The IRS has completed its six-city swing through America, with forums staged in Orlando, Atlanta, San Diego, Las Vegas, Chicago and New York.
The three-day forums, held each year, covered a wide range of tax compliance and administrative topics and featured speakers from academia and the private sector as well as the IRS.
“This year, the forums have provided us the opportunity to talk to RTRPs [Registered Tax Return Preparers], and to inform them about the requirements for getting CPE, testing, and a PTIN,” said Candice Cromling, director, National Public Liaison, Communications & Liaison, at the IRS.
Approximately half of the 2,700 registrants at the New York forum were traditional Circular 230 practitioners, Cromling observed, while the other half were prospective or current RTRPs. Among the most popular topics covered at the sessions were Schedule D and Schedule E reporting, she noted.
In every city, registrants had the ability to apply for a PTIN on the spot. The Las Vegas Forum provided the opportunity for on-site testing for the RTRP.
“We’re encouraging people here to take the test now,” said Cromling. Preparers have until Dec. 31, 2013, to pass the test.
The numbers were up in every city over the previous year’s attendance, Cromling indicated. “In October, we will have videos available of 15 of the IRS sessions,” she said. Practitioners can audit them for free, or pay $49 for CPE credit.
