National Taxpayer Advocate Erin Collins escalated her push for the IRS to adopt barcode scanning of paper tax returns, but the IRS would commit only to a goal of scanning certain 2022 returns.
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Regulations streamline partnership basis elections
Final regulations issued by the IRS and Treasury allow a Sec. 754 election statement to be submitted without a partner’s signature.
CHIPS and Science Act with semiconductor tax credit passes Congress
The bill now goes to President Joe Biden, who has said he will sign it into law.
Senate deal paves way to reconciliation bill with tax provisions
A federal budget reconciliation bill with tax provisions, including a 15% corporate minimum tax and a variety of tax credits, took a step closer to reality with Sen. Joe Manchin’s agreement to the package’s contents.
Some balance-due notices on joint returns issued in error, IRS says
Payments made by the second-listed spouse on a joint return for 2021 under certain conditions may not have been properly credited by the IRS.
Senate passes CHIPS Act with semiconductor tax credit
The bill’s semiconductor production incentives would include a new 25% investment credit.
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. GOA 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.
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.
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.
Regs. proposed for present value of estate deductions
Administrative expenses and claims against estates allowable under Sec. 2053 beyond a three-year grace period would be discounted for current deduction, under proposed rules issued by the IRS.
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.
Supreme Court to resolve FBAR penalty dispute
By agreeing to hear a Romanian-born businessperson’s appeal, the Supreme Court will address a circuit split over how to stack maximum penalties for multiple nonwillful civil violations for failure to file the FBAR.
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.
Senate Finance airs post-Wayfair sales tax burdens
Small business owners describe scrambling to comply with varying sales tax compliance rules across a welter of jurisdictions.
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.
PRACTICE MANAGEMENT
2026 tax software survey
CPAs rate their return preparation software’s performance during this year’s tax season.
