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New tax reform suggestions submitted by members of the public are available on the Tax Reform Suggestion Box page of the Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS) Tax Toolkit. Visit this page to read other taxpayer perspectives and submit your own ideas about tax reform.  Go to Source Author:

  On Jan. 18, 2013, the U.S. District Court of the District of Columbia issued an injunction to keep the IRS from enforcing regulatory requirements for tax return preparers. In accordance with this order, tax return preparers covered by this program are not required to complete competency testing or secure continuing education. The ruling does [...]

When preparing a tax return, one of the first decisions we make is to pick a filing status. Filing status determines which tax rates apply to our income and determines our standard deduction. Filing status is based on two general factors: whether a person is married or not, and whether a person has closely-related dependents. [...]

The Internal Revenue Service has delayed the processing of several tax forms which needed to be revised due to the American Taxpayer Relief Act. Previously, the IRS had announced that some forms would be delayed, possibly as late as the middle of March. The IRS needed additional time to reprogram their computer systems to reflect [...]

Taxpayers in New Jersey and New York may be eligible for a further extension of time to file tax returns and to remit payment of federal taxes as a result of Hurricane Sandy. … Read Full Post Go to Source Author:

The IRS recently announced that taxpayers using Form 8863, Education Credits, can begin filing their tax returns for processing in mid-February. Form 8863 is used to claim two higher education credits – the American Opportunity Tax Credit and the Lifetime Learning Credit. Learn more about tax credits available to you on the Taxpayer Advocate Service [...]

USA Today op-ed: Tax the Revolving Door, by Glenn Harlan Reynolds (Tennessee): When President Obama ran for president in 2008, he promised to "close the revolving door" and clean up both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue, but that hasn’t happened. Which isn’t to say that it shouldn’t happen now. But I… Go to Source Author: Paul [...]

Rob Anderson (Pepperdine), Law Profs Bag $87,500 Seagull: Law professors Jonathan Klick (U Penn Law) and Joshua D. Wright (George Mason Law) have posted a paper, Grocery Bag Bans and Foodborne Illness, that has been making the rounds in the news and blogs in the last few days. The paper… Go to Source Author: Paul [...]

<p>The Internal Revenue Service plans to begin processing tax returns on January 30, 2013, for the year 2012 (<a href=”http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://www.irs.gov/uac/Newsroom/IRS-Plans-Jan.-30-Tax-Season-Opening-For-1040-Filers”>IR-2013-2</a>). The IRS previously expected to begin processing tax returns on January 22nd.<br /> <br /> The delay in processing tax returns is due to the American Taxpayer Relief Act (ATRA), which was signed into law [...]

National Taxpayer Advocate Nina Olson released her 2012 Annual Report to Congress on Jan. 9, 2013. The report identifies the most serious problems facing taxpayers today, such as the complexity of the U.S. tax code, reduced IRS funding, and the rise in tax-related identity theft, and provides the IRS and highest levels of government with [...]

<p>President Barack Obama <a href=”http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/01/03/statement-press-secretary-hr-8″>signed</a> the <em>American Taxpayer Relief Act</em> into law on January 2, 2013. The full text of the new law can be found on Thomas at the Library of Congress under <a href=”http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d112:h.r.00008:”>H.R. 8</a>.</p>…<p><a href=”http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/1hc&zu=http://taxes.about.com/b/2013/01/04/president-signs-the-american-taxpayer-relief-act-into-law.htm”>Read Full Post</a></p> Go to Source Author:

<p>The Social Security tax for 2013 reverts back to its normal rates. The tax rate for 2013 is:</p> <ul> <li>Employee-portion: <strong>6.2%</strong> of wage earnings, up to the maximum wage base of $113,700;</li> <li>Employer-portion: <strong>6.2%</strong> of wage earnings, up to the maximum wage base of $113,700;</li> <li>Self-employed persons: <strong>12.4%</strong> of net self-employment income, up to $113,700.</li> [...]

Check out the original and legal versions of the classic poem, ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas [click on chart to enlarge]: Go to Source Author: Paul Caron

A new tool is available that helps small businesses determine whether they’re eligible for the Small Business Health Care Tax Credit and if so, estimate the amount they could receive. Visit the Small Business Health Care Tax Credit Estimator for more information. In addition, please note, if you receive the Tax Toolkit RSS Feed via [...]

NTA Nina Olson appeared on C-SPAN and discussed the “fiscal cliff” and its potential impact on taxes on Dec. 14, 2012. A link to the video is now available on the home page of the Taxpayer Advocate Service’s Tax Toolkit. Go to Source Author:

Huffington Post op-ed: The Relative Transparency of Tax Rate Reform, by William E. Foster (Washburn): Although tax deduction caps are likely to be enacted as part of any political compromise before the end of the year, rate changes are far more transparent and ought to be a significant component of… Go to Source Author: Paul [...]

Would you like to lead a team of dedicated people, protecting taxpayer rights and making a difference in the lives of thousands of Americans each year? The Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS) is looking for an Area Director, based in Manhattan, to manage seven of our local offices. Learn more about this position or apply for [...]

The Internal Revenue Service has announced the standard mileage rates effective for the year 2013. The standard mileage rates for 2013 will be as follows: 56.5 cents per mile driven for business purposes 24 cents per mile driven for medical care or moving purposes 14 cents per mile driven while in the service of charitable [...]

The Taxpayer Advocacy Panel on November 16, 2012, released their annual report for the year 2011 (pdf, 112 pages). During the year 2011, the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel made 41 recommendations for improving the operations of the Internal Revenue Service. In its annual report, The Panel discussed the following recommendations, which were accepted by the IRS [...]

Giving to charity can be tax-deductible, and charitable giving can be utilized as part of your year-end tax planning if you’re looking to boost your deductions. Here’s some tips to help you preserve your charitable deductions. … Read Full Post Go to Source Author:

NTA Nina Olson testified before the House Committee on Oversight & Government Reform yesterday. Olson addressed tax-related identity theft and tax fraud as growing problems for the IRS. A video of her testimony is now available on the Committee on Oversight & Government Reform’s website or the Speeches and Testimony page of the Taxpayer Advocate [...]

Mark Moreau, director of Southeast Louisiana Legal Services (SLLS) Low Income Taxpayer Clinic, has received the National Taxpayer Advocate Award for his years of work on behalf of low income taxpayers, including outstanding efforts following Hurricane Katrina and the Gulf oil spill. Learn more about Mark’s work with SLLS on the Low Income Taxpayer Clinics [...]

The Legal Whiteboard: Stealth Restructuring in Legal Education, by Jerry Organ (U. St. Thomas): While the large firm legal marketplace was in turmoil in 2009 and 2010, law school enrollment and tuition continued to climb, even as law school graduates increasingly were having difficulty finding employment. According to the LSAC… Go to Source Author: Paul [...]