IRS practice & procedure

Treasury posted a lapsed appropriations contingency plan late last week that calls for the IRS to be fully staffed through Friday during the partial government shutdown.

Separate reports from two federal oversight bodies warn that the IRS may struggle to maintain service levels between now and April 15, possibly causing delays in tax refunds and in getting answers by phone.

The IRS extended the deadline for SECURE 2.0 related amendments to IRAs, SEPs, and SIMPLE IRAs to Dec. 31, 2027, saying that additional time is needed to complete model language.

In its annual report, IRSAC said the IRS has been through “an extraordinarily difficult year” with budget and staff cuts while preparing for numerous tax law changes. The report also noted tax practitioners’ prolonged wait times when contacting the IRS.

The IRS issued the proposed regulations to reflect changes made by H.R. 1 to the threshold for backup withholding for third-party settlement organizations such as PayPal, Venmo, and others.

In proposed regulations for the car loan interest deduction, the IRS addresses issues for taxpayers and lenders, including eligibility criteria for the deduction and information-reporting requirements.