Notice 2022-05 will appear in IRB 2022-5 dated Jan. 14, 2022. Because of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service issued Notice 2021-12, 2021-6 I.R.B. 828, as clarified by Notice 2021-17, 2021-14 I.R.B. 984, to provide temporary relief from certain requirements under § 42 of the Internal Revenue Code (Code) for qualified low-income housing projects and under §§ 142(d) and 147(d) of the Code for qualified residential rental projects.  In response to the continuing presence of the pandemic and precautions necessitated by new disease variants, this notice provides certain new relief and extends that temporary relief for certain requirements addressed in Notice 2021-12.

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today announced the appointment of nine new members to the Internal Revenue Service Advisory Council.

The IRSAC, established in 1953, is an organized public forum for IRS officials and representatives of the public to discuss a broad range of issues in tax administration. The Council provides the IRS Commissioner with relevant feedback, observations and recommendations. It will submit its annual report to the agency at a public meeting in November 2022.
The IRS strives to appoint members to the IRSAC who represent the taxpaying public, the tax professional community, small and large businesses, tax exempt and government entities and information reporting interests.

The following people were appointed to serve three-year appointments on the council beginning this month:

Amanda Aguillard – Chief Operations Officer, Padgett Business Services, New Orleans, La. – Aguillard has been involved in assisting small business taxpayers for over 20 years with income and other tax issues. Prior to joining Padgett Business Services she worked with large accounting firms in her capacity as a National Ambassador for NewZealand-headquartered Xero. She co-founded and runs Elefant, a training and consulting company for accountants and Bookkeepers. Aguillard holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and a Master of Taxation from the University of Denver. Aguillard represents small business, and she is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Society of Louisiana CPAs.

Alison Flores – Principal Tax Research Analyst, H&R Block, Kansas City, Mo. – Flores is a tax attorney with over 15 years of experience. She supplies guidance on complex tax areas to over 70,000 tax professionals and responds to their feedback and questions. She helps cross-functional teams understand and implement changes that affect taxpayers. Her team works to understand systemic tax administration challenges, finds opportunities to bring awareness to those challenges and proposes solutions. She leads the internal research tool for H&R Block delivering tax research materials on an online research platform. She has a deep understanding of issues facing individual and small business taxpayers and knowledge of how refundable credits and other tax benefits have changed over the years. Flores holds a Bachelor of Arts in English and History from Bethel College and a Juris Doctor from the University of Kansas School of Law. Flores works with tax professionals and the tax preparation industry.

Michael Kam – Tax Director, Trustees of the Estate of Bernice Pauahi Bishop, doing business as Kamehameha Schools, Honolulu, Hawaii – Kam is a CPA responsible for the overall tax function of a 130-year-old charitable trust with a diverse portfolio of real estate and financial investments valued at over $14 billion. With over 35 years of tax experience in both the tax-exempt and for-profit sectors, he oversees tax compliance and manages tax risks throughout the organization and its tax-exempt and for-profit affiliates, develops and implements prudent and impactful tax strategies and assists internal clients with structuring transactions. He evaluates, assesses and resolves various complex tax issues, such as rent exclusions, rental agreements and issues related to unrelated business taxable income pertaining to a vast number of private equity investments. Kam holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Kam represents tax-exempt organizations, and he is a member of the AICPA, the Hawaii Society of CPAs, and the Tax Executives Institute.

Mason Klinck – Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Site Manager, Making Opportunity Count (MOC), Fitchburg, Mass. – Klinck is an Enrolled Agent with 20 years of experience as a tax preparer. Formerly an agent for the IRS and a tax shelter auditor for the California Franchise Tax Board, he has worked with law and CPA firms in return preparation, collections, audits, appeals, innocent spouse relief and U.S. Tax Court petitions. As the VITA manager for his community agency, he supervises the preparation of tax returns for low-income taxpayers and represents distressed taxpayers before the state and the IRS. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, he implemented a virtual system of tax preparation for MOC clients.  He has volunteered for Low Income Taxpayer Clinics in California, Vermont, and Massachusetts. Fluent in several languages, Klinck holds both a Bachelor and Master of Arts in Modern Languages from Oxford University, a Master of Business Administration from Boston College, and a Master of Science in Taxation from California State University. Klinck serves on the Commissioner’s Advisory Council of the Massachusetts Department of Revenue and is a director of the Massachusetts Society of Enrolled Agents. Klinck represents VITA and low-income taxpayers.

Jeffrey A. Porter – Member/CPA, Porter & Associates CPAs PLLC, Huntington, W.Va. – Porter is a CPA with over 40 years of experience preparing business and individual tax returns. His firm represents small- to medium-sized businesses and high net worth individuals spread across a wide spectrum of industries. He has been active in the AICPA for over 30 years, with prior service on the Board of Directors, its Governing Council and chair of its Tax Executive Committee. He served on the Steering Committee for the AICPA National Tax Conference for 20 years and served as Chair of the Conference for over 10 years. In 2016, he received the Arthur J. Dixon Memorial Award, the highest honor bestowed by the accounting profession in taxation. He has testified before the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate five times on tax related matters. Porter holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Marshall University and a Master of Taxation from the University of Tulsa. Porter represents small and medium-sized businesses, and he is a member of the AICPA and the West Virginia Society of CPAs.

Jon Schausten – Director of Payroll and Human Resources Information System, American United Life Insurance Company, DBA OneAmerica, Indianapolis, Ind. – Schausten is a Certified Payroll Professional with over 20 years of payroll experience with union, multi-state and international payrolls. He oversees payroll, time and attendance, HRIS and HR Shared Services. He managed payroll for expatriate associates including foreign income and tax returns. He assisted the Social Security Administration in its five-year modernization project articulating the needs of payroll professionals in using online services. He is a member of American Payroll Association (APA) and was named the 2020 APA Payroll Man of the Year. He has received the 2017 Prism Award for Management. He is currently the Vice President of APA and serves as Co-Chair of the Government Relations Task Force for IRS Issues and Co-Chair of Social Networking Committee. Schausten holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Human Resources Management from Marian University. Schausten represents the information reporting community and payroll industry.

Tara Sciscoe – Partner, Ice Miller LLP, Indianapolis, Ind. – Sciscoe is a Partner at Ice Miller LLP where she is a member of the Employee Benefits group. She has 27 years of experience advising employers, plans and trusts with respect to the design and compliance of their employee benefit programs. Sciscoe has a national practice in representing public pension systems and governmental and tax-exempt colleges, universities, university systems and school corporations with respect to their unique benefit issues, which frequently involve multiple interrelated plans on the state and institutional level. She is general counsel to the seventh largest denominational church plan in the U.S., which administers retirement plans and deemed individual retirement accounts for churches across the country, and regularly advises church and church-related organizations on employee benefit matters. Sciscoe is an active member of the National Association of College and University Attorneys and the Church Alliance Core Lawyer Working Group, and frequently writes and presents for these and other groups. She is chair of Ice Miller’s Higher Education practice and co-chair of the Retirement Plan Committee. She holds a J.D. from the University of Michigan and a Bachelor of Arts from Duke University. Sciscoe represents tax-exempt organizations and employee plans.

Rebecca Thompson – Vice President, Strategic Partnerships & Network Building, Prosperity Now, Washington, D.C. – Thompson has over 10 years of experience as a non-profit professional. Her work focuses on addressing systemic barriers to racial economic justice so that all individuals, families and communities can prosper without exception. She has oversight for the Taxpayer Opportunity Network (TON), the national convening body and liaison with the IRS for the VITA program and stakeholders. She has worked directly with low- and moderate-income taxpayers over the last 10 years as a VITA volunteer, program manager and TON Project Director. She has extensive knowledge of tax law application and tax preparation experience, particularly related to low-income returns and refundable credits. As a VITA site coordinator and quality reviewer, she educates clients on their tax returns and communicates how their household and financial situation translates to their tax returns. She participates in the IRS Refundable Credits Summit and Refundable Credits Working Group. Thompson holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Economics from Florida A&M University. Thompson represents VITA and low- and moderate-income taxpayers.

Sean Wang – Director, Information Reporting Policy & Compliance group, Charles Schwab, Boston, Mass. – Wang is a Director with Charles Schwab’s Information Reporting Policy & Compliance group, where he advises and supports internal business line partners on information reporting and withholding compliance, corporate digital projects, and implementation of new or changes of information reporting and withholding rules. He was previously a Senior Manager with EY where he advised and assisted banking, insurance, and asset management clients on domestic reporting and withholding issues (i.e., Forms 1099 and backup withholding), nonresident alien reporting and withholding issues (i.e., Forms 1042-S and section 1441 withholding), the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) and the Common Reporting Standard (CRS). Wang received a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. He is a CPA and a member of the AICPA and the Massachusetts Society of CPAs. Wang represents the information reporting community.

The 2022 IRSAC Chair is Carol Lew, shareholder with Stradling Yocca Carlson & Rauth PC in Newport Beach, California. Lew serves as special tax counsel and borrower’s counsel for various kinds of bond issues for state and local government and non-profits for the provision of public infrastructure, housing, charter schools, performing arts facilities, hospitals, museums and other types of facilities.

For more information, visit www.IRS.gov/IRSAC

Related item:

IRSAC 2021 Public Report (.pdf)

WASHINGTON − The Internal Revenue Service announced that the nation's tax season will start on Monday, Jan. 24, 2022, when the tax agency will begin accepting and processing 2021 tax year returns.

The January 24 start date for individual tax return filers allows the IRS time to perform programming and testing that is critical to ensuring IRS systems run smoothly. Updated programming helps ensure that eligible people can claim the proper amount of the Child Tax Credit after comparing their 2021 advance credits and claim any remaining stimulus money as a Recovery Rebate Credit when they file their 2021 tax return. 
 
"Planning for the nation's filing season process is a massive undertaking, and IRS teams have been working non-stop these past several months to prepare," said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. "The pandemic continues to create challenges, but the IRS reminds people there are important steps they can take to help ensure their tax return and refund don’t face processing delays. Filing electronically with direct deposit and avoiding a paper tax return is more important than ever this year. And we urge extra attention to those who received an Economic Impact Payment or an advance Child Tax Credit last year. People should make sure they report the correct amount on their tax return to avoid delays.”
 
The IRS encourages everyone to have all the information they need in hand to make sure they file a complete and accurate return. Having an accurate tax return can avoid processing delays, refund delays and later IRS notices. This is especially important for people who received advance Child Tax Credit payments or Economic Impact Payments (American Rescue Plan stimulus payments) in 2021; they will need the amounts of these payments when preparing their tax return. The IRS is mailing special letters to recipients, and they can also check amounts received on IRS.gov.
 
Like last year, there will be individuals filing tax returns who, even though they are not required to file, need to file a 2021 return to claim a Recovery Rebate Credit to receive the tax credit from the 2021 stimulus payments or reconcile advance payments of the Child Tax Credit. People who don’t normally file also could receive other credits.

April 18 tax filing deadline for most
The filing deadline to submit 2021 tax returns or an extension to file and pay tax owed is Monday, April 18, 2022, for most taxpayers. By law, Washington, D.C., holidays impact tax deadlines for everyone in the same way federal holidays do. The due date is April 18, instead of April 15, because of the Emancipation Day holiday in the District of Columbia for everyone except taxpayers who live in Maine or Massachusetts. Taxpayers in Maine or Massachusetts have until April 19, 2022, to file their returns due to the Patriots’ Day holiday in those states. Taxpayers requesting an extension will have until Monday, Oct. 17, 2022, to file.
 
Awaiting processing of previous tax returns? People can still file 2021 returns
Rettig noted that IRS employees continue to work hard on critical areas affected by the pandemic, including processing of tax returns from last year and record levels of phone calls coming in.
 
“In many areas, we are unable to deliver the amount of service and enforcement that our taxpayers and tax system deserves and needs. This is frustrating for taxpayers, for IRS employees and for me,” Rettig said. “IRS employees want to do more, and we will continue in 2022 to do everything possible with the resources available to us. And we will continue to look for ways to improve. We want to deliver as much as possible while also protecting the health and safety of our employees and taxpayers. Additional resources are essential to helping our employees do more in 2022 – and beyond.”
 
The IRS continues to reduce the inventory of prior-year individual tax returns that have not been fully processed. As of Dec. 3, 2021, the IRS has processed nearly 169 million tax returns.  All paper and electronic individual 2020 refund returns received prior to April 2021 have been processed if the return had no errors or did not require further review.

Taxpayers generally will not need to wait for their 2020 return to be fully processed to file their 2021 tax returns and can file when they are ready.
 
Key information to help taxpayers
The IRS encourages people to use online resources before calling. Last filing season, as a result of COVID-era tax changes and broader pandemic challenges, the IRS phone systems received more than 145 million calls from January 1 – May 17, more than four times more calls than in an average year. In addition to IRS.gov, the IRS has a variety of other free options available to help taxpayers, ranging from free assistance at Volunteer Income Tax Assistance and Tax Counseling for the Elderly locations across the country to the availability of the IRS Free File program.
 
“Our phone volumes continue to remain at record-setting levels,” Rettig said. “We urge people to check IRS.gov and establish an online account to help them access information more quickly. We have invested in developing new online capacities to make this a quick and easy way for taxpayers to get the information they need.”
 
Last year's average tax refund was more than $2,800. More than 160 million individual tax returns for the 2021 tax year are expected to be filed, with the vast majority of those coming before the traditional April tax deadline.
 
Overall, the IRS anticipates most taxpayers will receive their refund within 21 days of when they file electronically if they choose direct deposit and there are no issues with their tax return. The IRS urges taxpayers and tax professionals to file electronically. To avoid delays in processing, people should avoid filing paper returns wherever possible.

By law, the IRS cannot issue a refund involving the Earned Income Tax Credit or Additional Child Tax Credit before mid-February, though eligible people may file their returns beginning on January 24. The law provides this additional time to help the IRS stop fraudulent refunds from being issued.
 
Some returns, filed electronically or on paper, may need manual review, which delays the processing, if our systems detect a possible error or missing information, or there is suspected identity theft or fraud. Some of these situations require us to correspond with taxpayers, but some do not. This work does require special handling by an IRS employee so, in these instances, it may take the IRS more than the normal 21 days to issue any related refund. In those cases where IRS is able to correct the return without corresponding, the IRS will send an explanation to the taxpayer.

File electronically and choose direct deposit
To speed refunds, the IRS urges taxpayers to file electronically with direct deposit information as soon as they have everything they need to file an accurate return. If the return includes errors or is incomplete, it may require further review that may slow the tax refund. Having all information available when preparing the 2021 tax return can reduce errors and avoid delays in processing.
 
Most individual taxpayers file IRS Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR once they receive Forms W-2 and other earnings information from their employers, issuers like state agencies and payers. The IRS has incorporated recent changes to the tax laws into the forms and instructions and shared the updates with its partners who develop the software used by individuals and tax professionals to prepare and file their returns. Forms 1040 and 1040-SR and the associated instructions are available now on IRS.gov. For the latest IRS forms and instructions, visit the IRS website at IRS.gov/forms.

Free File available January 14
IRS Free File will open January 14 when participating providers will accept completed returns and hold them until they can be filed electronically with the IRS. Many commercial tax preparation software companies and tax professionals will also be accepting and preparing tax returns before January 24 to submit the returns when the IRS systems open.

The IRS strongly encourages people to file their tax returns electronically to minimize errors and for faster refunds – as well having all the information they need to file an accurate return to avoid delays. The IRS’s Free File program allows taxpayers who made $73,000 or less in 2021 to file their taxes electronically for free using software provided by commercial tax filing companies. More information will be available on Free File later this week.
 
In addition to IRS Free File, the IRS's Volunteer Income Tax Assistance and Tax Counseling for the Elderly programs free basic tax return preparation to qualified individuals. See this page on IRS.gov for more information.
 
Watch for IRS letters about advance Child Tax Credit payments and third Economic Impact Payments
The IRS started sending Letter 6419, 2021 advance Child Tax Credit, in late December 2021 and continues to do so into January. The letter contains important information that can help ensure the return is accurate. People who received the advance CTC payments can also check the amount of the payments they received by using the CTC Update Portal available on IRS.gov.

Eligible taxpayers who received advanced Child Tax Credit payments should file a 2021 tax return to receive the second half of the credit. Eligible taxpayers who did not receive advanced Child Tax Credit payments can claim the full credit by filing a tax return.

The IRS will begin issuing Letter 6475, Your Third Economic Impact Payment, to individuals who received a third payment in 2021 in late January. While most eligible people already received their stimulus payments, this letter will help individuals determine if they are eligible to claim the Recovery Rebate Credit for missing stimulus payments. If so, they must file a 2021 tax return to claim their remaining stimulus amount. People can also use IRS online account to view their Economic Impact Payment amounts.
 
Both letters include important information that can help people file an accurate 2021 tax return. If the return includes errors or is incomplete, it may require further review while the IRS corrects the error, which may slow the tax refund. Using this information when preparing a tax return electronically can reduce errors and avoid delays in processing.
 
The fastest way for eligible individuals to get their 2021 tax refund that will include their allowable Child Tax Credit and Recovery Rebate Credit is by filing electronically and choosing direct deposit. 

Tips to make filing easier
To avoid processing delays and speed refunds, the IRS urges people to follow these steps:
Organize and gather 2021 tax records including Social Security numbers, Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers, Adoption Taxpayer Identification Numbers, and this year’s Identity Protection Personal Identification Numbers valid for calendar year 2022.

Check IRS.gov for the latest tax information, including the latest on reconciling advance payments of the Child Tax Credit or claiming a Recovery Rebate Credit for missing stimulus payments. There is no need to call.

Set up or log in securely at IRS.gov/account to access personal tax account information including balance, payments, and tax records including adjusted gross income.

Make final estimated tax payments for 2021 by Tuesday, Jan.18, 2022, to help avoid a tax-time bill and possible penalties.

Individuals can use a bank account, prepaid debit card or mobile app to use direct deposit and will need to provide routing and account numbers. Learn how to open an account  at an FDIC-Insured bank or through the National Credit Union Locator Tool.

File a complete and accurate return electronically when ready and choose direct deposit for the quickest refund.

Key filing season dates
There are several important dates taxpayers should keep in mind for this year's filing season:

January 14: IRS Free File opens. Taxpayers can begin filing returns through IRS Free File partners; tax returns will be transmitted to the IRS starting January 24. Tax software companies also are accepting tax filings in advance.
January 18: Due date for tax year 2021 fourth quarter estimated tax payment. 
January 24: IRS begins 2022 tax season. Individual 2021 tax returns begin being accepted and processing begins
January 28: Earned Income Tax Credit Awareness Day to raise awareness of valuable tax credits available to many people – including the option to use prior-year income to qualify.
April 18: Due date to file 2021 tax return or request extension and pay tax owed due to Emancipation Day holiday in Washington, D.C., even for those who live outside the area.
April 19: Due date to file 2021 tax return or request extension and pay tax owed for those who live in MA or ME due to Patriots’ Day holiday
October 17: Due date to file for those requesting an extension on their 2021 tax returns

Planning ahead
It’s never too early to get ready for the tax-filing season ahead. For more tips and resources, check out the Get Ready page on IRS.gov.

Today, the IRS published the latest executive column, “A Closer Look,” which features IRS Commissioner, Chuck Rettig sharing key agency accomplishments highlighted in the IRS FY 2021 Progress Update. “We carried out our tax administration work in the continuing pandemic while also issuing additional rounds of stimulus payments and implementing other tax changes to help Americans impacted by COVID-19, including monthly advance payments of the Child Tax Credit,” said Rettig. “The way our employees responded illustrates the significant role that the IRS plays in the overall health of our country.” Read more here. Read the Spanish version here.

Check out the news release here.

“A Closer Look” is a column from IRS executives that covers a variety of timely issues of interest to taxpayers and the tax community. It also provides a detailed look at key issues affecting everything from IRS operations and employees to issues involving taxpayers and tax professionals.

Check here for prior posts and new updates.

WASHINGTON − The Internal Revenue Service today released its 2021 annual report describing the agency’s work delivering taxpayer service and compliance efforts during the pandemic while highlighting efforts taken by IRS employees to help people during the year.

“Internal Revenue Service Progress Update / Fiscal Year 2021 – Putting Taxpayers First (.pdf)” outlines how the agency continued to work through  difficulties related to the pandemic while delivering two rounds of Economic Impact Payments and millions of advance Child Tax Credit payments, all in record time. Meanwhile, IRS employees continued to make adjustments to deliver the filing season despite office closures, social distancing mandates and an extended tax filing deadline.

“This has been an unprecedented period facing the IRS and the nation,” said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. “IRS employees worked hard during the pandemic, repeatedly delivering for taxpayers under tight timeframes and difficult circumstances. As the 2022 filing season approaches, more work remains for us to help taxpayers as well as tax professionals. We will continue to make progress on critical areas thanks to the hard work of so many people. I’m incredibly proud of what our employees have been able to accomplish during this period, and we also appreciate the efforts taking place by our partners inside and outside the tax system to help people struggling during COVID-19.”

Since the pandemic began, the IRS has successfully delivered more than $1.5 trillion to people across the nation through Economic Impact Payments, tax refunds and advance Child Tax Credit payments.

A large portion of that amount was distributed during Fiscal Year 2021, which is the focal point of this year’s Progress Update. The 56-page report highlights accomplishments around the agency’s six strategic goals and identifies ongoing modernization efforts. This year’s edition also discusses work related to implementing the various new pieces of legislation related to the pandemic, including the American Rescue Plan.

In his opening comments in the Progress Update, Rettig explained that each year the IRS collects more than $3 trillion in taxes and generates approximately 96% of the funding that supports the federal government’s operations.

“The 2021 Progress Update is not just a report, it’s the story of a dedicated group of public servants who continued to deliver for the nation, as they do every year, even in challenging times and while overcoming concerns for themselves, their families and their communities during the pandemic,” he said.

The document gives numerous examples of how IRS employees helped taxpayers, including:

• Expanded information and assistance available to taxpayers in additional languages and underserved communities to help deliver Economic Impact Payments, advance Child Tax Credit payments and other services.
• Developed new online portals for individuals to check on their pandemic-related relief payments and make updates to their personal information.
• Offered a new online option for tax professionals to obtain signatures from individual and business clients and submit authorization forms electronically. Tax pros also now have an online account option, with new features being added.
• Served their communities outside official duties through charitable work and service projects.

The report also shows ways IRS employees worked to maintain the tax system through a strong, visible and robust tax enforcement presence.

“We’ve continued to develop innovative approaches to understanding, detecting and resolving potential noncompliance to maintain taxpayer confidence in the tax system. We have expanded use of data, analytics and artificial intelligence across all lanes from selection to examination,” Rettig said.

“A few of our recent notable accomplishments include the creation of an Office of Fraud Enforcement in 2020 as well as an Office of Promoter Investigations in 2021,” he said. “These and other steps will help us do a better job of rooting out tax fraud, especially shutting down abusive tax avoidance transactions, including syndicated conservation easements and micro-captive insurance arrangements, as well as abusive transactions involving virtual currencies.”

The new Progress Update also highlights IRS work partnering on landmark criminal investigative cases that brought down child pornography, drug and terrorist organizations. In 2021, IRS Criminal Investigation’s conviction rate remained the highest among federal law enforcement at nearly 93% overall, and 96% for tax cases in particular.

“I’m especially proud of our Criminal Investigation Division’s efforts overall and in conjunction with the dark web illicit marketplace known as Silk Road,” Rettig said.

In January 2021, the IRS delivered the Taxpayer First Act Report to Congress (.pdf), a comprehensive set of recommendations to re-imagine the taxpayer experience, enhance employee training and restructure the organization to increase collaboration and innovation. The report introduced three integrated sets of recommendations required by the law and recognized as major improvement strategies.

“We appointed the first-ever Chief Taxpayer Experience Officer,” Rettig explained. “And, while outlining the design for the new Taxpayer Experience Office, we initiated several activities toward implementing the Taxpayer Experience Strategy.”

The IRS will remain focused on making progress and serving the nation as the 2022 filing season begins later this month.

“We remain confident the IRS will continue to deliver for our country, just as we have during other times of national urgency,” Rettig said.

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today updated its frequently asked questions (FAQs) on 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit (FS-2022-02).

This updated FAQ includes changes to the information for Topic F: Finding the First and Second Economic Impact Payment Amounts to Calculate the 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit:

• Question 4, Topic F: updated
• Questions 8, 9 & 10, Topic F: added

These FAQs are being issued to provide general information to taxpayers and tax professionals as expeditiously as possible.

More information about reliance is available.

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today updated its frequently asked questions (FAQs) on 2020 Unemployment Compensation Exclusion (FS-2022-01).

This updated FAQ adds a question:

Question 10, Topic G: Receiving a Refund, Letter, or Notice

These FAQs are being issued to provide general information to taxpayers and tax professionals as expeditiously as possible.

More information about reliance is available.

WASHINGTON – Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) began counting down the top 10 cases for calendar year 2021 on its Twitter account on Jan. 3. These cases include the agency’s most prominent and high-profile investigations of 2021.

“The investigative work of 2021 has all the makings of a made for TV movie – embezzlement of funds from a nonprofit, a family fraud ring that stole millions in COVID-relief funds and a $1 billion Ponzi scheme used to buy sports teams and luxury vehicles. But this is real life and I’m grateful to our IRS-CI agents for pursuing these leads and ensuring that the perpetrators were prosecuted for their crimes,” said IRS-CI Chief Jim Lee.

The top 10 IRS-CI cases of 2021 include:

10. Albuquerque couple sentenced to federal prison in Ayudando Guardians case
Susan Harris and William Harris were sentenced to 47 and 15 years in federal prison, respectively. They stole funds from Ayudando Guardians Inc., a nonprofit organization that provided guardianship, conservatorship and financial management to hundreds of people with special needs.

9. Rochester man going to prison and ordered to pay millions in restitution for his role in Ponzi scheme that bilked investors out of millions of dollars
John Piccarreto Jr. was sentenced to 84 months in federal prison and ordered to pay restitution totaling $19,842,613.66 after he was convicted of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and filing a false tax return. He conspired with others to obtain money through an investment fraud Ponzi scheme.

8. Orlando sisters sentenced in $25 million tax fraud scheme
Petra Gomez and her co-conspirator, her sister, Jakeline Lumucso, were sentenced to eight and four years in federal prison, respectively. They operated a tax preparation business with five locations in central Florida that filed more than 16,000 false tax returns for clients from 2012 to 2016 with a total estimated loss to the IRS of $25 million.

7. Russian bank founder sentenced for evading exit tax upon renouncing U.S. citizenship
Oleg Tinkov, aka Oleg Tinkoff, was ordered to pay more than $248 million in taxes and sentenced to time-served and one year of supervised release after he renounced his U.S. citizenship in an effort to conceal large stock gains that were reportable to the IRS after the company he founded became a multibillion dollar, publicly traded company.

6. Ontario man who ran multimillion-dollar unlicensed bitcoin exchange business sentenced to 3 years in federal prison
Hugo Sergio Mejia was sentenced to three years in federal prison and required to forfeit all assets derived from running an unlicensed business that exchanged at least $13 million in Bitcoin and cash, and vice versa, often for drug traffickers. He charged commissions for the transactions and established separate companies to mask his true activity.

5. Owner of bitcoin exchange sentenced to prison for money laundering
Rossen G. Iossifov, a Bulgarian national, was sentenced to 121 months in federal prison for participating in a scheme where popular online auction and sales websites — such as Craigslist and eBay — falsely advertised high-cost goods (typically vehicles) that did not actually exist. Once victims sent payment for the goods, the conspiracy engaged in a complicated money laundering scheme where U.S.-based associates would accept victim funds, convert these funds to cryptocurrency, and transfer the cryptocurrency to foreign-based money launderers.

4. Ex-pastor of Orange County church sentenced to 14 years in federal prison for orchestrating $33 million con that defrauded investors
Kent R.E. Whitney, the ex-pastor of the Church of the Health Self, was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison and ordered to pay $22.66 million in restitution to victims after defrauding investors of $33 million by orchestrating a church-based investment scam. At his direction, church representatives appeared on television and at live seminars to make false and misleading claims to lure investors to invest in church entities. Victims sent more than $33 million to the church and received fabricated monthly statements reassuring them that their funds had been invested, when in reality, little to no money ever was.

3. Prairie Village Man Sentenced to 12 Years for $7.3 Million Dollar Payday Loan Fraud, $8 Million Tax Evasion
Joel Tucker was sentenced to 12 years and six months in federal prison and ordered to pay over $8 million in restitution to the IRS after selling false information or fictitious debts to payday loan businesses and not filing federal tax returns – for himself or his businesses – with the IRS for multiple years.

2. DC Solar owner sentenced to 30 years in prison for billion dollar Ponzi scheme
Jeff Carpoff, the owner of California-based DC Solar, was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison and forfeited $120 million in assets to the U.S. government for victim restitution after creating a Ponzi-scheme that involved the sale of thousands of manufactured mobile solar generator units (MSGs) that didn’t exist. He committed account and lease revenue fraud and purchased a sports team, luxury vehicles, real estate and a NASCAR team with the proceeds.

1. San Fernando Valley family members sentenced to years in prison for fraudulently obtaining tens of millions of dollars in COVID relief
The Ayvazyan family received sentences ranging from 17.5 years in prison to 10 months of probation for crimes ranging from bank and wire fraud to aggravated identity theft. The family used stolen and fictitious identities to submit 150 fraudulent applications for COVID-relief funds based on phony payroll records and tax documents to the Small Business Administration, and then used the funds they received to purchase luxury homes, gold coins, jewelry designer handbags and more. Richard Ayvazyan and his wife Terabelian cut their ankle monitoring devices and absconded prior to their sentencing hearing; they are currently fugitives.

Follow IRS-CI on Twitter @IRS_CI to learn more.

IRS-CI is the criminal investigative arm of the IRS, responsible for conducting financial crime investigations, including tax fraud, narcotics trafficking, money-laundering, public corruption, healthcare fraud, identity theft and more. IRS-CI special agents are the only federal law enforcement agents with investigative jurisdiction over violations of the Internal Revenue Code, boasting a nearly 90 percent federal conviction rate. The agency has 20 field offices located across the U.S. and 11 attaché posts abroad.

WASHINGTON − The IRS urges taxpayers to check into their options to avoid being subject to estimated tax penalties, which apply when someone underpays their taxes. Taxpayers who paid too little tax during 2021 can still avoid a surprise tax-time bill and possible penalty by making a quarterly estimated tax payment now, directly to the Internal Revenue Service. The deadline for making a payment for the fourth quarter of 2021 is Tuesday, Jan. 18, 2022.

Income taxes are pay-as-you-go. This means that taxpayers need to pay most of their tax during the year as income is earned or received. There are two ways to do this:

Act now to avoid a penalty
Either payment method--withholding or estimated tax payments--or a combination of the two, can help avoid a surprise tax bill at tax time and the accompanying penalty that often applies.

If a taxpayer failed to make required quarterly estimated tax payments earlier in the year, making a payment soon to cover these missed payments will usually lessen and may even eliminate any possible penalty. Because the penalty calculation considers the date on which the payment or payments were made, even making a payment now, rather than waiting until the April filing deadline, often helps.

Who needs to make a payment
People who owed tax when they filed their 2020 tax return may find themselves in the same situation again when they file for 2021. This will likely be true, especially if they failed to take action to avoid another shortfall by increasing their withholding during 2021.

People in this situation often include those who itemized in the past but are now taking the standard deduction, two wage-earner households, employees with non-wage sources of income and those with complex tax situations.

In addition, families who received advance payments of the Child Tax Credit during 2021 but don’t expect to qualify for the credit when they file their 2021 return, may need to make an estimated tax payment.

Additional points to consider:

The Tax Withholding Estimator, available on IRS.gov, can often help people determine if they need to make an estimated tax payment.

Alternatively, taxpayers can use the worksheet included with estimated tax form 1040-ES, also available on IRS.gov. In addition, Publication 505, Tax Withholding and Estimated Tax, has additional details, including worksheets and examples, that can be especially helpful to those who have dividend or capital gain income, owe alternative minimum tax or self-employment tax, or have other special situations.

How to make an estimated tax payment
The fastest and easiest way to make an estimated tax payment is to do so electronically using IRS Direct Pay. Taxpayers can schedule a payment in advance for the January deadline.

Taxpayers can now also make a payment through their IRS Online Account. There they can see their payment history, any pending or recent payments and other useful tax information.

The IRS does not charge a fee for these services. Plus, using these or other electronic payment options ensures that a payment gets credited promptly.

For information on other payment options, visit IRS.gov/payments.

Planning ahead
Though it’s too early to file a 2021 return, it’s never too early to get ready for the tax-filing season ahead. For more tips and resources, check out the Get Ready page on IRS.gov.

Revenue Ruling 2022-02 provides the covered compensation tables effective January 1, 2022.

Revenue Ruling 2022-02 will be in IRB:  2022-4, dated January 24, 2022.