The IRS started accepting e-filed and Free File returns on Jan. 14, marking the official start of the 2011 tax filing season. However, many taxpayers will not be able to file until some time in February while the IRS updates forms and reprograms its systems to account for legislative changes
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Tax
Social Security “Do-Over” Now Limited
The Social Security Administration issued a final rule that limits beneficiaries’ ability to stop their Social Security retirement payments, repay their cumulative past benefits, and start receiving higher payments available to older applicants. The SSA said the restrictions were necessary to prevent abuse of the option, which has been called
Treasury Introduces Prepaid Debit Cards for Tax Refunds
The Treasury Department on Thursday announced a pilot program of prepaid debit cards to allow taxpayers without bank accounts to receive their tax refunds more quickly. The Visa debit cards will be available only to taxpayers who receive an offer letter from the Treasury Department. During the pilot program, the
IRS Oversight Board Releases Latest Taxpayer Attitude Survey Results
The IRS Oversight Board has released the results of its 2010 Taxpayer Attitude Survey showing that taxpayers feel that income tax cheating is unacceptable and are generally satisfied with their personal interaction with the IRS. The nine-member IRS Oversight Board was created by the IRS Restructuring and Reform Act of
Automatic Procedures for Changing Accounting Methods Updated, Expanded
The IRS on Monday released updated procedures under which taxpayers can receive automatic consent to change their accounting methods (Revenue Procedure 2011-14). The revenue procedure updates prior guidance contained in Revenue Procedures 2008-52 and 2009-39 and gives additional accounting method changes for which taxpayers can obtain automatic consent. The revenue
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
Establish a College-Based Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program
Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) is an IRS program that provides free, reliable income tax return preparation to low- to moderate-income taxpayers. Many nonprofit organizations sponsor sites, including colleges and universities, which often integrate the program into teaching taxation to give students some practical experience. I was privileged to help
Tax Court Again Takes Dim View of Benistar Plan
In McGehee Family Clinic the Tax Court ruled that a clinic and shareholder’s investment in an employee benefit plan marketed under the name “Benistar” was a listed transaction substantially similar to the transaction described in Notice 95-34 (1995-1 C.B. 309). This is at least the second case in which the
Sale of Business Generates Ordinary Income
The Tax Court held that payments to a taxpayer from the sale of his consulting business that he reported as long-term capital gain from his goodwill should instead be taxed as ordinary income. It held that the sales agreement that allocated amounts to the taxpayer as goodwill and to his
How to Stand Out in Today’s Marketplace
The Institute has developed a multiyear marketing campaign to differentiate CPAs from other tax preparers. The initiative includes a set of tools to help members promote the value of CPA providers of tax services and to distinguish them from their competitors, and a comprehensive tax website for consumers with dynamic
Maximizing Tax Season Efficiency
Run your firm’s tax season as if you were advising a client on a business. Whether you are a two-person operation or a giant national firm, you need procedures to facilitate the tax preparation part of your practice. The following best practices for tax season, adapted from my book Managing
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
International Adoption Still a Good Option
Regarding special-needs and international adoptions being easier than domestic adoptions (“Tax Treatment of Adoption Expenses,” April 2010, page 44): I am a CPA who adopted an 8-month-old baby from Vietnam in 2007. I started the process (the first visit to the adoption agency) in November of 2006. By Aug. 8,
Divorce Settlement Issues
How can you assist your client and the client’s attorney in realizing a fair and equitable divorce settlement? Here are several critical tax and financial planning issues: —By John Raspante, CPA, (jraspante@grafrepetti.com) and Arthur Garcia, Esq., (agarcia@grafrepetti.com) co-directors of Graf Repetti & Co. LLP’s matrimonial advisers group in New York
Using Refund Splitting to Fund IRAs
Individual taxpayers have the option to split direct deposit federal tax refunds among up to three (open) accounts with up to three U.S. financial institutions that accept direct deposits. Refunds can fund several kinds of accounts, including checking, savings, individual development accounts, IRAs (traditional, Roth and SEP), health savings accounts,
Purcell Earns Highest Award in Taxation
Thomas J. Purcell III received the 2010 Arthur J. Dixon Memorial Award, the highest award given by the profession in the area of taxation. The award was presented by Patricia Thompson, chair of the AICPA Tax Executive Committee, at the AICPA’s Fall Tax Division Meeting in Washington. Purcell is professor
Don’t Neglect to Elect, Part 2
In the hustle and bustle of tax season, practitioners may overlook some of the elective tax benefits available to clients. Although many elections can be made under extension or on amended returns, a little forethought can go a long way. Here’s a follow-up to our June 2010 JofA article (“Tax
Taking the “Sting” Out of S Corporations’ Earnings and Profits
Under current tax law, an S corporation cannot produce earnings and profits (E&P); only C corporations can. However, if the S corporation was previously a C corporation, it may have accumulated E&P from years when it was a C corporation. Similarly, if an S corporation was a party to a
Tax Season Brings New Twists
While 2010 featured an ample number of new tax breaks and revenue-raising measures, the filing season that starts this month (with an April 18 deadline for individual returns) is notable for tax practitioners also because of its new return preparer requirements. For the first time, paid return preparers including CPAs
Congress Enacts Tax Cut Extensions
Congress in December sent to President Barack Obama for his signature the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010, HR 4853, which postpones the sunset of the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts, temporarily reduces the estate tax and extends a number of expired provisions. It also
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