Monisha C. Santamaria

Monisha is a Principal in the Passthroughs group for the KPMG Washington National Tax practice specializing in U.S. federal income tax issues affecting partnerships, the Corporate Alternative Minimum Tax (CAMT), and certain tax policy issues. She is frequently quoted in tax and mainstream media, including the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and the Hill, and is a recognized speaker and prolific author on various tax law topics. Monisha is nationally known for her CAMT expertise and co-authors the popular CAMTyland series in Tax Notes. She also writes and speaks about potential changes to the taxation of partnerships and partners.

Immediately prior to joining KPMG, she served as a Legislation Counsel for the Joint Committee on Taxation. In that role, she assisted congressional tax-writing committees and members of Congress with the development and analysis of legislative proposals. Monisha played a role in the technical development of introduced and marked changes to Section 52 (aggregation rules), Section 163 (interest expense limitation), Section 165 (worthlessness losses), Section 461(l) (excess business losses), Section 856(d)(5) (REIT attribution rules), and Section 1061 (carried interest) and Senator Wyden’s passthrough reform and mark-to-market discussion drafts. Moreover, she crafted tax provisions in the Families First Coronavirus Response Act; the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (including Section 163(j)(10)); the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (including with respect to the Payroll Protection Program); and the American Rescue Plan. 

Previously, Monisha was a senior manager in the national tax department of another Big Four firm, advising on U.S. federal income tax issues impacting domestic and foreign partnerships. Earlier, she was a tax associate at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, counseling multinational corporations on U.S. federal income tax aspects of joint ventures, mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures. She started her legal career as a tax planning associate at Bingham McCutchen LLP, serving Fortune 50, financial sector, and energy industry clients.

Monisha is active in the tax profession, previously chairing the American Bar Association Section of Taxation’s Partnerships and LLCs Committee and previously teaching an advanced partnership tax course at Loyola Law School. She has been recognized as one of the top lawyers under 40 by the American Bar Association.

Monisha holds a JD from Stanford Law School, a Master’s degree from Tulane University, and a BA, summa cum laude, in history from Tulane University.