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Calls will go unanswered and mail will get no response under the IRS contingency plan for the first five days of a federal government shutdown. The plan, released Thursday, calls for furloughs of two-thirds of IRS staff if the government shuts down, resulting in "significant harmful impacts" on millions of taxpayers, Treasury said. The fiscal 2024 Lapsed Appropriations Contingency Plan will go into effect when the IRS is notified that government appropriations have lapsed and that a shutdown is to be initiated. All furloughed IRS employees will be able to return to work, and the Service will resume normal operations, when funds are appropriated. To avoid a shutdown, Congress must approve a budget for fiscal 2024 or a continuing resolution that keeps the government operating temporarily by Saturday, Sept. 30. If a government shutdown lasts for more than five business days, the IRS human capital officer will coordinate a Service-wide reassessment of the excepted activities. With the Oct. 16 deadline looming for some 10.5 million individual tax returns on extension, here is a look at IRS operations that would stop and those that would continue under the plan.

Little Rock, North Little Rock, and Conway metro area ranked #4 out of 99 top metro areas for accountants in 2023.

The Internal Revenue Service continues to warn businesses to watch out for aggressive marketing by nefarious actors involving the Employee Retention Credit (ERC) and urged people to watch out for red flags that can signal trouble.

To protect taxpayers from scams, IRS orders immediate stop to new Employee Retention Credit processing amid surge of questionable claims; concerns from tax pros, aggressive marketing to ineligible applicants highlights unacceptable risk to businesses and the tax system. Moratorium on processing of new claims through year’s end will allow IRS to add more safeguards to prevent future abuse, protect businesses from predatory tactics; IRS working with Justice Department to pursue fraud fueled by aggressive marketin

After Successful Filing Season, IRS Reports Progress in Service and Modernization Efforts

An updated Federal Trade Commission rule takes effect on June 9, 2023, and it affects many members, including tax practitioners. A Written Information Security Plan (WISP) is required by the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) Safeguards Rule of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA) whereby financial institutions, including tax preparers, must develop, implement and maintain a comprehensive security plan to protect customer and client information.

Arkansas storm victims now have until July 31, 2023, to file various federal individual and business tax returns and make tax payments. The Internal Revenue Service announced this news on April 3, 2023. The IRS is offering relief to any area designated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as a result of tornadoes and severe storms that occurred on March 31. This means that individuals and households that reside or have a business in Cross, Lonoke and Pulaski counties qualify for tax relief. Other areas added later to the disaster area will also qualify for the same relief. The current list of eligible localities is always available on the disaster relief page on IRS.gov. The tax relief postpones various tax filing and payment deadlines that occurred starting on March 31, 2023. As a result, affected individuals and businesses will have until July 31, 2023, to file returns and pay any taxes that were originally due during this period.

Release # DR-4698-AR NR-001 Release Date: April 2, 2023 Arkansas homeowners and renters in three counties who sustained damage from the severe storms and tornadoes that occurred on March 31 could be eligible for help from FEMA. The designated counties for FEMA Individual Assistance are Cross, Lonoke, and Pulaski. The fastest and easiest way to apply for assistance is by visiting www.disasterassistance.gov. If it is not possible to apply online, call 800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone lines operate from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. CDT seven days a week. If you use video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, give FEMA your number for that service.

Notice 2023-21, the IRS lengthened the lookback period for refund claims for returns with due dates that were deferred by Notice 2021-21 or Notice 2020-23, which postponed the due dates for filing certain tax returns and making certain tax payments during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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.