Blog

Former IRS commissioner offers insight on IRS budget cuts

Many analysts have offered their opinions on what will come of the IRS’ enforcement and assistance abilities as a result of a large budget reduction Congress passed in 2014. Mark Everson, former IRS commissioner, is the latest person to chime in on the issue, noting the effects will extend beyond the 2015 tax season woes […]

Read More
Don’t miss upcoming deadlines for tax information

If your organization hasn’t sent out certain tax forms, you’re running short on time. Many tax information reporting deadlines are approaching, and you must have these necessary documents postmarked by the appropriate dates. While the due dates for sending copies to the IRS are further out, the recipient deadlines are more pressing. Some forms were […]

Read More
Worker misclassification is a hot-button issue

With tax season well underway, some organizations may be scrambling to determine whether certain individuals they hired throughout the year were employees or independent contractors. If they are caught misclassifying workers, organizations can face serious legal actions. According to AccountingWeb, this practice is not a problem that goes unnoticed. Nick Fortuna, partner at law firm […]

Read More
Tax departments take the backseat in new tax software decisions

When a company is determining which enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution it will choose, one would think its tax department would be involved in this decision. However, many organizations leave their tax professionals out of the discussion, according to AccountingWeb. Companies of all types and sizes are regularly faced with new tax information reporting legislation. […]

Read More
Get a handle on your February reporting

While tax information reporting season is a time when your business is thinking about its deadlines for federal filing, you must also remember the approaching cutoffs for state, Canada and Puerto Rico reporting. To help you more accurately meet your obligations, Convey Compliance Systems is offering a February Reporting Requirements webinar on Wednesday, Feb. 4 […]

Read More
Develop your strategy for FATCA implementation

Are you prepared for the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA)? You’ve probably heard this question before, but have you been able to reply with a confident yes? If not, be sure to check out Convey Compliance Systems’ Implementing FATCA webinar, which will take place Wednesday, Jan. 28 at 1:00 p.m. CST. During this one-hour […]

Read More
IRS recommends e-filing this tax season

The IRS has kicked off the 2015 tax season, and it recommends that taxpayers file electronically. While this advice is aimed at individual taxpayers, it does indicate how budget constraints will slow services this year. “We encourage people to use the tools and information available on IRS.gov, particularly given the long wait times we anticipate […]

Read More
Employers and insurers must prepare for ACA reporting questions

Since the Affordable Care Act (ACA) first took center stage, a lot of questions have been raised regarding what the health care law requires. During the 2015 tax season, which is the first time taxpayers will need to comply with the ACA’s tax information reporting rules, employers and insurers will likely need to help their […]

Read More
Take control of your non-wage tax reporting research

Tax information reporting research is a difficult endeavor for many organizations, especially when new regulations are continually coming to light. To help with your non-wage tax legislation research, Convey Compliance Systems is hosting a free Simplify Your Non-Wage Reporting Research webinar Jan. 21 at 1 p.m. CST. With the 2015 tax season underway, organizations may […]

Read More
IRS launches system for data transfer under FATCA

The IRS announced it launched its International Data Exchange Service (IDES) Jan. 12. This system allows foreign financial institutions (FFIs) and tax administrations to report on certain U.S. accounts to the agency under the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA). “The opening of the International Data Exchange Service is a milestone in the implementation of […]

Read More
2014 in review: Big tax reporting changes during the past year

2014 brought many new forms and regulatory updates to the world of tax information reporting, and some of these changes will be pertinent during the 2015 tax season. Many organizations should review the new regulations to ensure compliance in 2015 and the following years. Here is a look back at some of the big updates that […]

Read More
How will IRS budget woes affect FATCA?

2015 will bring the first data transfers under the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA), which is a major milestone for the international tax legislation. However, some analysts have questions about whether the IRS will be able to effectively use this data due to recent IRS budget cuts. CPA Practice Advisor noted the agency is primed […]

Read More
Revised IRS FATCA guidance includes information for 2014 tax year

The IRS has published a revised version of Publication 515, Withholding of Tax on Nonresident Aliens and Foreign Entities. Although the IRS designated the update for the 2015 tax year, the change includes some information that is relevant to the 2014 tax year. The agency noted the delayed revision resulted from steps to provide more […]

Read More
Holy See moves forward with FATCA compliance

The Holy See has reached a Model 1 intergovernmental agreement (IGA) in substance to comply with the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA). Even though the overall reporting is expected to be small, this represents a big win for the expanding international tax legislation as the jurisdiction has a history of maintaining secrecy. In fact, […]

Read More
New York and Virtual Currency: A Semi-Taxable “Barter” Transaction

When virtual currency is used to purchase other items or services, a semi-taxable “barter” transaction has arisen in New York. Bitcoin and other virtual currencies have been a hot topic as of late, and it seems that New York has decided to address this issue with respect to sales tax.  Previously, the IRS had held […]

Read More
TIGTA says ACA is IRS’ biggest challenge

The U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) has released its latest Semiannual Report to Congress, which covers April 1 to Sept. 30 and cites the Affordable Care Act (ACA) as the IRS’ most significant undertaking. While the report recapped many of the agency’s challenges, including the implementation of the Foreign Account Tax Compliance […]

Read More
IRS shutdown may be on the horizon

IRS Commissioner John Koskinen has made another announcement about how the agency’s budget cuts, which Congress included in the The Tax Increase Prevention Act, will present noticeable consequences. Following his announcement that the funding reduction has led to a hiring freeze, he has now said the agency could experience a two-day shutdown. This isn’t the […]

Read More
TIGTA recommends IRS address security vulnerabilities for ACA reporting

The U.S. Treasury Inspector General of Tax Administration (TIGTA) has published a report detailing weaknesses in the IRS system for collecting tax information returns related to the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Specifically, TIGTA examined the ACA Information Returns (AIR) Release 1 Project. TIGTA generated the report to determine how well the IRS can mitigate risk […]

Read More