Practice Management

The Internal Revenue Service is urging individuals and businesses that are making contributions to charity to keep in mind several important tax law provisions that have taken effect in recent years. Accountants can pass along the advice to their clients who are making charitable contributions that they can claim on their taxes next year.

The Internal Revenue Service is warning tax preparers who do not send a Form 8867, “Paid Preparer’s Earned Income Credit” Checklist,” with the tax returns they file for clients who claim the Earned Income Tax Credit that they are subject to a $500 penalty per return.

Starting in the New Year, the Internal Revenue Service plans to increase the processing fees for installment agreements and offers in compromise, in addition to other payment arrangements.

Beginning on January 1, the Internal Revenue Service plans to limit the number of e-file signature authorization documents for filing Form 1041 estate and trust tax returns to a single 1041 return rather than multiple returns.

The Internal Revenue Service plans to transition more of its services for taxpayers to online, automated self-service options next tax season to save money and manpower.

The Internal Revenue Service plans to begin accepting business tax returns on January 13, more than two weeks ahead of the start date for accepting individual tax returns.

A group of female House Democrats is urging Speaker of the House John Boehner, R-Ohio, to allow a vote on extending federal unemployment insurance to help 1.3 million long-term unemployed workers facing the expiration of the Emergency Unemployment Compensation program on December 28.

Consumer tax prep software maker TaxAct has signed an agreement with the health insurance exchange GetInsured to help taxpayers compare and apply for health insurance.

The Internal Revenue Service has issued Revenue Ruling 2014-02, explaining the tax treatment of payments under the National Mortgage Settlement to homeowners whose principal residences were foreclosed by mortgage servicers using techniques such as “robosigning,” where there was little documentation or examination by qualified bank officials.

Booz & Co.'s global partners have voted to approve a combination with PwC.