January 2019

January 30, 2019

IRS issues updates on post-shutdown activities

The IRS posted guidance for the public explaining how it will be operating now that the shutdown has ended, to catch up on its backlog in audits, collections, tax return processing, and Tax Court cases.

January 28, 2019

Government shutdown ends in time for tax season

The partial shutdown of the federal government ended just in time to allow the full IRS workforce to return to work for the start of tax season.

January 23, 2019

Paid preparer’s checklist expands to include head-of-household, other tax credit questions

Practitioners should be aware of changes to the due-diligence requirements for returns that claim the earned income tax credit, the American opportunity tax credit, and/or the child tax credit.

January 22, 2019

Qualified business income deduction regs. and other guidance issued

The package includes final regulations, guidance on how to calculate W-2 wages, a safe-harbor rule for rental real estate businesses, and new proposed rules on the treatment of previously suspended losses.

January 17, 2019

Some individual taxpayers get relief from underpayment penalty

The relief applies to individuals whose tax withheld and estimated tax payments equal at least 85% of the tax shown on their 2018 tax return.

January 16, 2019

Final regulations govern Sec. 965 transition tax

The IRS finalized proposed regulations issued last August on the new transition tax, which generally taxes the accumulated post-1986 deferred foreign income of a corporation.

January 15, 2019

Half of IRS employees to be recalled during tax season

The IRS issued an updated contingency plan outlining how it will function during tax season.

January 11, 2019

IRS announces Free File launch

The IRS announced that its Free File program, which provides free electronic filing options to moderate-income taxpayers, opened Jan. 11 and will operate through Oct. 15.

January 7, 2019

IRS sets start date for tax season, will issue refunds during government shutdown

The IRS announced that tax season will start in late January and that it will issue refunds to taxpayers despite the partial shutdown of the federal government.