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.

State taxes

Plan in Washington State marks rising interest in taxing millionaires

Democrats across the U.S. are increasingly exploring taxes as a way to capture the populist moment and address the country's widening wealth gap.

By Bloomberg News

December 24
IRS

IRS seeks input on Voluntary Disclosure Practice changes

Comments on the proposed framework are due by March 22.

By Jeff Stimpson
Freelance writer

December 24
AT Think In the blogs: Generally positive

Postmarks and donations; tuning up your comp system; please, Santa…; and other highlights from our favorite tax bloggers.

December 23

Jeff Stimpson
IRS

Senate Dems question IRS's readiness for tax season

Led by Elizabeth Warren, 17 senators sent a letter to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent expressing their "serious concerns."

By Daniel Hood
Editor-in-chief

December 23
IRS

IRS makes whistleblowing easier

The new Form 211, Application for Award for Original Information, lets people report tax noncompliance digitally.

By Jeff Stimpson
Freelance writer

December 23
AT Think Michigan enacts budget legislation decoupling provisions from OBBBA

Michigan's main incentive for decoupling was to increase state revenue, as Michigan heavily relies on state income taxes as its largest revenue source.

December 23

Loni Winkler

UHY
Tax preparers

What do tax preparers charge?

A recent study by the NATP dives into practitioners' fees — and how they determine the prices.

By Jeff Stimpson
Freelance writer

December 23

Resources

The latest Accounting Today research and discussion:

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
How Advisory Services Create a Competitive Edge

Design advisory services that drive growth

Partner Insights from Wolters Kluwer

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.