IRS encouraging individuals to help monitor return preparers

The IRS released an "FS" (Fact Sheet) today on "Tips for Choosing a Tax Return Preparer" ( FS-2012-5 ).  Among the tips ...

Feb. 3 Tax Policy Conference in Santa Clara - Don't Miss Out

2012 Tax Policy Conference -     Tax Reform: Status, Needs and Realities  Speaker just added - Mike Hauswirth, Tax Counsel for the House Wa...

Due diligence reminders for 2012 filing season

I teach several different graduate tax courses and make a lot of presentations including on tax law updates, so I have a good opportunity an...

Growth in Passthrough Entities and Terminology

A January 10, 2012 article in the Wall Street Journal caught my attention by the title - "More Firms Enjoy Tax-Free Status" by Mc...

Not Giving Up on Simplification

In mid-November, IRS Commissioner Shulman spoke at the Harvard Kennedy School, mostly about simplifying the tax law.  I was struck by how mu...

IRS Now Estimates Annual Tax Gap at $450 Billion

On Friday (1/6/12), the IRS released updated tax gap data showing that the annual tax gap is $450 billion (based on 2006 liabilities). The p...

Non-partisan tax reform

Les Samuels has an op ed in the Los Angeles Times suggesting six principles to help guide tax reform - "Sensible Taxation" (1/3/1...