Tax tools

The Internal Revenue Service has introduced a new tool for determining a taxpayer’s eligibility for an offer in compromise that can help lower the taxpayer’s outstanding tax debts.

Accounting and advisory firm Marcum LLP has introduced an interactive online map that tracks the status of same-sex marriage in each of the 50 U.S. states and how such unions are treated for tax purposes.

Greatland Corporation has acquired Express Internet Companies.com with its two brands ExpressTaxForms.com and ExpressChecks.com.

In addition to all the usual difficulties of tax season, some preparers are saying that glitches have appeared in their tax prep software as the filing season kicks off.

CCH has introduced the CCH Code & Regs 2013 App, a mobile app for Apple iPhone and iPad and Google Android devices.

Tax executives from Global 2000 companies are increasingly relying on tax compliance strategies and planning when dealing with sales and use taxes and indirect taxes like the value-added tax.

Getting tax prep clients to use your tax practice’s portals can be a serious challenge, but communicating the familiar benefits of portals is an excellent first step, according to accounting and tax technology expert Roman Kepczyk.

Tax preparers charge an average of $246 to prepare an itemized Form 1040 with a Schedule A and a state tax return, according to a survey by the National Society of Accountants.

2nd Story Software, the company that makes TaxAct consumer tax prep software, has introduced a do-it-yourself estate planning software product for drawing up a last will and testament.

Bloomberg has introduced a Tax Practice Center to complement its tax law research service.

IMGCAP(1)]In the first part of this article, we explored using video conferencing in a tax practice; in this article, we'll explore how to actually get started using Skype and other services.

Most tax preparers have heard by now of Skype or one of the similar video-conferencing services -- and some have tried such services, and report success when connecting with long-distance clients --some of whom the preparers have never even met.

Thomson Reuters has introduced a new system to help foreign financial firms comply with the requirements of the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act.

Seems like a timesaver in tax season: Scan all documents and let software auto-fill information from clients’ forms. Selecting scanners, however, means gambling that a hardware investment will, in fact, pay off, and that can mean carefully examining your client base and information flow.

A new Web site aims to help small business owners and their accountants deal with the increased burdens of Form 1099 filing by preparing and filing the forms online.

CCH has introduced a new tax planning tool to help tax advisors and their clients keep a step ahead of the fiscal cliff negotiations in Congress and the White House.

Tax preparation solution vendor Drake Software is offering a new online tax prep solution, Drake Zero.

Referrals and word of mouth remain the strongest marketing tool for tax preparers and other professionals, and as the 2013 tax season looms, here are some valuable tips for preparers to use referrals in their practice.

The Income Tax School has launched a Web site of more than 70 tax courses and products, plus many free resources for tax professionals. ITS said the move was in response to the new IRS regulations for tax preparers and the corresponding growing demand for tax education.

CCH, a Wolters Kluwer business, has released two new mobile tax information apps for iPhone, iPad, and Android devices -- CCH Applicable Federal Rates 2012 and CCH Tax Rates and Tables 2012 -- adding to its line of mobile applications.