Issue Number: 2024-31
Inside This Issue
- Security Summit partners urge continued vigilance against evolving scams to tax professionals, businesses and clients
- IRS business forms now electronic
- IRS Nationwide Tax Forum: Registration still open for Baltimore, Dallas
- IRS celebrates National Whistleblower Day; collects over $7 billion thanks to whistleblowers
- Technical Guidance
1. Security Summit partners urge continued vigilance against evolving scams to tax professionals, businesses and clients
In the fourth installment of the “Protect Your Clients; Protect Yourself” special series, the IRS and its Security Summit partners reminded taxpayers and tax professionals about the IRS online accounts and the special Identity Protection PIN program, which can help prevent identity theft related to taxes.
“To protect against continuing and evolving threats from identity thieves, these two special tools provide an extra layer of security for taxpayers and tax professionals,” IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel said. “The IRS and the Security Summit urge people to sign up for both IP PINs and the Online Account to help protect their valuable information as well as avoid tax problems down the road.”
Tax professionals may do the following to report stolen data:
- Share information with the appropriate state tax agency by visiting Report a Data Breach;
- Obtain an identity protection PIN or complete Form 14039, Identity Theft Affidavit, if applicable; and
- Report the incident to their local IRS stakeholder liaison.
Visit the Data Theft information for tax professionals webpage to learn more.
2. IRS business forms now electronic
Taxpayers can now electronically file business Forms 940, 941, 943 and 945, including the Spanish version of Forms 941 and 943. In addition, the IRS can now accept related electronic payments while minimizing errors normally associated with processing paper returns.
Visit the Modernized eFile for Employment Taxes FAQ page for more information on electronically filing employment taxes.
3. IRS Nationwide Tax Forum: Registration still open for Baltimore, Dallas
Tax pros: It’s not too late to reserve your space at the upcoming IRS Nationwide Tax Forum in Baltimore, Aug. 13-15, and Dallas, Aug. 20-22.
Each forum offers tax professionals a total of 45 different continuing education seminars. Attendees can earn up to 19 continuing education credits. In addition, the IRS will have employees on-site to assist attendees who need personalized help. For example, those in need of assistance with a client case can make an appointment with a representative in the Case Resolution Room. Those who need help creating an IRS Online Account or resolving a Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN) or Centralized Authorization File (CAF) issue should visit the Digital Account Services Room. There will also be staff available to assist with e-Services, cybersecurity, digital assets, Form 1099-K, Low Income Taxpayer Clinics and more.
For information and to register, visit IRS Nationwide Tax Forum.
You can learn more about this year’s program on the following videos produced by Tax Talk Today:
- Tax Talk Today looks at Five Things to Know about the Tax Forum
- Tax Talk Today interviews at the Chicago Tax Forum
4. IRS celebrates National Whistleblower Day; collects over $7 billion thanks to whistleblowers
July 30 is National Whistleblower Appreciation Day because on that day in 1778, the Continental Congress passed the nation’s first whistleblower law. The first law related to whistleblowers on tax violations was enacted almost 90 years later in March 1867.
The IRS Whistleblower Office acknowledges the critical role whistleblowers play in the nation’s tax administration. The agency has paid over $1.2 billion in awards since issuing its first award in 2007, representing the successful collection of $7 billion from taxpayers who were not in compliance.
Revenue Procedure 2024-32 updates Rev. Proc. 2017-55 to set forth the procedure by which the sponsor of a defined benefit plan that is subject to the funding requirements of section 430 may request approval from the IRS for the use of plan-specific substitute mortality tables in accordance with section 430(h)(3)(C) and section 1.430(h)(3)-2.
