In its current round of office visits involving tax preparer compliance, the IRS is targeting practitioners who prepare a high percentage of returns with certain Form 1040 schedules and is checking preparers’ procedures and recordkeeping. For a second tax season, the IRS has sent reminders to tax preparers of their
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TOPICS / TAX
IRS practice & procedure
PTINs a Pain for Some CPAs
As the start of tax filing season looms, some CPA preparers are reporting difficulties meeting the new IRS requirement to register and obtain or renew a preparer tax identification number (PTIN). All paid tax return preparers, including CPAs, now must use a PTIN when signing all tax returns, forms or
Shulman: CPA Firm Nonsigning Preparer Relief Likely
In late October, IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman said the Service would probably provide relief from proposed testing and continuing education requirements for nonsigning tax preparers working under the supervision of a CPA or other federally authorized tax practitioners, such as an attorney or enrolled agent, in a CPA or other
IRS Exempts CPA-Supervised Nonsigners From New Preparer Rules
On Thursday, the IRS released guidance on the implementation of new regulations governing tax return preparers (Notice 2011-6), and provided an exception to its return preparer regulation plan for nonsigning preparers supervised by a CPA, attorney, enrolled agent or other Circular 230 practitioner. The notice also provides an exception for
IRS Updates Guidance on Adequate Disclosure of Positions
The IRS has released updated guidance identifying when a taxpayer’s disclosure of an item or position in an income tax return is adequate for purposes of reducing the understatement of tax penalty and the tax return preparer penalty for understatement due to unreasonable positions (Revenue Procedure 2011-13). The IRS regularly
Preparer Mandatory E-File Guidance Proposed
The IRS on Wednesday issued proposed guidance on how return preparers may meet their new electronic filing requirement for individual and fiduciary income tax returns starting Jan. 1, 2011. The proposed regulations (REG-100194-10) and a proposed revenue procedure (Notice 2010-85) provide for a hardship exception to the requirement and specify
Innocent Spouse Relief: Alternatives After the Lantz Case
This past June, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals in Cathy M. Lantz v. Commissioner (docket no. 09-3345, 6/8/2010) reversed the Tax Court and upheld the IRS’ position that innocent spouses seeking equitable relief under subsection (f) of IRC § 6015 are subject to the same two-year filing deadline that
Tax Court Again Strikes Down Innocent Spouse Filing Limit
Despite its recent reversal on the issue by the Seventh Circuit, the Tax Court again ruled invalid IRS regulations requiring innocent spouses to request equitable relief under IRC § 6015(f) within two years of the beginning of collection activity. For more, see “Innocent Spouse Relief: Alternatives After the Lantz Case,”
SBA Supports Bill to Repeal “Burdensome” 1099 Filing Requirements
The head of the U.S. Small Business Administration called for the repeal of a vast expansion of 1099 filing requirements scheduled to begin in 2012. In an open letter to small business owners, SBA Administrator Karen Mills repeated President Barack Obama’s Nov, 3 statements that the expanded requirement for small
AICPA Urges Repeal of Expanded 1099 Reporting Requirements
In letters to members of the House of Representatives and the Senate, the AICPA on Nov. 16 expressed its concerns about the compliance burdens being placed on businesses (including rental property owners) by recently expanded Form 1099 information-reporting requirements. The letters, signed by Patricia Thompson, CPA, chair of the AICPA’s
Expanded Form 1099 Reporting “A Nightmare”
The article “The Coming 1099 Revolution: Are You and Your Clients Ready?” (Aug. 2010, page 40) provided much useful information on the tremendous increase in burdensome paperwork that will be imposed on American businesses by section 9006 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. As the largest coin and
IRS Amends Plan for Uncertain Tax Positions
The IRS unveiled a number of significant changes to its plan to require certain business taxpayers to report uncertain tax positions on their tax returns (see Announcement 2010-75 and Announcement 2010-76). The changes, released in September, come in response to numerous comments received on the proposal and on the draft
Preparer Registration Draws Concerns
The IRS moved ahead with its program to register tax return preparers, as aspects of the plan drew concerns and recommendations from a wide range of practitioners and policymakers, including the AICPA. In late September, the IRS issued final regulations (TD 9501 and TD 9503) on preparer tax identification numbers
Whose Goodwill Is It?
The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington recently held that goodwill created while a dentist was employed by his solely owned corporation belonged to the corporation and not to him. As a result, the dentist was required to characterize as a corporate dividend rather than a long-term
IRS Delays Mandatory W-2 Reporting of Health Care Coverage Costs
On Tuesday, the IRS issued a notice providing interim relief to employers regarding reporting the costs of group health plan coverage to employees (Notice 2010-69). Under the notice, notification to employees on Form W-2 will not be required for 2011. The IRS also posted a draft 2011 Form W-2 on
AICPA VP Testifies on Changes Needed to IRS Return Preparer Regulation Plan
Edward Karl, AICPA vice president–Taxation, testified at an IRS hearing on Friday about proposed amendments to Circular 230 that would put into place many parts of the IRS’ plan to register and regulate tax return preparers (REG-138637-07). The proposed regulations would clarify the definition of tax practice, establish a new
Jurisdiction Not Limited to Award Amount, Tax Court Says
The Tax Court ruled that an IRS letter denying a tax whistleblower’s claims was a “determination” giving the Tax Court jurisdiction to review the matter under IRC § 7623(b)(4). Thus, the court declared that its jurisdiction is not limited to the amount of an award but includes any determination by
Online Selling and Third-Party Network Reporting
The payment settlement reporting requirements of new IRC § 6050W, which go into effect next year, apply broadly to transactions conducted by debit or credit card, as well as third-party network transactions. While CPAs’ clients can easily understand how accepting payment cards at point of sale might affect them, those
Some Audit Documents Protected
The District of Columbia Court of Appeals held that the work product privilege protected two documents created by taxpayer Dow Chemical Inc. from discovery by the IRS and might protect another document created by Dow’s independent auditor, Deloitte LLP. The D.C. Circuit thus affirmed a holding by the District Court
Company’s Deduction for Shareholder-Executive’s Pay Reduced
The Tax Court reduced a corporation’s deduction for compensation to its CEO, but by much less than the IRS sought. Factors favoring the taxpayer were consistent compensation policies and that the owner was the driving force behind successful operations. Weighing against the taxpayer for one tax year was a negative
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