP 

12:20 p.m. - Day 1 Closing Remarks


Friday, January 17, 2025
8:25-8:30 a.m. - Day 2 Welcome

8:30-9:20 a.m. - Legislative Update
AICPA Speaker
Join us for a legislative update session, led by the AICPA, to discuss recent federal tax developments and potential changes from the latest election outcomes. This session will cover key updates affecting tax policy and compliance, preparing you for what’s next in the tax landscape.

9:30-10:20 a.m. - Concurrent Sessions 

Session 1: Navigating Competitiveness and Outmigration: Trends and Insights from the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation
Doug Howgate, Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation
In this session, we’ll explore the key issues shaping the business landscape in Massachusetts challenges related to competitiveness, outmigration and the latest trends observed by MTF. You’ll gain valuable insights into how these factors influence the state’s economic future and the potential policy directions that may emerge in response. The session will conclude with a Q&A, offering an opportunity for interactive discussion on this pressing topic.

Session 2: Artificial Intelligence in Your Tax Practice
Tommy Stephens, Jr., CPA, CGMA, CITP, K2 Enterprises
Artificial Intelligence (AI) seems to be everywhere – and for good reason! Today’s AI tools can help busy professionals work smarter, more efficiently, more effectively and more accurately. Yet many professionals don’t know how to incorporate AI into their tax practices. In this session, you’ll discover the importance of AI in your tax practice, including why AI is important, the benefits of using this amazing technology and how it can help you can jump-start tax practice productivity.

10:30-11:20 a.m. - Tax Updates: Massachusetts, Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire
Leanne Scott, JD, Baker Newman Noyes (BNN)
Hear an overview of recent tax developments in Massachusetts, Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire impacting both business and individual taxpayers. We'll also review recent public written statements from the Massachusetts Department of Revenue (DOR), Maine Revenue Services and the New Hampshire Department of Revenue Administration, as well as significant cases impacting taxpayers in these states.

11:30 a.m.-12:20 p.m. - National Trends in State and Local Tax Policy
Joe Crosby, MultiState Associates, Inc.
Karl Frieden, Council on State Taxation
In this session, we’ll discuss the current state of revenues and examine the expansionary nature of federal spending, including how the Federal Reserve is actively reducing short-term interest rates to engineer a soft landing for the economy. While the fiscal and economic environment is generally positive, we’ll also address the unsettled policy and political landscape and the potential impact of the parties turning to states under their control to push for policies no longer possible at the federal level.

VT Presenter Bios

Jamie Feehan of Primmer, Piper, Eggleston & Cramer PC, brings more than 15 years of experience working before the Vermont General Assembly to his work on behalf of clients. In that time, he has built a reputation for non-partisan, honest work, bolstered by a thorough understanding of the legislative process. Jamie is known for his ability to develop legislative and administrative action plans, then implement all aspects of those plans, including grass roots and grass tops mobilization.

For more presenter bios, see the MASS CPAs website at https://www.masscpas.org/cpe/203577tjd:state-tax-virtual-conference?tab=agenda.