IRS help is just a click away.Tax advisers tired of the IRS's automated au·to·mate v. au·to·mat·ed, au·to·mat·ing, au·to·mates v.tr. 1. To convert to automatic operation: automate a factory. 2. telephone service and willing to let their fingers do the walking, can use its website (www. irs.gov/taxpros.index/html). Unlike days of old, it is fast, easy and extremely user-friendly. Some of the site's content is discussed here and can be added to an online favorites list. However, the list should not be limited to these few highlighted resources. It is a mere sample. If tax practitioners still prefer to use the phone, the exhibit on p. 617 contains a handy list of IRS contact numbers.
Exhibit: IRS telephone contacts
Telephone
Service number Hours of operation
Practitioner Priority (866) 860-4259 M-F, 8:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m.,
Service local time
IRS Tax Help Line for (800) 829-1040 M-F, 8:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m.,
Individuals local time
Business and Specialty (800) 829-4933 M-F, 8:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m.,
Tax Line local time
e-Help (Practitioners (866) 255-0654 7:30 a.m.-6:00 p.m. ET,
Only) M-F, and 7:30 a.m.-5:00
p.m MT, M-F
Refund Hotline (800) 829-1954 M-F, 8:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m.,
local time (automated
service is available
after business hours)
Forms and Publications (800) 829-3676 M-F, 8:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m.,
local time
National Taxpayer (811) 777-4778 M-F, 8:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m.,
Advocate's Help Line local time
Centralized Lien Payoff (800) 913-6050 M-F, 8:00 a.m.-11:00 p.m.
ET
Centralized Bankruptcy (800) 913-9358 M-F, 7:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m.
ET
Telephone Device for (800) 829-4059 M-F, 8:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m.,
the Deaf (TDD) local time
Electronic Federal (800) 555-4477 24/7
Tax Payment System
Government Entities (877) 829-5500 M-F, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. ET
(TEGE) Help Line
Extension to File (800) 829-4477 24/7
Forms 706 and 709 Help (866) 699-4083 M-F, 7:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m.,
Line local time
Automated Collection (800) 829-3903 M-F, 8:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m.,
System (Business) local time
Automated Collection (800) 829-7650 M-F, 8:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m.,
System (Individual) local time
Criminal Investigation (800) 829-0433 M-F, 8:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m.,
Informant Hotline local time
Employer Identification (800) 829-4933 M-F, 8:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m.,
Number (EIN) local time
Excise Tax and Form (866) 699-4096 M-F, 8:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. ET
2290 Help Line
Information Return (866) 455-7438 M-F, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. ET
Reporting
Terrorist Act or Combat (866) 562-5227 M-F, 8:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m.,
Zone Special Hotline local time
E-Newsletters The Service's newsletters provide breaking tax news. Subscriptions to newsletters and the IRS's newswire service are available at www.irs.gov/newsroom, under "e-News Subscriptions. "When practitioners sign up for Newswire, they will receive regular explanations of new regulations and laws. There are also direct links to hot topics. Newsletters offered include Tax Tips; Qualified Intermediaries The Qualified Intermediary (also known as an Accommodator) should be a corporation that is in the full-time business of facilitating 1031 exchanges. The role of a QI is similar to, but not identical to, the role of an escrow company. News; Federal, State, and Local Governments" Newsletter; IRS Guide Wire, which notifies subscribers of IRS issues and provides advance copies of tax guidance; Employee Plans News; Retirement News for Employers; a Small Business/Self-Employed Division mailing list An automated e-mail system on the Internet, which is maintained by subject matter. There are thousands of such lists that reach millions of individuals and businesses. New users generally subscribe by sending an e-mail with the word "subscribe" in it and subsequently receive all new for IRS outreach Outreach is an effort by an organization or group to connect its ideas or practices to the efforts of other organizations, groups, specific audiences or the general public. products and programs; and several other offerings. This service is free; tax advisers need only provide their e-mail address See Internet address. e-mail address - electronic mail address . Also available in the "Tax Professionals" section of the IRS's website is "E-news for tax professionals"; to join, click on Subscription Services, then Join "e-News For Tax Professionals." This electronic mail service provides a plethora plethora /pleth·o·ra/ (pleth´ah-rah) 1. an excess of blood. 2. by extension, a red florid complexion.pletho´ric pleth·o·ra n. 1. of information and useful bulletins covering general news, as well as local news and events. It is a gateway to other resources on the website. Tax Talk Today Another useful link found under the "Tax Professionals" section is "Tax Talk Today" a weekly webcast. It is privately owned and provides continuing education continuing education: see adult education. continuing education or adult education Any form of learning provided for adults. In the U.S. the University of Wisconsin was the first academic institution to offer such programs (1904). . Each webcast is 60 minutes and covers current issues. Practitioners can join the webcast live or review the archived programs. Basic Tools for Tax Professionals This link provides information tax advisers need to file returns. It is also a portal to a wealth of other useful information, such as tax practitioner responsibilities, which includes links to Treasury Circular 230, Regulations Governing the Practice of Attorneys, Certified Public Accountants Certified Public Accountant (CPA) An accountant who has met certain standards, including experience, age, and licensing, and passed exams in a particular state. , Enrolled Agents An Enrolled Agent (or EA) is a tax professional recognized by the United States federal government to represent taxpayers in dealings with the Internal Revenue Service. The profession has been regulated by Congress since 1884. , Enrolled Actuaries An Enrolled Actuary (or EA) is an actuary who has been licensed by a Joint Board of the Department of the Treasury and the Department of Labor to perform a variety of actuarial tasks required of pension plans in the U.S. , and Appraisers Before the Internal Revenue Service; Standards of Practice for Tax Professionals; an archive of Internal Revenue Bulletins; reference materials; and information on representing clients before the IRSS IRSS Infrared Search System IRSS Information & Resource Support System IRSS Ingersoll-Rand Security and Safety IRSS Integrated Requirements Supply System IRSS Instant Recall Storage System IRSS Infrared Signature Suppression System , collection tools, client rights and the IRS's Criminal Investigation Division and enforcement initiatives. Feedback From the Commissisoner down, the IRS is trying to maintain an open line of communication with practitioners. IRS staff values practitioners' opinions and ideas on how to improve the services it provides to tax professionals and their clients. Tax advisers are uniquely aware of the IRS resources that need to be improved. The Issue Management Resuolution System (IMRS IMRS Intensity-Modulated Radiosurgery IMRS Irish Missionary Resource Service IMRS Internet Market Research Services (UK) IMRS integrated monitoring and recording system (aviation) ), for example, serves as an early warning system for identifying and resolving significant issues regarding IRS policies and practices; see www.irs.gov/business/small/article/0,,id=158507,00.html. When practitioners need assistance with the IMR IMR - Internet Monthly Report .S, they can contact their local stakeholder stakeholder n. a person having in his/her possession (holding) money or property in which he/she has no interest, right or title, awaiting the outcome of a dispute between two or more claimants to the money or property. liaison; see www.irs.gov/local contacts. A liaison's job is one of gatekeeper--the first line of contact for issue resolution. Liaisons will immediately forward an issue to appropriate personnel and will follow up to ensure that the practitioner receives a timely and accurate response. FROM JILL GANSLER, CPA (Computer Press Association, Landing, NJ) An earlier membership organization founded in 1983 that promoted excellence in computer journalism. Its annual awards honored outstanding examples in print, broadcast and electronic media. The CPA disbanded in 2000. , REGIONAL MANAGEMENT INC inc - /ink/ increment, i.e. increase by one. Especially used by assembly programmers, as many assembly languages have an "inc" mnemonic. Antonym: dec. ., BALTIMORE, MD |
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