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Headline Sports Agents Sports Business

A Specific IRS Request For “Additional Information”

It sure seems like tax season here at Sports Agent Blog.  Here are tax related posts that have been published in the month of December:

After writing the IRS post, I received a message from attorney-agent Ron Del Duca of Del Duca Sports.  He referenced a piece that he wrote in April 2010 on his blog, which detailed a specific instance where he responded to an IRS request for “additional information” concerning deductions that one of his unnamed clients listed on  his federal tax return.  The IRS accepted Del Duca’s response and closed the case.

Del Duca can separate himself from the competition, because not only does he have a J.D., but he also completed Master of Laws Taxation Degree (LLM) from William & Mary in 1984.  Thus, he does not have to seek help from someone outside of his company should the IRS come calling one of his clients.

Del Duca’s client was seeking to deduct a total of $52,903 in expenses.  The breakdown was as follows,

  1. NFLPA union dues of $10,000.
  2. Agent fees of $32,812.
  3. A fine of $1,531 for being late to a team meeting.
  4. Shoes and other football equipment of $1,536.
  5. Game tickets for agents and other advisors of $2,269.
  6. Business related trip expenses of $4,755.

By Darren Heitner

Darren Adam Heitner, Esq., is a preeminent sports attorney and the founder of Heitner Legal, P.L.L.C., a Fort Lauderdale-based law firm specializing in sports law, contract negotiations, intellectual property, and arbitration. He earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Florida Levin College of Law in 2010 and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, magna cum laude, from the University of Florida in 2007, where he was named Valedictorian of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Admitted to practice in the state bars of Florida, New York, and the District of Columbia, as well as multiple federal courts, Darren also serves as a certified arbitrator with the American Arbitration Association.

As an adjunct professor, Darren imparts his expertise through teaching Sports Law at the University of Florida Levin College of Law and Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) at the University of Miami School of Law in the Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law LL.M. program. His scholarly contributions include authoring several books published by the American Bar Association, such as How to Play the Game: What Every Sports Attorney Needs to Know, and numerous articles in prominent publications like Forbes, Inc. Magazine, and Above the Law. His thought leadership in NIL has earned him recognition as one of the foremost experts by The Wall Street Journal, USA TODAY, and On3, and he has been lauded as a “power player in NIL deals” by Action Network and a “top sports trademark attorney” by Sportico.

Darren’s passion for sports law led him to establish Sports Agent Blog on December 31, 2005, initially titled “I Want To Be A Sports Agent.” The platform, created as a New Year’s resolution, has grown into a cornerstone of the sports agency community, offering in-depth analysis of industry trends, legal disputes, and agent-player dynamics. His commitment to the field is further evidenced by his representation of numerous athletes and sports agents, as well as his prior role as an Adjunct Professor at Indiana University Bloomington, where he developed and taught a course on Sport Agency Management from 2011 to 2014.

Darren’s contributions have been recognized with prestigious honors, including the University of Florida’s 40 Under 40 Award, the University of Florida Levin College of Law’s Outstanding Young Alumnus Award, and designation as the best lawyer in Fort Lauderdale by Fort Lauderdale Magazine. He remains an active voice in the sports law community, sharing insights through his weekly NIL newsletter and his X posts, engaging a broad audience on legal developments in sports.