Tax season is beginning and there are lots of changes this year. Besides the normal "book" of tax law changes, the IRS has added more forms, more questions that must be answered on tax returns, more due diligence is expected by tax preparers and e-file is required if your tax return is prepared by a professional tax preparer authorized to prepare returns by the IRS. The IRS is not making our jobs easier as tax preparers. They are certainly not making the tax code more understandable and no one disputes that fact!
The change we all understand is the move towards e-filing which makes processing returns at the IRS much more efficient. But even the IRS can make that process a little bit complicated. This year virtually all paid tax preparers must electronically file federal income tax returns for individuals, trusts, and estates starting January 1, 2011. Like all requirements, there is a loop hole, but it takes another form to be filed to get out of e-filing your return. If you choose to not e-file your individual income tax return that we prepared you must sign a waiver form and send it to us. You also must attach this waiver with the paper return and send it to the IRS.
To minimize your tax preparation costs, E-filing is the safest, fasted, easiest way for taxpayers to file their tax returns. If you are due a refund, you will receive it faster. If you owe, you can file now and pay later. One of the features of efiling we really love is that we receive an acknowledgement from the IRS that they received your return - something that is not available the snail mail way.