IRS Mistakenly Sent Warning Letters to e-File Providers

The Internal Revenue Service mistakenly sent out letters to some electronic filing providers advising them that they needed to contact the IRS in order to continue to participate in the e-file program.

The IRS said in an email to tax professionals Thursday that some of the letters were sent by mistake. While authorized IRS e-file providers not need to reapply each year as long as they continue to e-file returns, the IRS will notify the provider of removal from its active provider list. However, the IRS appears to have sent out the notification letters to some providers who in fact had been filing their clients’ tax returns this year or last year.

“Based on a recent review, the IRS sent letters to participants advising them of their inactivity and asking them to contact IRS to continue participation,” said the IRS. “However, some of these letters were issued incorrectly.  If you receive the inactivity letter and have filed returns in the last two years, the IRS has corrected the status of these affected participants and no additional action is necessary on your part.”

The IRS also reminded tax professionals that authorized e-file providers can review their IRS e-file Application at IRS.gov using e- services to check on their current status.

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Tax practice
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