Personal Tax

Taxpayer First Act Last week, Congress passed the Taxpayer First Act, a tax reform bill that has several provisions championed by the National Association of Enrolled Agents. The Act establishes an Independent Office of Appeals to serve as an independent judiciary for administrative actions (examination and collection determinations) by the IRS. While an Office of Appeals exists within the current IRS structure, it is not a completely independent structure. The Office of the Taxpayer Advocate is strengthened as well. The Act also prescribes changes to the customer service strategy, allows for exceptions from user fees for low-income taxpayers, and changes [...]

The Congressional Research Service, a division of the Library of Congress, has released a preliminary report detailing the effects of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which lowered marginal tax rates and made other modifications to the tax code for the 2018 tax year and beyond. The service reports that there was no discernible change in federal gross domestic product (GDP) and that "the growth effects tend to show a relatively small (if any) first-year effect on the economy." Neither GDP nor wages saw a statistically significant change. The Congressional Budget Office initially estimated that total revenues would fall [...]

Congress is enacting the biggest tax reform law in thirty years, one that will make fundamental changes in the way you, your family and your business calculate your federal income tax bill, and the amount of federal tax you will pay. Since most of the changes will go into effect next year, there's still a narrow window of time before year-end to soften or avoid the impact of crackdowns and to best position yourself for the tax breaks that may be heading your way. Here's a quick rundown of last-minute moves you should think about making. Lower tax rates coming. The [...]