Tax

The Internal Revenue Service has opened the 2011 tax season by announcing that taxpayers have until April 18 to file their tax returns as a result of a Washington, D.C., holiday.

National Taxpayer Advocate Nina E. Olson released her annual report to Congress on Wednesday, focusing on the need for tax reform as the No. 1 priority in tax administration.

Every few years, as regularly as clockwork, Washington starts talking about “simplifying” the Tax Code.

The Tax & Accounting business of Thomson Reuters has released an updated version of its tax software to reflect a recent hike in the United Kingdom’s value-added tax.

The American Institute of CPAs has written a letter to IRS Commissioner Douglas Shulman urging more flexibility in implementing mandatory electronic filing of tax returns by tax preparers in 2011 for individuals, trusts and estates.

Democratic and Republican lawmakers are gearing up for a fight over a bill that would repeal health care reform and the tax credits associated with the law.

The House Republican leadership plans to introduce rule changes that would make it harder for Congress to pass tax increases or close tax loopholes.

Complex changes to tax laws and uncertainty around regulations - and 2010 saw almost unprecedented levels of both - always drive more taxpayers to turn to professional tax return preparers.

Call it a tax trifecta: In just eight years, WTAS has roughly tripled its revenues, its number of partners and its client base.

The Internal Revenue Service released more information Thursday on the implementation of the new Treasury regulations governing tax return preparers and the new requirements to obtain a Preparer Tax Identification Number, including those who work at CPA firms.