News

Most refunds issued in less than 21 days: EITC refunds for many available by March 3

The easiest way to check a refund's status is by using Where's My Refund? on IRS.gov or the IRS2Go app.

Many factors can affect refund timing after the IRS receives a tax return. Although the IRS issues most refunds in less than 21 days, the IRS cautions taxpayers not to rely on receiving a refund by a certain date, especially when making major purchases or paying bills. Some returns may require additional review and may take longer.

Under the federal Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes (PATH) Act, the IRS cannot issue Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC) refunds before mid-February. Where's My Refund? should show an updated status by February 22 for most early EITC/ACTC filers. The IRS expects most EITC/ACTC related refunds to be available in taxpayer bank accounts or on debit cards by March 3 if they chose direct deposit and there are no other issues with their tax return.

Report taxable income; don’t file before receiving key documents

People should report all taxable income on their tax return and wait to file until they receive all of their income and informational documents. Taxpayers may receive various income and information statements such as Forms 1099 from banks or other payers, unemployment compensation, dividends, pensions, annuities or retirement plan distributions. Taxpayers receiving Forms 1099-K, for payments on sale of goods and services through an online marketplace or payment app, can visit What to do with Form 1099-K to help them figure and report the correct amount of income on their tax return.

Choose a trusted tax professional

More than half of taxpayers turn to a tax professional for help filing a tax return. While most tax preparers deliver exceptional and professional service, selecting the wrong preparer can lead to financial harm.

Taxpayers should review the tips for choosing a tax preparer and learn how to avoid unethical “ghost” return preparers who don’t sign or include a valid preparer tax identification number (PTIN) on every tax return they prepare. Taxpayers can also use the IRS Directory of Federal Tax Return Preparers with Credentials and Select Qualifications to find trusted professionals. The IRS also reminds taxpayers that choosing someone affiliated with a recognized national tax association is always a good option. Tax professionals accepted into the IRS electronic filing program are authorized IRS e-file providers, qualified to prepare, transmit and process electronically filed tax returns.

Be aware of tax scams

Be aware of scammers, who can become more active during tax season. They will attempt to mislead people about tax refunds, credits and payments. They pressure people for personal, financial, employment information or money.

Watch out for:


A big payday. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Bad tax advice on social media may convince people to lie on tax forms or mislead them about credits they can claim.
Demands or threats. Impersonators want people to pay “now or else.” They threaten arrest or deportation. They don’t let people question or appeal the amount of tax they owe.
Odd or misspelled website links. Odd or misspelled web links can take people to harmful sites instead of IRS.gov.


Tax-related identity theft occurs when someone uses stolen personal information, including Social Security numbers, to file a tax return claiming a fraudulent refund. If a person suspects they are a victim of identity theft, they should continue to pay their taxes and file their tax return, even if they must file a paper return. Visit Identity Theft Central to find out more.





Know the signs of identity theft

Thousands of people have lost millions of dollars and their personal information to tax scams. Scammers use the regular mail, telephone and email to set up individuals, businesses, payroll and tax professionals. Check out the latest consumer alerts and read more about the most recent tax related scams identified by the IRS.

More help is now available

The IRS also provides taxpayers help in-person at Taxpayer Assistance Centers nationwide.

Some improvements taxpayers will see during the 2025 filing season are:

IRS Individual Online Account. The IRS continues to add more functionality to this important tool. Individuals can create or access their IRS Online Account at Online account for individuals. With an IRS Online Account, people can:


View key details from their most recent tax return, such as adjusted gross income.
Request an Identity Protection PIN.
Get account transcripts, to include wage and income records.
Sign tax forms like powers of attorney or tax information authorizations.
View and edit language preferences and alternative media.
Receive and view over 200 IRS electronic notices.
View, make and cancel payments.
Set up or change payment plans and check their balance.


New scam alert. To help protect taxpayers against emerging threats, there’s a new banner on the Online Account homepage that alerts taxpayers of potential scams and schemes, along with a link to their Digital Notices and Letters page to view correspondence sent to them from the IRS. The feature helps to educate taxpayers on common scams and fraudulent efforts to steal taxpayer information and provide taxpayers with more ability to validate the legitimacy of IRS communications.

Redesigned notices. The IRS successfully redesigned 284 notices in 2024, exceeding the agency’s 200 notice goal. It is important to note that 200 notices were redesigned and deployed in 2024 and an additional 84 redesigned notices are in line to be deployed in 2025. All notices will be added to Individual Online Account so taxpayers receiving a specific letter can see it.

Mobile-adaptive tax forms. Taxpayers can now access 67 forms on cell phones and tablets. The most recent forms feature “save and draft” capabilities, which allow the taxpayer to start a form, save it and return to it later. The addition of save and draft allows for future capabilities, including the ability for multiple spouses to sign a form.

Virtual assistants to help with refunds and other questions. Whether a taxpayer uses an online tool or calls the IRS, they will experience upgraded help features. During filing season 2025, the IRS will offer voicebot services to all taxpayers calling the IRS for refund information. The voicebot is available in English and Spanish and has helped thousands of callers without the need to wait for the next available representative. Taxpayers will have to authenticate their identity to gain access to their refund information by providing select information from their tax return.

Last year the IRS began using online chatbots for various functions. These chatbots use either guided help through choice buttons or an open text box for a customized question. The chatbots use natural language processing and understanding to interpret the input from the taxpayer to provide an appropriate response. To launch the chatbot, the taxpayer simply clicks on the “Chat” button in the lower right corner of the webpage. Currently taxpayers can use chatbots from eight webpages.


Source: IRS.gov
US TAX, U.S. TAX
 

Taxpayers should start gathering and organizing records to get ready for filing their 2024 federal tax return. They need all year-end income documents to help ensure they file a complete and accurate 2024 federal tax return and avoid refund delays.

The Get ready page on IRS.gov offers practical tips and resources to help taxpayers prepare. It highlights key updates and important steps for making tax filing easier in 2025.

Documents

Taxpayers should have all necessary records handy, such as W-2s, 1099s, receipts, canceled checks and other documents that support any income, deductions or credits reported on their tax return.

Most taxpayers should receive income documents including:


Forms W-2, Wage and Tax Statement.
Form 1099-MISC, Miscellaneous Income.
Form 1099-INT, Interest Income.
Form 1099-NEC, Nonemployee Compensation.
Form 1099-G, Certain Government Payments – such as unemployment compensation or state tax refund.
Form 1095-A, Health Insurance Marketplace Statements.














IRS Online Account

An IRS Online Account makes it easy for taxpayers to quickly get the tax planning info they need. With an IRS Online Account, they can:


View key details from their most recent tax return, such as adjusted gross income.
Request an Identity Protection PIN.
Get account transcripts to include wage and income records.
Sign tax forms like powers of attorney or tax information authorizations.
View and edit language preferences and alternative media.
Receive and view notices and letters.
View, make and cancel payments.


People should visit How to register for certain online self-help tools for more information about how to create an IRS Online Account or how to reset the username or password.

More information:


Tax Topic 418, Unemployment compensation
Taxable income
What is taxable and nontaxable income?


Source: IRS.gov
US TAX, U.S. TAX
 

Taxpayers should be aware of gift card scams and take steps to protect themselves. Scammers may target taxpayers by asking them to pay a fake tax bill with gift cards. People should remember that the IRS never asks for or accepts gift cards as payment for a tax bill.
The IRS doesn't initiate contact with taxpayers by email, text messages or social media channels to request personal or financial information. To verify it’s the IRS, go to IRS.gov and verify the form or visit the Let Us Help Youpage to verify tax information with self-service options.

Common schemes
Scammers are always changing their tactics. Recently, the IRS has seen scammers:


Request gift cards over the phone through a government impersonation scam or by sending a text message, email or social media message.
Pose as an IRS agent and call the taxpayer or leave a pre-recorded voicemail stating they are linked to some criminal activity.
Threaten or harass the taxpayer by telling them that they must pay a fictitious tax penalty.
Instruct the taxpayer to buy gift cards from various stores.
Pressure the taxpayer to buy gift cards, then ask the taxpayer to provide the gift card number and PIN.





Who’s calling
Here's how taxpayers can tell it's really the IRS calling. The IRS will never:


Call for immediate payment using a specific payment method such as a gift card, prepaid debit card or over social media. 
Demand a taxpayer pay “or else.”
Threaten to bring in law enforcement or immigration officers to have the taxpayer arrested for not paying.
Take a taxpayers citizenship status, driver’s license or business license.


Identity theft actions
Any taxpayer who suspects they’ve been the victim of a scammer should:


Visit Identity Theft Central page of IRS.gov for next steps.
Contact the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration to report a phone scam, and use their IRS Impersonation Scam Reportingwebpage or call 800-366-4484.
Report phone scams to the Federal Trade Commission with the FTC Complaint Assistant on FTC.gov, and add "IRS phone scam" in the notes.



Source: IRS.gov
US TAX, U.S. TAX
 

WASHINGTON — With the 2025 filing season quickly approaching, the Internal Revenue Service encouraged taxpayers to take key steps now to prepare for filing their 2024 federal income tax returns next year.
The IRS continues to improve taxpayer services to help people prepare for tax season with more digital tools and options available. The IRS encourages taxpayers to sign up now for an IRS Online Account to make tax season easier and help safeguard their tax information.
There are a number of things taxpayers can do to get ready as the end of 2024 nears and the start of the 2025 tax season approaches.
The IRS’s Get Ready page on IRS.gov offers practical tips and resources to help taxpayers prepare. It highlights key updates and important steps for taxpayers to consider to make tax filing easier in 2025.
This reminder is part of a series designed to help taxpayers “Get Ready” for the upcoming filing season. Taking action now can reduce stress and ensure a smoother filing process next year.

IRS Online Account Can assist you to check your personal information in IRS
Individuals can create or access their IRS Online Account at Online account for individuals. With an IRS Online Account, they can:


View key details from their most recent tax return, such as adjusted gross income.
Request an Identity Protection PIN.
Get account transcripts to include wage and income records.
Sign tax forms like powers of attorney or tax information authorizations.
View and edit language preferences and alternative media.
Receive and view over 200 IRS electronic notices.
View, make and cancel payments.
Set up or change payment plans and check their balance.


Get an Identity Protection Personal Identification Number (IP PIN)
An IP PIN is a six-digit number that prevents someone else from filing a federal tax return using an individual’s Social Security number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number. It’s a vital tool for ensuring the safety of taxpayers’ personal and financial information.
New for the 2025 filing season, the IRS will accept Forms 1040, 1040-NR and 1040-SS even if a dependent has already been claimed on a previously filed return, as long as the primary taxpayer on the second return includes a valid IP PIN. This change will reduce the time for the agency to receive the tax return and accelerate the issuance of tax refunds for those with duplicate dependent returns.
The best way to sign up for an IP PIN is through the IRS Online Account. If an individual is unable to create an Online Account, alternative methods are available, such as in-person authentication at a Taxpayer Assistance Center. More information is available on how to sign up at Get an identity protection PIN (IP PIN).

Deadline for 2024 last quarterly estimated payment is Jan. 15, 2025
Taxpayers with non-wage income—such as unemployment benefits, self-employment income, annuity payments or earnings from digital assets—may need to make estimated or additional tax payments. The Tax Withholding Estimator on IRS.gov can help wage earners determine if they need to make an additional payment to avoid an unexpected tax bill when filing their return.


1099-K reporting changes
Taxpayers who received more than $5,000 in payments for goods and services through an online marketplace or payment app in 2024 should expect to receive a Form 1099-K PDF in January 2025. A copy of this form will be sent to the IRS as well.
Although the IRS is taking a phased in approach to implementation of the Form 1099-K reporting threshold, there have been no changes to the taxability of income. All income, including proceeds from part-time work, side jobs or the sale of goods and services is taxable. Taxpayers must report all income on their tax return unless it's excluded by law, whether they receive a Form 1099-K or not. The law doesn’t allow taxpayers to avoid taxes on income earned just because they didn’t get a form reporting the payments received.
It is important for taxpayers to understand why they received a Form 1099-K and how to use it along with their other records to figure and report the correct amount of income on their tax return. It is also important for taxpayers to know what to do if they received a Form 1099-K but shouldn't have. In either situation, good recordkeeping is key. Having good records will help make tax filing easier.

Prepare to include digital assets on taxes in 2025
Just like previous filing years, taxpayers must report all digital asset-related income when they file their 2024 federal income tax return. A digital asset is property that is stored electronically and can be bought, sold, owned, transferred or traded. Examples include convertible virtual currencies and cryptocurrencies, stablecoins and non-fungible tokens (NFTs).
If a taxpayer had digital asset transactions last year, they should be sure to keep records that prove their purchase, receipt, sale, exchange or any other disposition of the digital assets and that includes the fair market value, as measured in U.S. dollars of all digital assets received as income or as a payment in the ordinary course of a trade or business.
When filing 2024 federal income tax returns, taxpayers will be asked to answer “Yes” or “No” to the following question:
At any time during the tax year, did you:
(a) receive (as a reward, award or payment for property or services); or
(b) sell, exchange or otherwise dispose of a digital asset (or a financial interest in a digital asset)?
Taxpayers should be prepared to answer the question by reviewing the digital assets landing page and FAQ available on IRS.gov. In addition to checking the "Yes" box, taxpayers must report all income related to their digital asset transactions. Information on how to report digital asset transactions, including calculating capital gain or loss, determining basis and reporting the income on the correct form can also be found on the digital assets landing page.

Understand refund timing and how to avoid delays
Several factors can influence the timing of a refund after the IRS receives a tax return. While the IRS issues most refunds in less than 21 days, taxpayers are advised not to depend on receiving a 2024 federal tax refund by a specific date for major purchases or bill payments. Some returns may require additional review and take longer to process if there are possible errors, missing information, or indications of identity theft or fraud.
Additionally, under the PATH Act, the IRS cannot issue refunds for tax returns claiming the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) or the Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC) before mid-February. The IRS must hold the entire refund—not just the portion associated with these credits—until the review is complete.

Gather and organize 2024 tax documents
To make tax time easier, taxpayers should establish an effective record-keeping system, either electronic or paper, to organize all important documents in one place. This includes year-end income forms such as Forms W-2 from employers, Forms 1099 from banks or other payers, Forms 1099-K from third-party payment networks, Forms 1099-NEC for nonemployee compensation, Forms 1099-MISC for miscellaneous income, Forms 1099-INT for interest income and records of all digital asset transactions.
Having all necessary documentation ensures taxpayers can file an accurate return and reduces the likelihood of processing delays or refund issues.

Source: IRS.gov
US TAX, U.S. TAX
 

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service announced today tax relief for individuals and businesses in southern California affected by wildfires and straight-line winds that began on Jan. 7, 2025.

These taxpayers now have until Oct. 15, 2025, to file various federal individual and business tax returns and make tax payments.

The IRS is offering relief to any area designated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Currently, individuals and households that reside or have a business in Los Angeles County qualify for tax relief.

The same relief will be available to any other counties added later to the disaster area. The current list of eligible localities is always available on the Tax relief in disaster situations page on IRS.gov.

Filing and payment relief

The tax relief postpones various tax filing and payment deadlines that occurred from Jan. 7, 2025, through Oct. 15, 2025 (postponement period). As a result, affected individuals and businesses will have until Oct. 15, 2025, to file returns and pay any taxes that were originally due during this period.

This means, for example, that the Oct. 15, 2025, deadline will now apply to:


Individual income tax returns and payments normally due on April 15, 2025.



2024 contributions to IRAs and health savings accounts for eligible taxpayers.



2024 quarterly estimated income tax payments normally due on Jan. 15, 2025, and estimated tax payments normally due on April 15, June 16 and Sept. 15, 2025.



Quarterly payroll and excise tax returns normally due on Jan. 31, April 30 and July 31, 2025.



Calendar-year partnership and S corporation returns normally due on March 17, 2025.



Calendar-year corporation and fiduciary returns and payments normally due on April 15, 2025.



Calendar-year tax-exempt organization returns normally due on May 15, 2025.


In addition, penalties for failing to make payroll and excise tax deposits due on or after Jan. 7, 2025, and before Jan. 22, 2025, will be abated as long as the deposits are made by Jan. 22, 2025.

The Disaster assistance and emergency relief for individuals and businesses page has details on other returns, payments and tax-related actions qualifying for relief during the postponement period.

The IRS automatically provides filing and penalty relief to any taxpayer with an IRS address of record located in the disaster area. These taxpayers do not need to contact the agency to get this relief.

It is possible an affected taxpayer may not have an IRS address of record located in the disaster area, for example, because they moved to the disaster area after filing their return. In these kinds of unique circumstances, the affected taxpayer could receive a late filing or late payment penalty notice from the IRS for the postponement period. The taxpayer should call the number on the notice to have the penalty abated.

In addition, the IRS will work with any taxpayer who lives outside the disaster area but whose records necessary to meet a deadline occurring during the postponement period are located in the affected area. Taxpayers qualifying for relief who live outside the disaster area need to contact the IRS at 866-562-5227. This also includes workers assisting the relief activities who are affiliated with a recognized government or philanthropic organization. Disaster area tax preparers with clients located outside the disaster area can choose to use the bulk requests from practitioners for disaster relief option, described on IRS.gov.

















































Additional tax relief

Individuals and businesses in a federally declared disaster area who suffered uninsured or unreimbursed disaster-related losses can choose to claim them on either the return for the year the loss occurred (in this instance, the 2025 return normally filed next year), or the return for the prior year (2024). Taxpayers have extra time – up to six months after the due date of the taxpayer’s federal income tax return for the disaster year (without regard to any extension of time to file) – to make the election. For individual taxpayers, this means Oct. 15, 2026. Be sure to write the FEMA declaration number – 4856-DR − on any return claiming a loss. See Publication 547, Casualties, Disasters, and Thefts, for details.

Qualified disaster relief payments are generally excluded from gross income. In general, this means that affected taxpayers can exclude from their gross income amounts received from a government agency for reasonable and necessary personal, family, living or funeral expenses, as well as for the repair or rehabilitation of their home, or for the repair or replacement of its contents. See Publication 525, Taxable and Nontaxable Income, for details.

Additional relief may be available to affected taxpayers who participate in a retirement plan or individual retirement arrangement (IRA). For example, a taxpayer may be eligible to take a special disaster distribution that would not be subject to the additional 10% early distribution tax and allows the taxpayer to spread the income over three years. Taxpayers may also be eligible to make a hardship withdrawal. Each plan or IRA has specific rules and guidance for their participants to follow.

The IRS may provide additional disaster relief in the future.

The tax relief is part of a coordinated federal response to the damage caused by these storms and is based on local damage assessments by FEMA. For information on disaster recovery, visit DisasterAssistance.gov.

Reminder about tax return preparation options


Eligible individuals or families can get free help preparing their tax return at Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) or Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) sites. To find the closest free tax help site, use the VITA Locator Tool or call 800-906-9887. Note that normally, VITA sites cannot help claim disaster losses.
To find an AARP Tax-Aide site, use the AARP Site Locator Tool or call 888-227-7669.
Any individual or family whose adjusted gross income (AGI) was $84,000 or less in 2024 can use IRS Free File’s Guided Tax Software at no cost. There are products in English and Spanish.
Another Free File option is Free File Fillable Forms. These are electronic federal tax forms, equivalent to a paper 1040 and are designed for taxpayers who are comfortable filling out IRS tax forms. Anyone, regardless of income, can use this option.
MilTax, a Department of Defense program, offers free return preparation software and electronic filing for federal tax returns and up to three state income tax returns. It’s available for all military members and some veterans, with no income limit.


Source: IRS.gov
US TAX, U.S. TAX
 

A taxpayer’s filing status generally depends on their being married or unmarried on the last day of the year – which means that a taxpayer's marital status as of December 31, 2024, determines their tax filing options for all of 2024. 
For filing purposes, the IRS generally considers taxpayers as married if they are separated but not legally separated or divorced at the end of the year. Marriage status can determine filing requirements, standard deductions, eligibility for certain credits and tax. For exact qualifications and exceptions on filing statuses, review Publication 504, Divorced or Separated Individuals. 
Here are a few things taxpayers should do if their marital status changed in 2024.

Report a name change
Report any name changes to the Social Security Administration. The name on a person's tax return must match what’s on file at the SSA. If the name doesn't match, it could delay any tax refund. To update information, go to the SSA’s website and look for “Change name with Social Security.” Name changes can also be processed by calling the SSA at 800-772-1213 or by visiting a local SSA office.
 
Update address
Notify the U.S. Postal Service, any employers and the IRS of an address change. Taxpayers have several options to notify the IRS of an address change.










Check withholding 
A change in marital status may also affect how much tax should be withheld from the taxpayer’s paycheck. To avoid a surprise at tax time, the taxpayer should use the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator to calculate their withholding and then use that estimate to complete a new Form W-4, Employee’s Withholding Certificate, to give to their employer. Taxpayers can also use Form W-4 to tell an employer not to withhold any federal income tax. To qualify for this exempt status, the taxpayer must have had no tax liability for the previous year and must expect to have no tax liability for the current year. 

Review filing status
Taxpayers who were newly married in 2024 will want to review their filing status options. They can choose to file their federal income taxes jointly or separately each year, so it’s a good idea to figure the tax both ways to find out which makes the most sense. Taxpayers should remember that if a couple is married as of December 31, the law says they're married for the whole year for tax purposes












Source: IRS.gov
US TAX, U.S. TAX
 

IRS provides transition relief for third party settlement organizations; Form 1099-K threshold is $5,000 for calendar year 2024 

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today issued Notice 2024-85 providing transition relief for third party settlement organizations (TPSOs), also known as payment apps and online marketplaces, regarding transactions during calendar years 2024 and 2025.  

Under the guidance issued today, TPSOs will be required to report transactions when the amount of total payments for those transactions is more than $5,000 in 2024; more than $2,500 in 2025; and more than $600 in calendar year 2026 and after.











Notice 2024-85 also announces for calendar year 2024, that the IRS will not assert penalties under section 6651 or 6656 for a TPSO’s failure to withhold and pay backup withholding tax during the calendar year.

TPSOs that have performed backup withholding for a payee during calendar year 2024 must file a Form 945 and a Form 1099-K with the IRS and furnish a copy to the payee.

For calendar year 2025 and after, the IRS will assert penalties under section 6651 or 6656 for a TPSO’s failure to withhold and pay backup withholding tax.











Source: IRS.gov
US TAX, U.S. TAX
 

Scammers commonly set up fake charities to take advantage of people’s generosity during natural disasters and other tragic events. Taxpayers should use the Tax Exempt Organization Search tool to check that an organization is legitimate before they donate money.
Tips for donating safely
Follow these tips before making a charitable donation:


Always verify. Scammers use names that sound like well-known charities to confuse people. Fake charity promoters may use emails, fake websites, or altered or "spoofed" caller ID to make it look like a real charity is calling to solicit donations. Potential donors should ask the fundraiser for the charity's name, website and mailing address so they can independently confirm the information. Use the TEOS tool to verify if an organization is a legitimate tax exempt charity.



Be cautious about how a donation is requested. Never work with charities that ask for donations by giving numbers from a gift card or by wiring money. That's a scam. It's safest to pay by credit card or check — and only after verifying the charity is real.



Don't share too much information. Scammers are on the lookout for both money and personal information. Never disclose Social Security numbers, credit card numbers, personal identification numbers or passwords.



Don't give in to pressure. Scammers often pressure people into making an immediate payment. In contrast, legitimate charities are happy to get a donation at any time. Donors should not feel rushed.










Taxpayers who encounter a fake or suspicious charity should see the FBI’s resources on charity and disaster fraud.

Claim a deduction Taxpayers who give money or goods to a charity can claim a deduction if they itemize deductions, but these donations count only if they go to a qualified tax exempt organization recognized by the IRS.

More information


National Center for Disaster Fraud
DisasterAssistance.gov
Dirty-Dozen










Source: IRS.gov
US TAX, U.S. TAX
 

Tables for the Tax Year (TY) 2021 Foreign-Controlled Domestic Corporation study are now available on SOI's Tax Stats webpage. The tables, based on data from the Form 1120 series, include balance sheets, income statements, and tax-related data for domestic corporations with 50-percent-or-more stock ownership by a single foreign "person." The data are classified by industry group, country of ownership, age of the corporations, and sizes of total assets and business receipts.
There were 149,000 federal income tax returns filed by foreign-controlled domestic corporations (FCDCs) for TY 2021.These returns accounted for just 2.2 percent of all corporate returns filed for that year. However, the FCDCs were often large companies, with a combined $16.2 trillion of assets and $6.6 trillion of receipts. They reported 11.4 percent of the assets and 16.7 percent of the receipts of all corporations.








Manufacturing companies accounted for $2.8 trillion of the FCDC receipts. Domestic companies with Japanese owners produced $1.0 trillion of receipts, followed by owners from the Netherlands ($0.9 trillion) and the United Kingdom ($0.8 trillion). Established corporations (those incorporated in 2018 or before) produced $6.4 trillion of receipts. Large corporations, each with $2.5 billion or more of assets and those each with $1.0 billion or more or business receipts, accounted for $4.4 trillion and $5.1 trillion of receipts, respectively







Source: IRS.gov

US TAX, U.S. TAX
 

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today announced interest rates will remain the same for the calendar quarter beginning Oct. 1, 2024.

For individuals, the rate for overpayments and underpayments will be 8% per year, compounded daily.

Here’s a complete list of the new rates:


8% for overpayments (payments made in excess of the amount owed), 7% for corporations.
5.5% for the portion of a corporate overpayment exceeding $10,000.
8% for underpayments (taxes owed but not fully paid).
10% for large corporate underpayments.








Under the Internal Revenue Code, the rate of interest is determined on a quarterly basis. For taxpayers other than corporations, the overpayment and underpayment rate is the federal short-term rate plus three percentage points.

Generally, in the case of a corporation, the underpayment rate is the federal short-term rate plus three percentage points and the overpayment rate is the federal short-term rate plus two percentage points. The rate for large corporate underpayments is the federal short-term rate plus five percentage points. The rate on the portion of a corporate overpayment of tax exceeding $10,000 for a taxable period is the federal short-term rate plus one-half (0.5) of a percentage point.

The interest rates announced today are computed from the federal short-term rate determined during July 2024.







Source: IRS.gov

US TAX, U.S. TAX
 

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service announced today tax relief for individuals and businesses in 25 Minnesota counties affected by severe storms and flooding that began on June 16, 2024.
These taxpayers now have until Feb. 3, 2025, to file various federal individual and business tax returns and make tax payments.
The IRS is offering relief to any area designated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
This means that individuals and households that reside or have a business in Blue Earth, Carver, Cass, Cook, Cottonwood, Faribault, Fillmore, Freeborn, Goodhue, Itasca, Jackson, Lake, Le Sueur, Mower, Murray, Nicollet, Nobles, Pipestone, Rice, Rock, St. Louis, Steele, Wabasha, Waseca and Watonwan counties qualify for tax relief.
The same relief will be available to any other counties added later to the disaster area. The current list of eligible localities is always available on the Tax relief in disaster situations page on IRS.gov.

Filing and payment relief
The tax relief postpones various tax filing and payment deadlines that occurred from June 16, 2024, through Feb. 3, 2025 (postponement period). As a result, affected individuals and businesses will have until Feb. 3, 2025, to file returns and pay any taxes that were originally due during this period.
This means, for example, that the Feb. 3, 2025, deadline will now apply to:
• Any individual, business or tax-exempt organization that has a valid extension to file their 2023 federal return. The IRS noted, however, that payments on these returns are not eligible for the extra time because they were due last spring before the storms occurred.
• Quarterly estimated income tax payments normally due on June 17 and Sept. 16, 2024, and Jan. 15, 2025.
• Quarterly payroll and excise tax returns normally due on July 31 and Oct. 31, 2024, and Jan. 31, 2025.
In addition, penalties for failing to make payroll and excise tax deposits due on or after June 16, 2024, and before July 1, 2024, will be abated, as long as the deposits were made by July 1, 2024.
The Disaster assistance and emergency relief for individuals and businesses page has details on other returns, payments and tax-related actions qualifying for relief during the postponement period.
The IRS automatically provides filing and penalty relief to any taxpayer with an IRS address of record located in the disaster area. These taxpayers do not need to contact the agency to get this relief.
It is possible an affected taxpayer may not have an IRS address of record located in the disaster area, for example, because they moved to the disaster area after filing their return. In these unique circumstances, the affected taxpayer could receive a late filing or late payment penalty notice from the IRS for the postponement period. The taxpayer should call the number on the notice to have the penalty abated.
In addition, the IRS will work with any taxpayer who lives outside the disaster area but whose records necessary to meet a deadline occurring during the postponement period are located in the affected area. Taxpayers qualifying for relief who live outside the disaster area need to contact the IRS at 866-562-5227. This also includes workers assisting the relief activities who are affiliated with a recognized government or philanthropic organization. Tax preparers located in the disaster area with clients located outside the disaster area can choose to use theBulk Requests from Practitioners for Disaster Relief option, described on IRS.gov.



Additional tax relief
Individuals and businesses in a federally declared disaster area who suffered uninsured or unreimbursed disaster-related losses can choose to claim them on either the return for the year the loss occurred (in this instance, the 2024 return normally filed next year), or the return for the prior year (the 2023 return filed this year). Taxpayers have extra time – up to six months after the due date of the taxpayer’s federal income tax return for the disaster year (without regard to any extension of time to file) – to make the election. For individual taxpayers, this means Oct. 15, 2025. Be sure to write the FEMA declaration number – 4797-DR − on any return claiming a loss. See Publication 547, Casualties, Disasters, and Thefts, for details.
Qualified disaster relief payments are generally excluded from gross income. In general, this means that affected taxpayers can exclude from their gross income amounts received from a government agency for reasonable and necessary personal, family, living or funeral expenses, as well as for the repair or rehabilitation of their home, or for the repair or replacement of its contents. See Publication 525, Taxable and Nontaxable Income, for details.
Additional relief may be available to affected taxpayers who participate in a retirement plan or individual retirement arrangement (IRA). For example, a taxpayer may be eligible to take a special disaster distribution that would not be subject to the additional 10% early distribution tax and allows the taxpayer to spread the income over three years. Taxpayers may also be eligible to make a hardship withdrawal. Each plan or IRA has specific rules and guidance for their participants to follow.
The IRS may provide additional disaster relief in the future.
The tax relief is part of a coordinated federal response to the damage caused by these storms and is based on local damage assessments by FEMA. For information on disaster recovery, visit disasterassistance.gov.

Reminder about tax return preparation options
• Eligible individuals or families can get free help preparing their tax return at Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) or Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) sites. To find the closest free tax help site, use the VITA Locator Tool or call 800-906-9887. Note that normally, VITA sites cannot help claim disaster losses.
• To find an AARP Tax-Aide site, use the AARP Site Locator Tool or call 888-227-7669.
• Any individual or family whose adjusted gross income (AGI) was $79,000 or less in 2023 can use IRS Free File’s guided tax software at no cost. There are products in English and Spanish.
• Another Free File option is Free File Fillable Forms. These are electronic federal tax forms, equivalent to a paper 1040 and are designed for taxpayers who are comfortable filling out IRS tax forms. Anyone, regardless of income, can use this option.
• MilTax, a Department of Defense program, offers free return preparation software and electronic filing for federal tax returns and up to three state income tax returns. It’s available for all military members and some veterans, with no income limit





Source: IRS.gov

US TAX, U.S. TAX
 

There are two education tax credits designed to help offset education costs: the American Opportunity Tax Credit and the Lifetime Learning Credit.

Eligibility requirements
For both tax credits, to be eligible:
- The taxpayer, their spouse or their dependents must take post-high school coursework in tax year 2024.
- The student must have a Form 1098-T, Tuition Statement, from an eligible educational institution. There are exceptions for some students.
Things taxpayers should know about the education tax credits.
The American Opportunity Tax Credit is:
- Worth a maximum benefit of up to $2,500 per eligible student.
- Available only for the first four years at an eligible college or vocational school.
- For students pursuing a degree or other recognized education credential.
- Partially refundable. People could get up to $1,000 back.












The Lifetime Learning Credit is:
- Worth a maximum benefit of up to $2,000 per tax return, per year, no matter how many students qualify.
- Available for all years of postsecondary education and for courses to acquire or improve job skills.
- Available for an unlimited number of tax years.

Claiming the credits
To claim either credit, taxpayers must complete Form 8863, Education Credits, and file it with their federal tax return.






Source: IRS.gov

US TAX, U.S. TAX