Practice and client management

A federal judge has denied the Internal Revenue Service’s request to suspend his January 18 ruling that struck down the IRS’s tax-preparer scheme as unlawful, but made some important clarifications in a ruling he issued last month.

The Institute on Taxation & Economic Policy has released the fourth edition of its report, “Who Pays? A Distributional Analysis of the Tax Systems in All 50 States,” which claims that in almost all state tax systems, middle- and low-income families pay a greater share of their income in tax than wealthy families.

The IRS is offering additional tax relief to individuals and businesses affected by Hurricane Sandy.

Small and midsize accounting practices, along with their small and midsize business clients, are worried about economic instability and the impact of regulations, according to a new survey.

The Internal Revenue Service plans to begin accepting corporate, partnership and tax-exempt returns starting at 9:00 am Eastern Time on Monday, but with some important exceptions.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday that nonfarm payroll employment increased by 157,000 in January, but the unemployment rate ticked up a tenth of a percentage point to 7.9 percent.

The start of 2013 unfortunately brings with it the need to integrate into your clients' tax planning some new threshold amounts that have been added to the Tax Code.

The problem with your CRM system isn't usually about your CRM system. It's about you. It's the way it's been set up. It's the way it's been implemented. It's the way it's managed.

Accounting firms attempting to establish a comprehensive online profile should start with the accounts they likely already own: their Web site, Twitter feed, linkedin page and blog.

A roundup of news in tax from the previous month

Your clients may want to appeal their assessments

Four firms showcase how they are becoming more social

Some taxpayers seeking a quick refund may have to wait longer than usual this year as the Internal Revenue Service tries to stop criminals who steal others’ identities and file fraudulent returns.

The chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee’s Oversight Subcommittee is asking the Internal Revenue Service why its Web site continues to provide confusing information about the IRS’s recently invalidated tax preparer regulation requirements.

Without some kind of accepted certification program, the taxpaying public has no way of knowing if a person who says that they are a professional tax preparer has any training or experience. The answer would be some kind of voluntary “certification program” where a tax preparer could receive a universally accepted professional designation based on testing or credentials.

The Internal Revenue Service is promising more video conferencing assistance for taxpayers, social media tools and an improved Web site as it launched tax season Wednesday, along with stepped-up efforts to protect taxpayers from tax refund fraud and identity theft.

A federal court has denied H&R Block’s effort to stop Intuit from continuing to air a pair of TV commercials for TurboTax that comically suggested tax prep franchise employees worked as plumbers and clothing store clerks outside of tax season.

Most former NFL players are bankrupt or under financial stress within two years of retirement. So why aren’t more athletes using financial advisors? A former Pittsburgh Steeler says ego and fear are often to blame, but there are ways for players and advisors to make a winning connection.

The Internal Revenue Service is scheduled to begin accepting individual income tax returns starting Wednesday.