WASHINGTON — Building on the success of Settlement Days and Virtual Settlement Days, the Internal Revenue Service Office of Chief Counsel hosted its first National Virtual Settlement Month in March 2021. The results are impressive.

Settlement Days events are coordinated efforts to resolve cases in the United States Tax Court by providing taxpayers who are not represented by counsel the opportunity to receive free tax advice from Low Income Taxpayer Clinics (LITCs), American Bar Association (ABA) volunteer attorneys and other pro bono organizations.

"The March Settlement Days campaign yielded great results with well over half of participating taxpayers settling their cases on a basis agreeable to them without having to represent themselves in Tax Court," said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. "These strong results could not be achieved without the dedication and support of our partner groups--the LITCs, ABA and other pro bono organizations."

During the Office of Chief Counsel’s National Virtual Settlement Month, Virtual Settlement Days events were held in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Many were held in cities that had not recently hosted a Settlement Days event. Nearly 240 taxpayers met with Chief Counsel employees and pro bono organizations, leading to settlements in 148 Tax Court cases. Those taxpayers whose cases were not resolved had the opportunity to obtain free legal advice and better understand their cases and the process of litigating in the Tax Court. (IR-2021-61)

LITC representatives and ABA volunteer attorneys provided free legal advice, assisting taxpayers outside their regular service areas as needed. At many events, taxpayers were also able to discuss payment options with IRS Collection employees. Taxpayers were also able to consult Taxpayer Advocate Service employees about unrelated tax matters not before the Tax Court.

"Unrepresented taxpayers with cases in Tax Court should strongly consider seeking assistance at a settlement day event when given the chance. It provides taxpayers a fair way to resolve their cases on a basis they agree with rather than taking their chances in court," Rettig noted.

Virtual Settlement Days events were first announced in May 2020 to continue the benefits of Settlement Days during the pandemic. (IR-2020-87) Before March 2021, more than 260 taxpayers resolved their Tax Court cases during a Virtual Settlement Days event, avoiding the need for over 260 trials.
 
The Office of Chief Counsel plans to continue Virtual Settlement Days events together with face-to-face options when circumstances permit. In the meantime, taxpayers with cases before the Tax Court are encouraged to contact the assigned Chief Counsel attorney or paralegal to inquire about participating in a Virtual Settlement Days event. It is possible they can achieve same-day resolution of their case on a basis they agree with.

Revenue Procedure 2021-23 modifies and supersedes portions of the 2021 inflation rev. proc., Rev. Proc. 2020-45, to reflect statutory amendments made by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.  Specifically, it modifies inflation adjusted amounts for the Child Tax Credit, the Earned Income Credit, and the Applicable Percentage Table for section 36B.

 

Rev. Proc. 2021-23 will be published in Internal Revenue Bulletin 2021-19 on May 10, 2021.

WASHINGTON — Today, the Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. Department of the Treasury, and the Bureau of the Fiscal Service announced they are disbursing nearly 2 million payments in the sixth batch of Economic Impact Payments from the American Rescue Plan.

Today’s announcement brings the total disbursed so far to approximately 161 million payments, with a total value of more than $379 billion, since these payments began rolling out to Americans in batches as announced on March 12. 

The sixth batch of payments began processing on Friday, April 16, with an official payment date of April 21, with some people receiving direct payments in their accounts earlier as provisional or pending deposits. Here is additional information on this batch of payments:

Additional information is available on the first five batches of Economic Impact Payments from the American Rescue Plan, which began processing on April 9, April 2, March 26, March 19 and March 12.

The IRS will continue to make Economic Impact Payments on a weekly basis. Ongoing payments will be sent to eligible individuals for whom the IRS previously did not have information to issue a payment but who recently filed a tax return, as well to people who qualify for “plus-up” payments.

Special reminder for those who don't normally file a tax return

Although payments are automatic for most people, the IRS continues to urge people who don’t normally file a tax return and haven’t received Economic Impact Payments to file a 2020 tax return to get all the benefits they’re entitled to under the law, including tax credits such as the 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit, the Child Tax Credit, and the Earned Income Tax Credit.  Filing a 2020 tax return will also assist the IRS in determining whether someone is eligible for an advance payment of the 2021 Child Tax Credit, which will begin to be disbursed this summer.

For example, some federal benefits recipients may need to file a 2020 tax return – even if they don't usually file – to provide information the IRS needs to send payments for a qualifying dependent. Eligible individuals in this group should file a 2020 tax return as quickly as possible to be considered for an additional payment for their qualifying dependents.

People who don't normally file a tax return and don't receive federal benefits may qualify for these Economic Impact Payments. This includes those experiencing homelessness, the rural poor and others. Individuals who didn't get a first or second round Economic Impact Payment or got less than the full amounts may be eligible for the 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit, but they’ll need to file a 2020 tax return. See the special section on IRS.gov: Claiming the 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit if you aren't required to file a tax return.

Free tax return preparation is available for qualifying people.

The IRS reminds taxpayers that the income levels in this new round of Economic Impact Payments have changed. This means that some people won't be eligible for the third payment even if they received a first or second Economic Impact Payment or claimed a 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit. Payments will begin to be reduced for individuals making $75,000 or above in Adjusted Gross Income ($150,000 for married filing jointly). The payments end at $80,000 for individuals ($160,000 for married filing jointly); people with Adjusted Gross Incomes above these levels are ineligible for a payment.

Individuals can check the Get My Payment tool on IRS.gov to see the payment status of these payments. Additional information on Economic Impact Payments is available on IRS.gov.

WASHINGTON — The Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service today issued Revenue Procedure 2021-20 for certain businesses that received first-round Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans but did not deduct any of the original eligible expenses because they relied on guidance issued before the enactment of tax relief legislation in December of 2020.

Under prior guidance, businesses that received PPP loans to cover payroll costs, interest on covered mortgage obligations, covered rent obligation payments, and covered utility payments could not deduct corresponding expenses.

With the Dec. 27, 2020, enactment of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, businesses now may claim these deductions even though they received PPP loans to cover original eligible expenses. These businesses can use the safe harbor provided by this guidance to deduct those expenses on the return for the immediately subsequent year.

More information on COVID-19 related tax relief for business can be found on IRS.gov

Revenue Procedure 2021-20 provides a safe harbor for certain taxpayers that received a loan pursuant to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and, based on guidance issued by the Treasury Department and the IRS prior to the enactment of the COVID-related Tax Relief Act of 2020, did not deduct certain otherwise deductible expenses paid or incurred during the taxpayer’s taxable year(s) ending after March 26, 2020, and on or before December 31, 2020.  Under the safe harbor, these taxpayers may deduct the expenses in the immediately subsequent taxable year.  This revenue procedure also obsoletes Revenue Procedure 2020-51. 

Revenue Procedure 2021-20 will appear in IRB 2021-19, issued on May 10, 2021.

WASHINGTON − The Internal Revenue Service and the Treasury Department announced today further details of tax credits available under the American Rescue Plan to help small businesses, including providing paid leave for employees receiving COVID-19 vaccinations.

The additional details, provided in a fact sheet released today, spell out some basic facts about the employers eligible for the tax credits. It also provides information on how these employers may claim the credit for leave paid to employees related to COVID-19 vaccinations

Eligible employers, such as businesses and tax-exempt organizations with fewer than 500 employees and certain governmental employers, can receive a tax credit for providing paid time off for each employee receiving the vaccine and for any time needed to recover from the vaccine. For example, if an eligible employer offers employees a paid day off in order to get vaccinated, the employer can receive a tax credit equal to the wages paid to employees for that day (up to certain limits).

“This new information is a shot in the arm for struggling small employers who are working hard to keep their businesses going while also watching out for the health of their employees,” said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. “Our work on this issue is part of a larger effort by the IRS to assist the nation recover from the pandemic.”

The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP) allows small and midsize employers, and certain governmental employers, to claim refundable tax credits that reimburse them for the cost of providing paid sick and family leave to their employees due to COVID-19, including leave taken by employees to receive or recover from COVID-19 vaccinations.  Self-employed individuals are eligible for similar tax credits.

The ARP tax credits are available to eligible employers that pay sick and family leave for leave from April 1, 2021, through Sept. 30, 2021. 

The paid leave credits under the ARP are tax credits against the employer’s share of the Medicare tax.  The tax credits are refundable, which means that the employer is entitled to payment of the full amount of the credits if it exceeds the employer’s share of the Medicare tax. 

In anticipation of claiming the credits on the Form 941, Employer’s Quarterly Federal Tax Return, eligible employers can keep the federal employment taxes that they otherwise would have deposited, including federal income tax withheld from employees, the employees’ share of social security and Medicare taxes and the eligible employer’s share of social security and Medicare taxes with respect to all employees up to the amount of credit for which they are eligible.  If the eligible employer does not have enough federal employment taxes on deposit to cover the amount of the anticipated credits, the eligible employer may request an advance by filing Form 7200, Advance Payment of Employer Credits Due to COVID-19.

Self-employed individuals may claim comparable credits on the Form 1040, U.S. Individual Income Tax Return.

More details are available on this fact sheet.

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today reminded taxpayers to check their tax returns for common errors that could delay refunds or otherwise affect normal processing. Here are some ways to avoid tax return slipups as the May 17 due date gets closer.

Use electronic filing. Filing electronically, whether through IRS Free File or other e-file service providers, is a great way to cut the chances for many tax return mistakes and maximize deductions to reduce tax owed at the same time. The tax software automatically applies the latest tax laws, checks for available credits or deductions, does the calculations, and asks taxpayers for all required information.

Report all taxable income. Be sure to have income documents on hand before starting the tax return. Examples are Forms W-2, 1099-MISC or 1099-NEC. Underreporting income may lead to penalties and interest.

Get names and Social Security numbers right. Enter each Social Security number (SSN) and individual’s name on a tax return exactly as printed on the Social Security card. Persons generally must list on their individual income tax return the SSN of any person they claim as a dependent. If a dependent or spouse does not have and is not eligible to get a SSN, list the Individual Tax Identification Number (ITIN) instead of a SSN.

Learn about filing status. If taxpayers are unsure about their filing status, the Interactive Tax Assistant on IRS.gov can help them choose the correct status, especially if more than one filing status applies. Tax software, including IRS Free File, also helps prevent mistakes with filing status.

Correctly answer the virtual currency question. The 2020 Form 1040 asks whether at any time during 2020, a person received, sold, sent, exchanged or otherwise acquired any financial interest in any virtual currency. If a taxpayer’s only transactions involving virtual currency during 2020 were purchases of virtual currency, they are not required to answer ‘yes’ to the question.

Mail paper returns to the right address. Paper filers should check the right address for where to file on IRS.gov or on form instructions to avoid processing delays. Note that due to staffing issues related to COVID-19, processing paper tax returns could take much longer than usual. Taxpayers and tax professionals are encouraged to file electronically if possible.

Use the right routing and account numbers. Requesting direct deposit of a federal refund into one, two or even three accounts is convenient and allows the taxpayer access to his or her money faster. Make sure the financial institution routing and account numbers entered on the return are accurate. Incorrect numbers can cause a refund to be delayed or deposited into the wrong account. Taxpayers can also use their refund to purchase U.S. Savings Bonds.

Sign and date the return. If filing a joint return, both spouses must sign and date the return. E-filers can sign using a self-selected personal identification number (PIN).

Keep a copy. When ready to file, taxpayers should make a copy of their signed return and all schedules for their records.

Request an extension, if needed. Taxpayers who cannot meet the May 17 deadline can easily request an automatic filing extension to Oct. 15 and prevent late filing penalties. Use Free File or Form 4868. But keep in mind that while an extension grants additional time to file, tax payments are still due May 17.

WASHINGTON — As part of the continued focus on compliance issues, the Internal Revenue Service announced today the establishment of the IRS Office of Promoter Investigations. The new office will further expand on the efforts of the Promoter Investigations Coordinator that began last summer.

“By establishing the Office of Promoter Investigations, we are continuing our increased focus on promoters of abusive tax avoidance transactions, which we have demonstrated over the last year,” said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. “This office will coordinate efforts across multiple business divisions to address abusive syndicated conservation easements and abusive micro-captive insurance arrangements, as well as other transactions.”

Lois Deitrich, a 20-year veteran of the agency, will be the new office’s acting director.

Even though OPI will be positioned within SB/SE, Deitrich will work on agency-wide compliance issues, including coordination of promoter activities with promoter teams in other business divisions, including Large Business & International, Tax Exempt/Government Entities, the Office of Fraud Enforcement, and Criminal Investigations.. She will serve as the principal advisor and consultant to IRS division commissioners and deputy commissioners on issues involving promoters of abusive transactions and the schemes they peddle. The OPI will also develop strategic plans, programs and policy.

Prior to the creation of OPI, the SB/SE division completed a realignment of field examination employees who work on promoter investigations. This realignment brought SB/SE revenue agents under a single director within the Field Exam Division, increasing the focus and attention they apply to investigations going forward. With additional training, resources and applied analytics, SB/SE will bring improved focus on identifying, investigating and taking necessary enforcement action to halt promotion of abusive transactions.

De Lon Harris, commissioner, SB/SE Exam, noted that the realignment of field employees will continue to strengthen the internal compliance efforts within SB/SE.

"These groups are exclusively dedicated to investigating those who peddle abusive tax schemes. Bringing these agents together, in combination with the creation of the service-wide Office of Promoter Investigations, will help strengthen our compliance work and is yet another opportunity to increase our capacity to conduct these investigations," said De Lon Harris, commissioner, SB/SE Exam. "Our promoter office will strategically focus resources to help expand detection and deterrence efforts of promoter work across the IRS."

Deitrich will take over the work the agency has been pursuing for the past year under Brendan O'Dell, who was selected as the Promoter Investigation Coordinator in early 2020.

Prior to this position, Deitrich served as the director of the southwest area of SB/SE’s Field Examination, where she was responsible for overseeing SB/SE field operation for abusive transaction investigations. She brings extensive experience in the abusive transaction space and the Special Enforcement Program. Previously, she served as director of Exam Case Selection and Exam Quality and Technical Support.

Deitrich began her IRS career as a revenue agent in 2001. She holds a master’s degree in Tax from the University of Denver and is a certified public accountant and a certified fraud examiner.

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today continued an ongoing effort to help those experiencing homelessness during the pandemic by reminding people who don’t have a permanent address or a bank account that they may still qualify for Economic Impact Payments and other tax benefits.

While Economic Impact Payments continue to be made automatically to most people, the IRS can’t issue a payment to eligible Americans when information about them isn’t available in the tax agency’s systems.

To help people experiencing homelessness, the rural poor and other historically under-served groups, the IRS urges community groups, employers and others to share information about Economic Impact Payments and help more eligible people file a tax return so they can receive everything they’re entitled to.  IRS.gov has a variety of information and tools to help people receive the Economic Impact Payments.

“The IRS has been continuing to work directly with groups inside and outside the tax community to get information directly to people experiencing homelessness and other groups to help them receive Economic Impact Payments,” said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. “The IRS is working hard on this effort, enabling millions of people who don’t normally file a tax return to receive these payments. But we need to do more, and we appreciate all the help we’ve been receiving from national and local groups to assist in this effort to reach the people who desperately need this help.”

Economic Impact Payments, also known as stimulus payments, are different from most other tax benefits; people can get the payments even if they have little or no income and even if they don’t usually file a tax return. This is true as long as they have a Social Security number and are not being supported by someone else who can claim them as a dependent.

The IRS needs information from people who don’t usually file a tax return – even if they did not have any income last year or their income was not large enough to require them to file. The only way for the agency to have that information is for people to file a basic 2020 tax return with the IRS. Once that return is processed, the IRS can quickly send stimulus payments to an address selected by the eligible individual. People do not need a permanent address or a bank account. They don’t need to have a job. For eligible individuals, the IRS will still issue the payment even if they haven’t filed a tax return in years.

People in this group can still qualify for the first two Economic Impact Payments when they file their 2020 return by claiming the Recovery Rebate Credit. There’s a special section on IRS.gov that can help: Claiming the 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit if you aren’t required to file a tax return. For the current third round of payments, people who are experiencing homelessness usually qualify to receive $1,400 for themselves. If they are married or have dependents, they can get an additional $1,400 for each of their family members.

Filing a 2020 federal income tax return that provides very basic information about the person is something that can be done electronically using a smartphone or a computer. When the IRS receives the return, it will automatically calculate and issue the Economic Impact Payments to eligible individuals.

Permanent address not required

People can claim an Economic Impact Payment or other credits even if they don’t have a permanent address. For example, someone experiencing homelessness may list the address of a friend, relative or trusted service provider, such as a shelter, drop-in day center or transitional housing program, on the return filed with the IRS. If they are unable to choose direct deposit, a check or debit card for the tax refund and the third Economic Impact Payment can then be mailed to this address.

Individuals experiencing homelessness can receive the EITC

A worker experiencing homelessness can get an Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). To get the credit, federal law requires that a worker live in the U.S. for more than half of the year and meet other requirements. This means living in a home in any of the 50 states or the District of Columbia. Therefore, individuals experiencing homelessness, including those who reside at one or more homeless shelters, can meet that requirement.

No bank account? No problem

Many financial institutions will help a person lacking an account to open a low-cost or no-cost bank account. Individuals who open accounts will then have an account and routing number available when they file and claim a direct deposit of the Economic Impact Payment.

Visit the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) website for details, in both English and Spanish, on opening an account online. Among other things, people can also use the FDIC’s BankFind tool to locate a nearby FDIC-insured bank. In addition, BankOn, American Bankers Association, Independent Community Bankers of America, National Credit Union Administration have all compiled lists of banks and credit union that can open an account online.

For veterans, see the Veterans Benefits Banking Program (VBBP) for access to financial services at participating banks.

For those with a prepaid debit card, they may be able to have their refund applied to the card. Many reloadable prepaid cards or mobile payment apps have account and routing numbers that can be provided to the IRS. Individuals would need to check with the financial institution to ensure the card can be used and to obtain the routing number and account number, which may be different from the card number.

File for free

The fastest and easiest way to claim the 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) or to get the third Economic Impact Payment is to file a return electronically using IRS Free File. People can use a smartphone or computer to visit IRS.gov and click the Free File link.

Through the Free File system, anyone who qualifies for the EITC also qualifies to use brand-name software to prepare and electronically file their return for free. The IRS urges anyone experiencing homelessness who has a smartphone or access to a computer to take advantage of this service.

Get free help from IRS partners

Alternatively, anyone who qualifies for the EITC or does not have a filing requirement but is filing to get an Economic Impact Payment also qualifies for free tax help from a trained community volunteer tax preparer. Through VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) and TCE (Tax Counselling for the Elderly), volunteers prepare basic tax returns at thousands of tax help sites nationwide.

Please note that some VITA/TCE sites are not operating at full capacity and others are not opening this year. To find the nearest location, visit the Free Tax Return Preparation site on IRS.gov, or call 800-906-9887. VITA/TCE site availability is updated throughout the filing season, so check back if there aren’t any sites listed nearby.

The IRS also continues to work extensively with community groups across the country to get people to file tax returns and receive all the Economic Impact Payments and credits they’re entitled to. These efforts helped lead to more than 8 million people last year to submit tax returns who normally don’t file.

Direct deposit speeds payments

Direct deposit is the safest and fastest way to receive a refund and Economic Impact Payments. People will need to include direct deposit information on their 2020 tax return to get their payment directly deposited.

Anyone with a savings, checking, or brokerage account can choose to have their refund electronically deposited in that account. Direct deposit is available even for people who file a paper tax return, but processing of paper returns takes longer.

More details on the Earned Income Tax Credit

For people experiencing homelessness who have a job, filing a return often carries an added bonus—getting a refund based on various tax benefits, especially the EITC for low-and moderate-income workers and working families.

Like many other workers, some workers experiencing homelessness still qualify for the credit even if they earned too little income during 2020 to owe tax. For 2020, the income limit is $15,820 for singles with no children ($21,710 for couples with no children).  The income limit is higher for people with children.  For example, the limit is $50,594 for singles with three or more children ($56,844 for couples with three or more children). Those who make less than this amount must also meet other eligibility requirements.

Because it’s a refundable credit, those who qualify and claim the credit could pay less federal tax, pay no tax, or even get a tax refund. The EITC can put up to $6,660 into a worker’s pocket. The amount varies depending upon the worker’s income, marital status, and other factors.

The IRS recognizes that eligible workers experiencing homelessness often encounter unique challenges not faced by other people.

To find out if they’re eligible, people can use the EITC Assistant on IRS.gov. It’s available in both English and Spanish.

Help spread the word

Employers can help by making their employees aware of the third Economic Impact Payment, 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit and Earned Income Tax and Child Tax Credit, and by encouraging them to file for these benefits based on tax year 2020 rules. In addition, the American Rescue Plan, enacted in March 2021, expands EITC and the Child Tax Credit benefits for the 2021 tax year.

Some people will be able to get advance payments of the Child Tax Credit later this year. There is nothing those who qualify need to do at this point other than file a 2020 tax return.

Employers can also help by making it easy for employees to obtain or access their 2020 W-2 forms. For more information, check out the outreach material, available on IRS.gov.

Revenue Ruling 2021-08 provides various prescribed rates for federal income tax purposes including the applicable federal interest rates, the adjusted applicable federal interest rates, the adjusted federal long-term rate, and the adjusted federal long-term tax-exempt rate. These rates are determined as prescribed by § 1274. 

The rates are published monthly for purposes of sections 42, 382, 412, 642, 1288, 1274, 7520, 7872, and various other sections of the Internal Revenue Code.

Revenue Ruling 2021-08 will be in IRB:  2021-18, dated May 3, 2021.