Practice Management

The Internal Revenue Service announced the opening of Free File, the free tax preparation and free electronic filing initiative now in its fourth year. More than 70 percent of the nation's taxpayers -- over 92 million people -- qualify for Free File this year.

I discovered the most amazing thing this week -- a report on a federal agency that was actually readable.

The Internal Revenue Service has revoked the tax-exempt status of more than 30 credit-counseling firms, which collectively account for more than half of the industry's revenue.

The accounting firms of Mengel, Metzger, Barr & Co. LLP and Kirby Beals Maier announced that they will merge in a deal effective immediately.

Taxpayers can file their 2005 tax returns electronically beginning Jan. 13 as the Internal Revenue Service's E-file program opens for its 20th tax season.

Security software, appliance, and services provider Symantec Corp. has reached an agreement to acquire IMlogic Inc., a software developer for enterprise instant messaging headquartered in Waltham, Mass.

Mayer Hoffman McCann PC has launched a new division called Conrad Government Services as a result of its acquisition of Irvine, Calif.-based firm, Conrad and Associates LLP.

Four additional professional tax organizations have agreed to partner with the Internal Revenue Service to provide assistance to taxpayers at local disaster recovery centers established by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the IRS announced.

National Taxpayer Advocate Nina E. Olson released her latest report to Congress, again stressing the need for legislators to make simplification of the tax system a reality.

The Sage Group will enter the credit card and check payment-processing field with the $323 million acquisition of Verus Financial Management Inc. from Financial Technology Ventures.