Cherry Blossoms, Maybe; Tax Reform, Finally; TEI's Midyear Conference, Always!(Tax Executives Institute) (President's page)

• Author: Howren, Robert L.

March Madness puts most of us in mind of the NCAA basketball tournament. But Washington offers March madness of a wholly different sort, one that stretches the bounds of unpredictability far beyond the usual debt ceiling dance or legislative cliffhangers. "Fake news" and "hyperbolic opinion" have become the new normal. In all candor, I really miss plain of Washington unpredictability, like divining when the cherry blossoms will be at peak bloom.

Yet, while Washington reaches new highs (or is it new lows?) of unpredictability, TEI remains a rock of stability for its members. Put differently, if it's March in Washington, it must be Midyear Conference time--this year, our sixty-eighth consecutive gathering. We are delighted again to offer a rich blend of technical, policy, management, and technology-related content presented by a best-in-class faculty. This year, as a result of the recent enactment of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, a dedicated tax reform track has been added to the program to enable attendees to explore virtually every dimension of this new, complex, and oh-so-challenging piece of legislation. Specifically, attendees can participate in tax reform-specific content in the following areas:

* transition tax;

* Subpart F and foreign tax credit planning;

* IP planning;

* income tax accounting;

* financial reporting effects;

* state and local tax implications;

* transaction tax considerations;

* interest expense limitation;

* choice of entity/entity characterization;

* anti-base-erosion rules;

* international supply chain management; and

* employee benefits.

In addition to the technical discussions, our program will explore how the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act came to be; the prospects for future tax legislation, e.g., technical corrections and tax extenders; and the financial statement, reporting, and compliance implications arising from this new legislation. I urge you to take maximum advantage to engage with and challenge our cadre of instructors with your questions and observations. They are excited to be on our agenda and look forward to meeting you.

In the spirit of this year's theme, "Getting Connected, Staying Engaged, & Having Fun," we are thrilled to welcome back the political satirists the Capitol Steps to our Midyear Conference. With all the madness going on in D.C., I am confident there will be no shortage of material to keep you laughing.

I also want to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of TEI's tax reform task...