An IRS advisory subcommittee is testing a compliance checklist for state and local government employers, asking questions about tax withholding, fringe benefits, retirement plans and other matters.

The IRS Advisory Committee on Tax Exempt and Governmental Entities’ Federal-State-Local Government Subcommittee has developed the compliance verification checklist for public employers. The intent is to help state and local government employers understand what is expected of them prior to the IRS initiating a compliance check, examination or other compliance activity, so they can correct any problems for themselves.

The subcommittee members are requesting help in refining and improving the draft checklist by asking state and local government employers’ payroll officials, human resources professionals, and their legal and financial advisors to “pretest” a draft of the “Compliance Verification Checklist for State and Local Governmental Entities”and fill out a short survey.

The draft version of the compliance checklist is now posted on the What's New page of the Web site of the National Conference of State Social Security Administrators. The survey evaluation form is available at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/825RHY5. The deadline for feedback is March 15, 2010.