Issue Number: 2017-2
Inside This Issue
1. Security Summit Alert: New Two-Stage Email Scheme Targets Tax Professionals
2. IRS e-Services Reminder: Time Is Running Out to Revalidate
3. National Taxpayer Advocate 2016 Annual Report to Congress Online
4. W-2 Employer Information Reporting Changes
5. IRS Whistleblower Office Awarded More Than $61 Million Last Fiscal Year
6. EITC Awareness Day Is Friday Jan. 27
7. Want to file Forms 941 instead of Form 944?
1. Security Summit Alert: New Two-Stage Email Scheme Targets Tax Professionals
The Internal Revenue Service and its Security Summit partners are warning tax pros to be on the alert for a new email scam, in which cybercriminals are posing as potential clients. The scammers are targeting accounting and tax preparation firms nationwide, seeking taxpayer information they can use to file fraudulent tax returns.
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2. IRS e-Services Reminder: Time Is Running Out to Revalidate
Time is running out to revalidate your identity if you received Letter 5903. Revalidate your account either online or by telephone. The IRS has extended Help Desk hours on weekdays, Saturday and on the Martin Luther King Holiday. Find more information on IRS.gov.
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3. National Taxpayer Advocate 2016 Annual Report to Congress Online
National Taxpayer Advocate Nina E. Olson released her 2016 Annual Report to Congress, recommending the IRS revamp its “Future State” plan to adopt a taxpayer-centric focus and urging Congress to simplify the tax code. The report presents a series of proposals to improve tax administration, emphasizing changing the culture of the IRS from one that is enforcement-oriented to one that is service-oriented.
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4. W-2 Employer Information Reporting Changes
Effective last summer, Treasury Directive 9730 removed the automatic extension of time to file information returns on forms in the W-2 series (except Form W-2G) by the Jan. 31 due date. The directive replaces the 30-day automatic extension with a single, non-automatic, written extension request. The additional 30-day extension is no longer available.
Requests for an extension of time to file Form W-2 must be submitted on paper Form 8809 and postmarked by Jan. 31, 2017. Requests must include an explanation for the request. Approvals are not automatic: Requests will be evaluated on a case by case basis. Correspondence will be issued if the Form 8809 is incomplete or denied. IRS will not issue approval notifications.
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5. IRS Whistleblower Office Awarded More than $61 Million Last Fiscal Year
Since 2007 information submitted by whistleblowers has assisted the IRS in collecting $3.4 billion in revenue. In turn the IRS has approved more than $465 million in monetary awards to whistleblowers. Learn more in the 2016 Annual Report to Congress.
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6. EITC Awareness Day is Friday Jan. 27
Tax professionals are invited to join IRS and its partners nationwide to launch the eleventh annual EITC Awareness Day outreach campaign to encourage millions of working taxpayers to get the EITC they earned.
EITC Awareness Day is an opportunity to generate news media coverage to reach the broadest possible range of eligible taxpayers, including the underserved populations and the newly eligible at the time most are filing or getting ready to file their federal income tax returns.
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7. Want to file IRS Form 941 instead of Form 944?
Employers required to file Form 944, Employers Annual Federal Tax Return, need to contact IRS to change their filing requirements.
To request a change to Form 941, Employer's Quarterly Federal Tax Return, employers should contact the IRS by April 1. The IRS will respond in writing. More information is available on IRS.gov. Employers may also call the IRS at 1-800-829-4933 for help.
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