National Taxpayer Advocate Delivers Annual Report to Congress; Urges IRS Reform and Tax Reform

WASHINGTON — National Taxpayer Advocate Nina E. Olson today released her 2016 annual report to Congress, recommending that the IRS revamp its “Future State” plan to adopt a taxpayer-centric focus and urging Congress to emphasize simplification when it considers tax reform later this year. In assessing the compliance burdens of the current tax code, the…

Security Summit Alert: New Two-Stage E-mail Scheme Targets Tax Professionals

WASHINGTON – The Internal Revenue Service, state tax agencies and tax industry leaders today warned tax professionals to be alert to an email scam from cybercriminals posing as clients soliciting their services. A new variation of this phishing scheme is targeting accounting and tax preparation firms nationwide. The scheme’s objective is to collect sensitive information…

IRS sets 2017 mileage rates

The Internal Revenue Service issued the 2017 optional standard mileage rates used to calculate the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business, charitable, medical or moving purposes. Beginning on Jan. 1, the standard mileage rates for the use of a car (also vans, pickups or panel trucks) will be: 53.5 cents per mile for…

Six Ways To Beat Income Tax Scams

If it’s January, it must be income-tax preparation season. Oh joy. As one who’s been the victim of a tax scam, I’m doing my homework to avoid problems. Thieves are stealing tax information and filing for fake refunds year round. It’s a big business and they are constantly trying to plunder your tax records. It’s…

Congress to limit powers of SEC, CFTC, and IRS

Investing.com — Congressional Republicans are moving forward with a landmark regulatory reform that would strip federal government agencies of their most powerful tool — the power to broadly interpret federal laws. The new U.S. Congress was sworn in yesterday afternoon, a few weeks before President-elect Donald Trump takes power. Though repeal of Obamacare has grabbed…