Tax

Tax prep chain H&R Block opened a new flagship office in Times Square on Thursday, complete with a giant “smart wall” where clients can be guided through an interactive “tax experience.”

The Internal Revenue Service has added a revised Virtual Small Business Tax Workshop to its Web site with updated content, interactive features and a new reference section.

Intuit has created a Lacerte and ProSeries Tax Certification program that 1040 tax preparers can use to demonstrate their proficiency and firms can use to test their existing staff and find qualified job candidates.

The Internal Revenue Service will be sending out newly redesigned, less confusing notices to taxpayers that aim to improve the way it corresponds with its core constituency.

Tax law changes - both in volume and complexity - will make this season more confusing for taxpayers and preparers alike.

Sometimes, being too quick to take advantage of a tax break from Congress can turn out to be a very bad thing.

A bill signed into law by New York State Governor David Paterson provides an exemption from the state's new tax preparer registration requirements for CPAs, including those who hail from outside the state.

The economic crisis and the downfall of the real estate market spurred a slew of tax law changes that will impact the upcoming filing season.

Tax return preparers who claim inflated personal or business expenses, false deductions, unallowable credits or excessive exemptions on returns prepared for their clients are a major concern for the Internal Revenue Service during the upcoming filing season, according to a spokesman for the service.

While the shape of tax policy remains uncertain in some areas - at press time, Congress was considering a wide range of tax bills, including changes to the estate tax regime, and the extension of a number of tax credits and deductions, among other things - there are a few areas of certainty.