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TOPICS / TAX
IRS practice & procedure
IRS seeks transformation in new 5-year plan
The IRS’s fiscal 2022–26 Strategic Plan sets out goals to modernize its operations and interactions with taxpayers while adapting to new challenges and threats.
Pandemic-paused IRS return preparer visits could resume by video
The U.S. GAO recommended that the IRS pilot videoconferencing for its program singling out “high-risk” return preparers for direct compliance checks and education with respect to refundable tax credits and other taxpayer tax benefits.
Congressional Democrats faced with ticking clock on reconciliation package
Negotiations on a reconciliation bill — a successor to the Build Back Better proposal — continue in Congress. But negotiators face a Sept. 30 deadline to get the bill passed.
AICPA recommends additional IRS backlog measures
Looking ahead to next filing season, the AICPA renews previous calls for taxpayer relief and administrative remedies to help the IRS clear overages in its return and correspondence inventories.
TIGTA: Delayed screening of IRS new hires risked taxpayer data
Temporary waiving of fingerprinting and identification procedures for new federal employees due to the pandemic could have allowed access to taxpayer data by individuals who were ineligible for federal employment.
Estates can now request late portability election relief for 5 years
The IRS extended to five years the period under which a taxpayer can use a simplified method (in lieu of a letter ruling request) to obtain an extension of time to make a portability election.
Proposed regs. would define Sec. 1256 foreign currency contracts
The IRS’s definition would exclude foreign currency options or other derivatives, but such instruments may still be subject to the Sec. 1256 mark-to-market rules under other provisions.
Late filing of petition does not bar Tax Court jurisdiction
The U.S. Supreme Court held that the Sec. 6330(d)(1) 30-day time limit to file a petition with the Tax Court after a Collection Due Process hearing determination is not a jurisdictional requirement. The Tax Court’s jurisdiction is conditioned on the petition’s filing and not its timeliness.
Tax debt from late return is held discharged
A bankruptcy court holds that the taxpayers’ return was an honest and reasonable attempt to comply with the tax law.
IRS sets procedure for Superfund list changes
The IRS also has posted general Superfund FAQs and tax rates for some chemical substances subject to the recently reinstated excise tax.
IRS extends e-filing to more 1040-series amended returns
Nonresident alien amended returns and those for Puerto Rico residents are added; superseding returns can be designated.
National Taxpayer Advocate report targets IRS service
In her Objectives Report to Congress for fiscal 2023, National Taxpayer Advocate Erin Collins describes steps the IRS can take to improve its return and correspondence processing and telephone service to taxpayers.
IRS voice bots help set up payment plans
The IRS deploys more AI-powered phone abilities, enabling taxpayers calling the Service to authenticate their identifies and arrange to pay tax liabilities.
Better taxpayer service among GAO priorities for IRS
The US Government Accountability Office’s 25 top to-do items for IRS tax administration focus on service, tax fraud, cybersecurity, information reporting, audits and staffing.
Midyear IRS mileage rate increase follows precedent, recent pleas
Last week’s bump was the third midyear increase in the past 14 years, and it came after members of Congress wrote to the IRS about rising fuel prices.
Tax-avoidance schemes round out ‘Dirty Dozen’
The IRS highlights additional abusive taxpayer arrangements and tactics as its annual “Dirty Dozen” series ends.
Certain tax services do not violate US ban on provision of accounting services in relation to Russia sanctions
A document issued Thursday by Treasury offers clarity related to, for example, tax and management consulting services that would not be prohibited by the U.S. sanctions announced last month.
‘Dirty Dozen’: Spear phishing targets tax pros
Emails appearing to come from the IRS or a tax software provider may aim to steal tax return preparers’ account and client information.
IRS warns of impostors in ‘Dirty Dozen’
The IRS’s annual series continues with caveats about fake communications intended to bilk taxpayers out of their tax and financial information.
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