Tax

Tax News & IRS Insights for Accounting Professionals

Accounting Today delivers news and analysis for accounting and tax professionals on federal and state tax developments, IRS guidance,information reporting, and operational implications for practices and clients. Our coverage focuses on legislative and procedural shifts that tax practitioners must monitor in planning, compliance, and advisory contexts.

Tax season

Tax season so far: Reaching a plateau

The average direct deposit refund amount has remained steady at more than $3,000 for the past six weeks, after a slow start to the year.

By Editorial Staff

April 2
Tax strategies

The 'Buy, Borrow, Die' tax strategy: A new twist on death and taxes

A congressional hearing takes aim at an estate planning strategy that relies on the step-up in basis.

By Roger Russell
Senior Editor

April 2
IRS

IRS investigating almost $9B in pandemic fraud

The agency has indicted almost 800 people for COVID fraud, and has a 98.5% conviction rate.

By Jeff Stimpson
Freelance writer

April 1
Investment strategies

Alternative investments can come with tax friction, unpleasant surprises

Reporting requirements and asset location could loom large for clients seeking greater yield and diversification without thinking through payments to Uncle Sam.

By Tobias Salinger
Chief Correspondent

April 1
Property taxes

NYC's delinquent property taxes soar

City officials attribute the trend to the end of a tax-lien sales program that punishes delinquency.

By Martin Z. Braun

April 1
Tax season

Pushing the deadline: Where Americans are most likely to delay filing their taxes

From coast to coast, the cities and states where taxpayers procrastinate the most.

By Editorial Staff

April 1
AT Think AI successfully completes busy season, 2 weeks early

WTF CPAs has used artificial intelligence to get a jump on busy season, just in time for April 1.

March 29

Kristen Rampe

Rosenberg Associates

Resources

The latest Accounting Today research and discussion:

Web Seminar Tax season postmortem: What to fix for 2027

Join us for a transparent look at the challenges facing firms this year and how to overcome them for 2027.

Partner Insights from Canopy
On-Demand Web Seminar Rethinking busy season: A modern operating model for K-1s

Busy season is over—but the bruises are still fresh. Many firms expected smoother K-1 workflows, yet encountered the same familiar bottlenecks, last-minute delays, and staff burnout. Instead of tweaking around the edges, we'll explore a modern operating model for managing K-1s at scale – from intake through exchange – designed to reduce rework, cycle time, and eliminate seasonal chaos.

Partner Insights from K1X
Tariffs and your clients

Dean Peterson and Blair Robbins of Eisner Advisory Group discuss the tax and business ramifications of the Trump administration's tariff policies that accountants should be advising clients about.

Sponsored by Intuit Quickbooks

Tax: Key Questions & Analysis:

What IRS guidance on forms and information reporting should practitioners prioritize?

The IRS continues to update thresholds and instructions for critical tax forms. This includes changes to information reporting requirements and guidance on evolving reporting standards, affecting 1099, W-2 and similar reporting obligations.

What procedural developments affect IRS automatic change consent for method changes?

Tax professionals must understand which accounting method changes qualify for automatic consent versus advance consent. This determines whether a Form 3115 must be filed with IRS National Office or via automatic procedures.

How are tip-related tax provisions evolving under current policy?

New tax provisions related to tip income will impact how service industry clients and payroll units handle tax reporting and compliance. This includes draft schedules and withholding considerations.

What IRS guidance will shape compliance for the 2026 filing season?

Practitioners will need to understand procedural updates, forms changes, and reporting shifts that will affect compliance workflows and client expectations for the 2026 filing season. This includes the implementation timeline for new schedules and reporting requirements as well as for emerging areas such as crypto broker reporting.