Tax season

The late start to tax season will re-arrange software maker Intuit Inc.’s revenues by about $120 million, according to the company’s latest outlook, released Tuesday.

The Internal Revenue Service’s new commissioner John Koskinen has released a message to taxpayers for this tax season, urging them to use the agency’s Web site and warning of long wait times on the phone.

The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday that the IRS had no legal authority to impose a nationwide licensing scheme on tax return preparers that would have required testing and continuing education as Registered Tax Return Preparers.

The Internal Revenue Service is warning taxpayers to be sure to notify the Social Security Administration before they file their taxes if they have changed their own name or the name of one of their dependents has changed. Otherwise their tax refund could be delayed.

Check out the digital edition of the February 2014 issue of Accounting Today.

Refundo, a provider of low-cost tax-related bank products, has partnered with online- and app-payment provider Stripe to allow tax offices to accept credit card payments through Refundo’s online platform.

The Internal Revenue Service has updated and improved its IRS2Go mobile app this tax season, adding new features including a way to track the status of a taxpayer’s tax refund.

Democrats on the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee have written to Speaker of the House John Boehner, R-Ohio, urging him to introduce legislation to raise the debt ceiling without pre-conditions, warning that the Treasury Department would not be able to pay tax refunds without a higher debt limit.

Early issues in the 2014 filing season, from fraud to the Affordable Care Act

A roundup of tax news from the previous month.

The new commissioner stands up for the agency

The Internal Revenue Service began accepting individual tax returns on Friday.

The Minnesota Society of CPAs recently conducted its annual CPA member survey about the most strange and unusual tax deductions proposed by clients. The responses included everything from pets and wedding rings to gifts not given.

The New York State Department of Taxation and Finance said Monday it has begun issuing the first income tax refunds of 2014 for taxpayers who used an online free tax service provided by the state.

The National Society of Accountants is worried about the impact of the budget cuts on the Internal Revenue Service’s ability to send out tax refunds and help taxpayers, and is sending a letter to the chairman of the House Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Subcommittee to outline its concerns.

Here is a one-question multiple choice quiz for all return preparers.

The Internal Revenue Service plans to send expiration letters next week to tax practitioners who have not renewed their Preparer Tax Identification Numbers for 2014.

The U.S. Departments of Treasury and Education are partnering with accounting and tax software developer Intuit to raise awareness of income-driven repayment plans and other repayment options for federal student loan borrowers.

While many taxpayers look forward to filing season as the time they can get “free money” in the form of their tax refund, those with more complex returns are focused as well on avoiding situations that might lead to an audit.

The IRS Return Preparer Office has updated total numbers of federal return preparers who hold PTINs.