The IRS is proposing to change its position on when taxpayers may qualify as childless for purposes of the Sec. 32 earned income tax credit (REG-137604-07). The proposed regulations, issued on Thursday, would also make a variety of changes to the definition of “dependent” in the regulations to reflect various statutory changes that have been…
Getting your tax return rejected by the IRS can mark the outset of a serious freak-out session. Thankfully the process of correcting and re-submitting your return often turns out to be fairly painless. Once you file your annual tax return, the IRS can reject it if it contains conflicting information. If the IRS rejects your…
Combating identity theft is a top priority, and across the IRS many important steps are being taken to fight it. A key part of this involves the Security Summit Initiative, a unique partnership between the IRS, state revenue departments and the private-sector tax industry leaders. This unprecedented Security Summit Initiative is the first public-private partnership…
The IRS is delaying tax refunds for more than 40 million low-income families this year as the agency steps up efforts to fight identity theft and fraud. The delays will affect families claiming the earned income tax credit and the additional child tax credit. These tax breaks are geared to benefit the working poor, and…
Starting in 2017, tax refunds that include an Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) or Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC) will be held until February 15. WHY IS THE DELAY HAPPENING? On December 18, 2015, Congress passed the PATH (Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes) Act which made over 20 tax provisions permanent, including tax credit expansions…
The Internal Revenue Service and its in-house watchdog the National Taxpayer Advocate’s office are debating the future of the agency and how that will affect us and our filings in the coming years. The IRS is working on what it calls its Future State plan, an outline of agency activities in five years and beyond.…
The first Friday the 13th of 2017 is lucky for some taxpayers. That’s the day that Free File once again opens, allowing eligible folks to electronically prepare and file their 2016 tax returns. The Internal Revenue Service hasn’t yet issued an official announcement about Free File 2017, but if you pursue the IRS website (c’mon,…
One of the big sticks that the Internal Revenue Service wields is penalties for our mistakes or willful disregard of tax laws. Some of the penalties were increased in 2016 thanks to law changes. Others are hiked each year if inflation so warrants. Here’s a roundup of some major tax penalties changes ahead in 2017.…
Did you know about 27 percent of Earned Income Tax Credit returns are paid in error? According to the IRS, the five most common errors account for more than 60 percent of erroneous claims. Remember, EITC preparers have due diligence requirements or questions you must ask your client, to determine eligibility for the credit. Errors…
How will the new safeguards affect me? The goal at the IRS is to verify your identity and the validity of your return before the return is accepted for processing. We’ve been working with state tax agencies and the tax industry to strengthen safeguards that protect you from identity theft. The 2017 safeguards are aimed…
