taxes

Why The Previous IRS Commissioner Was Perfect For The Job

Upon hearing that IRS recognizes that they need more staff but doesn’t seem to be clear how to best accomplish this, I decided to research the current leadership, to see if the organization had the right people to realize their goals. The things I learned about Internal Revenue Service Commissioner Billy Long initially made me raise a brow, but since I believe in nuanced interpretations, I carefully considered what I learned about him and comfortably concluded that he is actually a very good fit for this role. Unfortunately, as I was completing my analysis, Long was removed from the position of Commissioner! That being said, a little background on Long is still worth considering, even if it’s just for the purpose of comparing the qualifications of future appointees.

Commissioner Long is a former congressman from Missouri, and he previously supported initiatives to abolish IRS. Additionally, there have been questions about Long’s ethical background, as he was once employed by a firm that obtained fraudulent Employee Retention Credits (ERC) on behalf of their clients. Long has stated that he did not partake in any wrongdoing, and Senate agreed with him, confirming him as commissioner in June 2025. Long was removed from his role as Commissioner in August 2025, less than 60 days after he started.

Here is why I think Commissioner Long was perfect for the role:

  • He has very little actual experience working in tax administration. This may be unusual for IRS commissioners but not for other public roles: there are a number of elected officials that have ZERO experience that qualifies them to participate in the committees in which they serve. The lack of relevant experience isn’t the disadvantage you would expect: it often serves as a prompt to dive deeper and really do the work of understanding how things work from the inside out. Long was in a perfect position to see IRS through fresh eyes.
  • In this role, he could have reconfigured the IRS in a way that best supported his vision for a fair, efficient revenue generator for the US. As a critic of the current IRS setup, he has a much deeper understanding of the flaws that can be fixed within the system. By focusing on fixing those issues, he could have set in motion the kind of changes that would actually make IRS a much better vehicle for financially supporting its goals and objectives.
  • I believe in the Emperor Sung effect when it comes to putting critics in positions that were initially opposed to (see The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene, Law 2, “Observance of the Law” for more context). There’s something transformative that happens when critics inhabit the roles they initially opposed. This gives them the opportunity to see firsthand where processes break down and how they can actually fix the problem. It’s very rare that someone gets into these positions and doesn’t have a shift in their perspective and interpretations. I believe that Commissioner Long was far more invested in cementing his legacy as a brilliant leader that transformed the behemoth that is IRS, than to be the one that dismantled the agency because of previously held viewpoints.

In any case, we won’t get to see Long usher in changes to the IRS. He has been appointed as Ambassador to Iceland (I can’t say whether that’s a promotion or not: I’ll let you be the judge of that) so we’ll just have to keep an eye out for the next commissioner and wait to see what changes will come. Long seems excited about his new role and I’m sure he’ll share many updates as he settles into his ambassadorship.

I’m interested in who will be appointed next. In the meantime, I’ll watch for updates on IRS’s hiring initiatives and implementation of the OBBBA in the weeks and months to come.

Why I’m Diving Deeper into Tax Law Right Now

Sometimes legacy work calls you into new terrain.

Or, more accurately, into old terrain with fresh urgency.

I’ve described myself as a tax alchemist, someone who reads and interprets codes and designs wealth strategies that are sacred and sophisticated.

But in light of recent developments, I’ll be turning even more of my attention to the evolving world of tax law — and I want to bring you along for the journey.

The landscape is shifting

A newly passed comprehensive bill — the “One Big Beautiful Bill” — has introduced sweeping changes that will ripple through tax planning, compliance, and wealth structuring for years to come.

Simultaneously, a recent Supreme Court decision regarding the IRS, the tax court, and collections due process has redefined certain guardrails that taxpayers have long relied on.

Translation?

The frameworks that protect your wealth, your legacy plans, and even your day-to-day financial serenity are all being re-negotiated in real time.

What this means for you

Most people only discover these shifts when it’s too late — when they’re hit with unexpected liabilities, audits, or discover that their previously sound strategies no longer hold.

But in the Aureum Sanctum, we approach this differently.

We stay ahead by weaving regulatory changes into our rituals of wealth stewardship before they become crises.

This is why I’ll be dedicating more of my offline time to unpacking these new legal currents — what they mean, how they might impact your trusts or business entities, and how we can continue to shape them into elegant, protective structures for your family’s future. And, as I uncover crucial details, I’ll bring these insights back to the Sanctum.

The Aureum Sanctum approach: calm, clear, strategic

If the idea of diving into dense tax law makes you anxious, take a breath.

We approach this the same way we approach everything here: with calmness, clarity, discernment, foresight, and the steady reminder that wealth design is both art and architecture.

Together, we’ll navigate these changes without panic — only with precision and the quiet confidence of knowing your financial house rests on solid, beautifully crafted foundations.

What’s next

So expect to see more updates in the coming weeks and months:

  • Thoughtful explorations of the new bill’s most impactful provisions
  • Insights on the Supreme Court’s most recent collection due process decision and what it might mean for audits and collections
  • And practical, graceful guidance on how to pivot your tax and legacy planning strategies in light of it all.

Because at the end of the day, my mission remains unchanged:

To help you build wealth that is elegant, enduring, and exquisitely aligned with the life you’re here to live — no matter what the laws of the land decide to rearrange.

3 Things To Do In March For Financial Health

Welcome to March! As we get closer to the spring equinox, we can’t help but feel the freshness and the energy of “new starts”. While this may be the beginning of the next season, this is also the season for completion, specifically, the completion of major financial obligations, such as tax filing. For the month of March, here are three things you can do to ensure and promote your financial health.

  • Review your budget and see how you’re doing. If you set up a budget for the year, this is a good time to look at how you’re doing and make adjustments. I’ve found it’s best to look at the previous quarter objectively: don’t beat yourself up over financial missteps, just commit to doing better in the future, and move on. Looking at your numbers at this point is also good if you have a tax year that differs from the standard calendar (January to December). Fiscal year filers may find it useful to see what’s happening in March, as this is often their mid-year point, and as such, a good time to make big changes to ensure that they finish strong.
  • File Forms 1120S and 1065, as well as applicable Schedule Ks. This is the time to file tax returns for partnerships and S-corps (unless you’re on a different tax year schedule). Schedule Ks should also be filed at this point. If this doesn’t apply to you, then start gathering the financial documents needed to file your tax returns (especially if you file a 1040). Review those documents and make sure that the information that has been reported is correct.
  • Update your beneficiaries on insurance policies and retirement accounts. While you’re in the process of reviewing and reconciling, it may be a good idea to review all of your insurance policies and retirement accounts. Make sure that the correct beneficiaries are listed, and take time to read through the benefits available under each policy. It’s worthwhile to check these regularly, and confirm whether your comprehension is still clear and accurate.

That’s all for March. Do you have any financial moves you’re making this month? I’d love to hear all about it!

Avoiding Gift Tax – Make Sure The Checks Clear!

Recently, I discussed the issues surrounding the estate of Aretha Franklin. From the sources that I reviewed, it appears that she did not intentionally reduce the size of her estate through gifting to her heirs before her death. It isn’t required that people reduce their estates through giving, however. . . With an annual ceiling of $15,000, affluent individuals of advanced age may prefer to distribute a portion of some inheritances before their death, to avoid taxes to both themselves as well as the recipients.

For those that choose to give before death, whatever you do, make sure your heirs cash those checks as soon as they receive them! A recent tax case (Estate of de Muth v Commissioner) determined that if a check isn’t cleared before a person dies, the checks become part of the estate, and therefore subject to estate tax. Of course, gifters can’t force recipients to quickly cash checks given to them, but if the intent is to ensure that the size of the estate is reduced, then time is truly of the essence.

I was interested in Estate of de Muth because it was always my understanding that it was the date of gifting, and not the date of cashing, that determined when a gift was given. But with the tax courts determining that the act of gift giving occurs upon cashing the check, I now have a different perspective regarding gifts and what constitutes receipt. This is why I love staying aware of the changes with the tax law: you never know what you’ll learn!