2020

IRS Tax Tip 2020-174, December 18, 2020 The IRS and its community partners are looking for people around the country to become IRS-certified volunteers for the upcoming tax season. These long-standing programs offer valuable help to America’s taxpayers: Volunteer Income Tax Assistance offers free tax return preparation to eligible taxpayers who generally earn $57,000 or less, people with disabilities …

How people can give back by becoming an IRS-certified volunteer Read More »

COVID Tax Tip 2020-172, December 16, 2020 When people get ready to file their federal tax return there are new things to consider when it comes to which credits to claim and what deductions to take. These things can affect the size of any refund the taxpayer may receive. Here are some new key things people should …

New things taxpayers should consider as they get ready to file taxes in 2021 Read More »

IRS Tax Tip 2020-171, December 15, 2020 Taxpayers have the right to challenge the IRS’s position and be heard. This is part of Taxpayer Bill of Rights, which clearly outlines the fundamental rights every taxpayer has when working with the IRS. Taxpayers have the right to: Raise objections. Provide additional documentation in response to formal or …

Every taxpayer has the right to challenge the IRS’s position and be heard Read More »

COVID Tax Tip 2020-170, December 14, 2020 Following tax law changes, cash donations of up to $300 made this year by December 31, 2020 are now deductible without having to itemize when people file their taxes in 2021. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act includes several temporary tax law changes to help charities. …

Most taxpayers can deduct up to $300 in charitable contributions without itemizing deductions Read More »

IRS Tax Tip 2020-169, December 10, 2020 The IRS and its Security Summit partners recently announced that multi-factor authentication will be available on all 2021 online tax preparation products. This security feature is designed to protect both taxpayers and tax professionals. What is multi-factor authentication? Multi-factor authentication requires users to enter two pieces of information to securely access …

All tax prep software will offer multi-factor authentication beginning in 2021 Read More »

IRS Tax Tip 2020-168,December 9, 2020 In January, the IRS Identity Protection PIN Opt-In Program will be expanded to all taxpayers who can properly verify their identity. An Identity Protection PIN is a six-digit number assigned to eligible taxpayers to help prevent their Social Security number from being used to file fraudulent federal income tax …

Identity Protection PIN Program will soon be available to taxpayers nationwide Read More »

COVID Tax Tip 2020-167, December 8, 2020 The IRS and it’s Security Summit partners are warning people to be aware of a new text message scam. The thief’s goal is to trick people into revealing bank account information under the guise of receiving the $1,200 Economic Impact Payment. Here’s how this scam works People get a text …

IRS warns people about a COVID-related text message scam Read More »

IRS Tax Tip 2020-166, December 7, 2020 Recently, the IRS and its Security Summit partners hosted the 2020 National Tax Security Awareness Week. The goal of this week is to encourage taxpayers, businesses and tax pros to take steps to protect their tax data and identities. Heres are some of the highlights from topics covered during the …

Highlights from the 2020 National Tax Security Awareness Week Read More »

IRS Tax Tip 2020-165, December 3, 2020 As taxpayers get ready to file their 2021 taxes, they may be thinking about hiring a tax preparer. People should choose a tax preparer wisely. This is important because taxpayers are responsible for all the information on their return, no matter who prepares it for them. There are different kinds …

Taxpayers should check out these tips before choosing a tax preparer Read More »