Tax

The Senate voted 56-43 on Thursday to approve a set of improvements to the sweeping health care reform bill that was passed by the House on Sunday night, but it needed to send the bill back to the House after two provisions were changed in the student lending part of the bill.

Nearly one-half of consumers plan to file their federal taxes online this year, up from 34 percent in 2005, according to a new survey.

JPMorgan Chase is reportedly close to receiving $1.4 billion in tax refunds from its acquisition of Washington Mutual.

Simonton Windows is offering customers $150 off the tax preparation fee for their 2010 returns, which will be prepared in 2011, when they purchase 12 or more energy-efficient windows and have their returns prepared at H&R Block.

The Internal Revenue Service reported that the overall number of tax return filings has declined somewhat this tax season.

With average tax refunds up nearly 10 percent this year, the White House has launched an online interactive Tax Savings Tool to help taxpayers take advantage of Recovery Act tax credits.

The House has approved health care reform legislation after a tense series of negotiations that left the vote in doubt until a group of pro-life Democrats agreed to support the bill after receiving assurances that President Obama would issue an executive order prohibiting federal funding of abortions.

The jobs bill signed by President Obama on Thursday includes various revenue-raising provisions that would put foreign financial institutions with U.S. taxpayers under a new reporting and tax regime.

The House Ways and Means Committee has approved legislation to provide tax relief to small businesses and extend financing measures for creating jobs.

Calls to the Internal Revenue Service’s toll-free phone lines for tax help may exceed the agency’s projections this tax season.