Category: IRS News

1040 MeF (E-file) Production Shutdown – November 18th

16 Nov 23
Craig Smith
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The IRS has indicated shutdown begins on Saturday, November 18, 2023, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern time, in order to prepare the system for the upcoming Tax Year 2023 Filing Season. After this date and time, no returns can be electronically filed. Additional information available here.

Note: TaxSlayer Pro applications will still be available after the cutover, but if you prepare returns, you will need to file them via paper until the IRS brings their 1040 MeF system back online in late January. When the 1040 MeF system comes back online, you will be able to electronically file the following years: 2023, 2022, and 2021.

IRS Statement About Taxability of State Payments – Feb 11th Update

11 Feb 23
Craig Smith
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February 11th Update

IRS issues guidance on state tax payments to help taxpayers

IR-2023-23, Feb. 10, 2023

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service provided details today clarifying the federal tax status involving special payments made by 21 states in 2022.

The IRS has determined that in the interest of sound tax administration and other factors, taxpayers in many states will not need to report these payments on their 2022 tax returns.

During a review, the IRS determined it will not challenge the taxability of payments related to general welfare and disaster relief. This means that people in the following states do not need to report these state payments on their 2022 tax return: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island. Alaska is in this group as well, but please see below for more nuanced information.

In addition, many people in Georgia, Massachusetts, South Carolina and Virginia also will not include state payments in income for federal tax purposes if they meet certain requirements. For these individuals, state payments will not be included for federal tax purposes if the payment is a refund of state taxes paid and either the recipient claimed the standard deduction or itemized their deductions but did not receive a tax benefit.

The IRS appreciates the patience of taxpayers, tax professionals, software companies and state tax administrators as the IRS and Treasury worked to resolve this unique and complex situation.

The IRS is aware of questions involving special tax refunds or payments made by certain states related to the pandemic and its associated consequences in 2022. A variety of state programs distributed these payments in 2022 and the rules surrounding their treatment for federal income tax purposes are complex. While in general payments made by states are includable in income for federal tax purposes, there are exceptions that would apply to many of the payments made by states in 2022.

To assist taxpayers who have received these payments file their returns in a timely fashion, the IRS is providing the additional information below.

Refund of state taxes paid

If the payment is a refund of state taxes paid and either the recipient claimed the standard deduction or itemized their deductions but did not receive a tax benefit (for example, because the $10,000 tax deduction limit applied) the payment is not included in income for federal tax purposes.

Payments from the following states in 2022 fall in this category and will be excluded from income for federal tax purposes unless the recipient received a tax benefit in the year the taxes were deducted.

  • Georgia
  • Massachusetts
  • South Carolina
  • Virginia

General welfare and disaster relief payments

If a payment is made for the promotion of the general welfare or as a disaster relief payment, for example related to the outgoing pandemic, it may be excludable from income for federal tax purposes under the General Welfare Doctrine or as a Qualified Disaster Relief Payment. Determining whether payments qualify for these exceptions is a complex fact intensive inquiry that depends on a number of considerations.

The IRS has reviewed the types of payments made by various states in 2022 that may fall in these categories and given the complicated fact-specific nature of determining the treatment of these payments for federal tax purposes balanced against the need to provide certainty and clarity for individuals who are now attempting to file their federal income tax returns, the IRS has determined that in the best interest of sound tax administration and given the fact that the pandemic emergency declaration is ending in May, 2023 making this an issue only for the 2022 tax year, if a taxpayer does not include the amount of one of these payments in its 2022 income for federal income tax purposes, the IRS will not challenge the treatment of the 2022 payment as excludable for income on an original or amended return.

Payments from the following states fall in this category and the IRS will not challenge the treatment of these payments as excludable for federal income tax purposes in 2022.

  • Alaska [1]
  • California
  • Colorado
  • Connecticut
  • Delaware
  • Florida
  • Hawaii
  • Idaho
  • Illinois [2]
  • Indiana
  • Maine
  • New Jersey
  • New Mexico
  • New York2
  • Oregon
  • Pennsylvania
  • Rhode Island

For a list of the specific payments to which this applies, please see this chart.

Other payments

Other payments that may have been made by states are generally includable in income for federal income tax purposes. This includes the annual payment of Alaska’s Permanent Fund Dividend and any payments from states provided as compensation to workers.


[1] Only for the supplemental Energy Relief Payment received in addition to the annual Permanent Fund Dividend.

[2] Illinois and New York issued multiple payments and in each case one of the payments was a refund of taxes, which should be treated as noted above, and one of the payments is in the category of disaster relief payment.


 

The IRS is expected to release another update the week of February 12th.

February 3 update

IRS issues statement about the taxability of state payments

The IRS is aware of questions involving special tax refunds or payments made by states in 2022; we are working with state tax officials as quickly as possible to provide additional information and clarity for taxpayers.  There are a variety of state programs that distributed these payments in 2022 and the rules surrounding them are complex. We expect to provide additional clarity for as many states and taxpayers as possible next week.

For taxpayers uncertain about the taxability of their state payments, the IRS recommends they wait until additional guidance is available or consult with a reputable tax professional. For taxpayers and tax preparers with questions, the best course of action is to wait for additional clarification on state payments rather than calling the IRS. We also do not recommend amending a previously filed 2022 return.

IRS Fact Sheet: FAQ About Form 1099-K

29 Dec 22
Craig Smith
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In light of recent updates regarding Form 1099-K, the IRS released an updated Fact Sheet. Click Here to view it.

VTA 2023-02 Certification Testing Using Practice Lab

02 Dec 22
Kim Manuel
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Purpose
Volunteers should use caution when completing their certification tests using the Practice Lab.
Identified Issues
The Practice Lab has not yet incorporated all 2022 tax law changes. As a result, certain calculations may not be updated. This may cause users to make inadvertent errors when taking their certification tests.

It is recommended that volunteers generate the tax return PDF from the Client List or Summary/Print menu to see the return on a tax year 2022 draft Form 1040.

Message to Volunteers
Unless you have an immediate training need to certify for tax year 2022, volunteers should wait to take the 2022 VITA/TCE certification tests until the final tax forms are available in the Practice Lab.

The identified issue in the Practice Lab may affect your answers for any certification or practice return preparation scenarios that include:

■ Education credits
■ Business or medical mileage
■ Educator expense
■ PMI deduction
■ General sales tax

Other tax provisions may also be affected.

Again, volunteers not having an immediate need to certify should wait until the Practice Lab is updated. Volunteers are encouraged to check the TaxSlayer

VITA/TCE blog page for Practice Lab updates. Volunteers who have a need to certify early may discuss the impact and possible workarounds with their SPEC relationship manager.

Use caution when completing the following test and retest scenarios:

■ Advanced, Scenario 7
■      Question #18 calculation includes educator expense deduction
■ Federal Tax Law Update Test for Circular 230 Professionals, Scenario 4
■ Question #12 requires calculation for standard mileage rate
■ Question #15 calculation includes educator expense deduction.
■ Foreign Student and Scholar Test, Scenario 3
■ Question # 33 Due to the charitable contributions exemption not being extended the answer is A. True
■ Foreign Student and Scholar Test, Scenario 4
■ Question # 35 Due to the software calculating treaties at different times this year, the answer is A. True
■ Question # 35 Retest: Due to the software calculating treaties at different times this year, the answer is D. $15,220

 

Resources
For specific information refer to the following resources:

■ TaxSlayer VITA/TCE Blog
■ Pub 4491, VITA/TCE Training Guide, Important Changes lesson

Message for SPEC Employees, Partners, and Volunteers
Please use caution when completing the tests/retests.

For additional questions, please talk to your site coordinator, partner, or IRS SPEC relationship manager.

Thank you for volunteering and for your dedication to top QUALITY service!

Issue Number: Tax Tip 2022-182 There’s more to determining filing status than being married or single

29 Nov 22
Kim Manuel
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Some taxpayers are eligible for more than one filing status. As they get ready for the upcoming filing season, taxpayers should carefully review their options to pick the filing status that makes the most sense for them. Those who are only eligible for one filing status should be sure to review their situation after a major life event like marriage or divorce.

Filing status is important because it affects:

  • If the taxpayer is required to file a federal tax return
  • The type of return form the taxpayer needs to use
  • If they should file a return to receive a refund
  • Their standard deduction amount
  • If they can claim certain credits
  • The amount of tax they should pay

Here are the five filing statuses:

  • Single. Normally this status is for taxpayers who are unmarried, divorced or legally separated under a divorce or separate maintenance decree governed by state law.
  • Married filing jointly. If a taxpayer is married, they can file a joint tax return with their spouse. When a spouse passes away, the widowed spouse can usually file a joint return for that year.
  • Married filing separately. Married couples can choose to file separate tax returns. When doing so, it may result in less tax owed than filing a joint tax return.
  • Head of household. Unmarried taxpayers may be able to file using this status, but special rules apply. For example, the taxpayer must have paid more than half the cost of keeping up a home for themselves and a qualifying person living in the home for half the year.
  • Qualifying widow(er) with dependent child. This status may apply to a taxpayer if their spouse died during one of the previous two years and they have a dependent child. Other conditions also apply.

What Is My Filing Status?
If taxpayers are confused about their filing status, they can use the What Is My Filing Status? tool Interactive Tax Assistant tool on IRS.gov. This tool can also help taxpayers who are eligible for more than one status find the one that will result in the lowest amount of tax.

VITA Essentials: QSRA 2022-01

01 Mar 22
Kim Manuel
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Inside This Issue: Quality Oversight Reviews

Purpose:
The Quality Site Requirements (QSRs) were developed to ensure VITA/TCE sites have consistent guidelines to assist with the operation of each site. IRS Quality Site Requirement Alerts (QSRA) are issued by IRS to help provide site/local coordinators and volunteers with reminders on QSR compliance.

Link(s) to latest QSRA: Link Update! QSRA 2022-01 Quality Oversight Reviews

Key Messages for IRS VITA/TCE Partners:
Site/local coordinators are to ensure all QSRAs are reviewed and discussed with all volunteers. It is recommended that you hold daily debriefings with your volunteers to review identified trends. This is also a good time to allow your volunteers the opportunity to read the alert(s), ask questions or discuss any concerns surrounding their tax preparation experience.

Contact information:
Partners are encouraged to direct any questions or concerns to their Relationship Manager.

VTA 2022-03: Reconciling Advance Child Tax Credit and Economic Impact Payments

15 Feb 22
Kim Manuel
No Comments

Purpose:

This VTA is to inform partners that taxpayers should bring Letter 6419, 2021 Total Advance Child Tax Credit (AdvCTC) Payments, and Letter 6475, Your 2021 Economic Impact Payment(s), with them to VITA/TCE sites to reconcile these payments on their 2021 federal income tax returns. Note: adding the incorrect payments received on the tax return could cause the tax refund to be delayed.

Click here to read VTA 2022-03

IRS News Essentials: 2022 tax filing season begins Jan. 24; IRS outlines refund timing and what to expect in advance of April 18 tax deadline

10 Jan 22
Kim Manuel
No Comments

WASHINGTON − The Internal Revenue Service announced that the nation’s tax season will start on Monday, Jan. 24, 2022, when the tax agency will begin accepting and processing 2021 tax year returns.

The January 24 start date for individual tax return filers allows the IRS time to perform programming and testing that is critical to ensuring IRS systems run smoothly. Updated programming helps ensure that eligible people can claim the proper amount of the Child Tax Credit after comparing their 2021 advance credits and claim any remaining stimulus money as a Recovery Rebate Credit when they file their 2021 tax return.

“Planning for the nation’s filing season process is a massive undertaking, and IRS teams have been working non-stop these past several months to prepare,” said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. “The pandemic continues to create challenges, but the IRS reminds people there are important steps they can take to help ensure their tax return and refund don’t face processing delays. Filing electronically with direct deposit and avoiding a paper tax return is more important than ever this year. And we urge extra attention to those who received an Economic Impact Payment or an advance Child Tax Credit last year. People should make sure they report the correct amount on their tax return to avoid delays.”

The IRS encourages everyone to have all the information they need in hand to make sure they file a complete and accurate return. Having an accurate tax return can avoid processing delays, refund delays and later IRS notices. This is especially important for people who received advance Child Tax Credit payments or Economic Impact Payments (American Rescue Plan stimulus payments) in 2021; they will need the amounts of these payments when preparing their tax return. The IRS is mailing special letters to recipients, and they can also check amounts received on IRS.gov.

Like last year, there will be individuals filing tax returns who, even though they are not required to file, need to file a 2021 return to claim a Recovery Rebate Credit to receive the tax credit from the 2021 stimulus payments or reconcile advance payments of the Child Tax Credit. People who don’t normally file also could receive other credits.

April 18 tax filing deadline for most
The filing deadline to submit 2021 tax returns or an extension to file and pay tax owed is Monday, April 18, 2022, for most taxpayers. By law, Washington, D.C., holidays impact tax deadlines for everyone in the same way federal holidays do. The due date is April 18, instead of April 15, because of the Emancipation Day holiday in the District of Columbia for everyone except taxpayers who live in Maine or Massachusetts. Taxpayers in Maine or Massachusetts have until April 19, 2022, to file their returns due to the Patriots’ Day holiday in those states. Taxpayers requesting an extension will have until Monday, Oct. 17, 2022, to file.

Awaiting processing of previous tax returns? People can still file 2021 returns
Rettig noted that IRS employees continue to work hard on critical areas affected by the pandemic, including processing of tax returns from last year and record levels of phone calls coming in.

“In many areas, we are unable to deliver the amount of service and enforcement that our taxpayers and tax system deserves and needs. This is frustrating for taxpayers, for IRS employees and for me,” Rettig said. “IRS employees want to do more, and we will continue in 2022 to do everything possible with the resources available to us. And we will continue to look for ways to improve. We want to deliver as much as possible while also protecting the health and safety of our employees and taxpayers. Additional resources are essential to helping our employees do more in 2022 – and beyond.”

The IRS continues to reduce the inventory of prior-year individual tax returns that have not been fully processed. As of Dec. 3, 2021, the IRS has processed nearly 169 million tax returns.  All paper and electronic individual 2020 refund returns received prior to April 2021 have been processed if the return had no errors or did not require further review.

Taxpayers generally will not need to wait for their 2020 return to be fully processed to file their 2021 tax returns and can file when they are ready.

Key information to help taxpayers
The IRS encourages people to use online resources before calling. Last filing season, as a result of COVID-era tax changes and broader pandemic challenges, the IRS phone systems received more than 145 million calls from January 1 – May 17, more than four times more calls than in an average year. In addition to IRS.gov, the IRS has a variety of other free options available to help taxpayers, ranging from free assistance at Volunteer Income Tax Assistance and Tax Counseling for the Elderly locations across the country to the availability of the IRS Free File program.

“Our phone volumes continue to remain at record-setting levels,” Rettig said. “We urge people to check IRS.gov and establish an online account to help them access information more quickly. We have invested in developing new online capacities to make this a quick and easy way for taxpayers to get the information they need.”

Last year’s average tax refund was more than $2,800. More than 160 million individual tax returns for the 2021 tax year are expected to be filed, with the vast majority of those coming before the traditional April tax deadline.

Overall, the IRS anticipates most taxpayers will receive their refund within 21 days of when they file electronically if they choose direct deposit and there are no issues with their tax return. The IRS urges taxpayers and tax professionals to file electronically. To avoid delays in processing, people should avoid filing paper returns wherever possible.

By law, the IRS cannot issue a refund involving the Earned Income Tax Credit or Additional Child Tax Credit before mid-February, though eligible people may file their returns beginning on January 24. The law provides this additional time to help the IRS stop fraudulent refunds from being issued.

Some returns, filed electronically or on paper, may need manual review, which delays the processing, if our systems detect a possible error or missing information, or there is suspected identity theft or fraud. Some of these situations require us to correspond with taxpayers, but some do not. This work does require special handling by an IRS employee so, in these instances, it may take the IRS more than the normal 21 days to issue any related refund. In those cases where IRS is able to correct the return without corresponding, the IRS will send an explanation to the taxpayer.

File electronically and choose direct deposit
To speed refunds, the IRS urges taxpayers to file electronically with direct deposit information as soon as they have everything they need to file an accurate return. If the return includes errors or is incomplete, it may require further review that may slow the tax refund. Having all information available when preparing the 2021 tax return can reduce errors and avoid delays in processing.

Most individual taxpayers file IRS Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR once they receive Forms W-2 and other earnings information from their employers, issuers like state agencies and payers. The IRS has incorporated recent changes to the tax laws into the forms and instructions and shared the updates with its partners who develop the software used by individuals and tax professionals to prepare and file their returns. Forms 1040 and 1040-SR and the associated instructions are available now on IRS.gov. For the latest IRS forms and instructions, visit the IRS website at IRS.gov/forms.