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.

M&A

ETS adds two boutique advisory firms

Engineered Tax Services has acquired grant education and training firm J.E. Salazar & Associates as well as R&D credit advisory firm Tax Credit Advisors.

By Chris Gaetano
Technology Editor

January 13
Tax-related court cases

Tax Fraud Blotter: Unfriendly skies

Completely fabricated; comp con; ain't that a kickback; and other highlights of recent tax cases.

By Jeff Stimpson
Freelance writer

January 12
Tax season

Building a practice: Marketing ahead of tax season

Referrals remain a key way to find clients, particularly as more and more practitioners are retiring.

By Jeff Stimpson
Freelance writer

January 12
IRS

Tax season set to start Jan. 23

The Internal Revenue Service has scheduled the official date for the opening of filing season.

By Michael Cohn
Editor-in-chief, AccountingToday.com

January 12
IRS

House Republicans aim to abolish IRS, replace income tax

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy agreed as part of a deal with the Freedom Caucus to allow a vote on a bill levying a "Fair Tax."

By Michael Cohn
Editor-in-chief, AccountingToday.com

January 12
AT Think Specialty tax areas get more complicated this filing season

You don't have to look hard for examples of where the IRS is enforcing the law more effectively.

January 12

Dave McGuire

McGuire Sponsel
AICPA

Melancon looks ahead to tax season challenges

The AICPA president and CEO also touched on the evolving CPA licensing model and recruiting difficulties in a wide-ranging speech.

By Michael Cohn
Editor-in-chief, AccountingToday.com

January 11

Resources

The latest Accounting Today research and discussion:

Case Study A blueprint for a smoother, more automated tax workflow

For tax leaders: a real-world blueprint to streamline workflows and improve client experience.

Partner Insights from Thomson Reuters
White Paper Find and fix tax workflow gaps to save time and reduce rework

For tax professionals: a 3-step guide to spot workflow gaps and streamline your tax tech stack.

Partner Insights from Thomson Reuters
White Paper Start making next busy season easier, now

Built for tax teams: a practical post-season plan to reduce churn, fix bottlenecks, and prep for next busy season.

Partner Insights from Thomson Reuters

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.