Toward the end of 2012, the popular press was awash with reports about the “fiscal cliff” and the efforts to avert it. A major aspect of this “cliff” was the expiration of many temporary tax provisions. Most of these tax laws had—temporarily?—reduced taxes for individuals and businesses. Thus, some politicians, lobbyists, and tax experts believed that they were contributing to the growing national deficit. However, for most of the expiring provisions, this was hardly the first time they faced expiration. Some have been extended so many times that taxpayers could be excused for believing they were permanent aspects of the tax code. During November of 2012, we conducted a comprehensive survey that asked Certified Public Accountants (“CPAs”) and other tax professionals to describe their opinions about the continuance of “temporary” provisions in the tax code. Our objective was to see if the multiple extensions of many of these temporary provisions...

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