Today, the IRS published the latest executive column “A Closer Look,” which features Karen Michaels, Director, Accounts Management, Wage & Investment, discussing how the IRS continuously strives to provide the assistance taxpayers need to properly file and pay their taxes while also enforcing the tax laws to maintain fairness for all. “We understand that complex tax issues and the pandemic have many taxpayers confused and looking for help.  We are committed to providing the service they need to help them – on the phone or through whatever channel they prefer – and we will utilize all allocated funding to improve taxpayer communications with our agency,” said Michaels. Read more here. Read the Spanish version 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 and partners in non-profit organizations, churches, community groups and others will host events in 12 cities this weekend to help people who don’t normally file a federal tax return to register for the monthly Advance Child Tax Credit (AdvCTC) payments.

The special events by IRS and partner groups to help people quickly file income tax returns and register for the advance payments will take place July 9-10, 2021. Events will be held in Atlanta, New York, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Miami, Milwaukee, Philadelphia, Phoenix, St. Louis and Washington, DC/Maryland. 

“This is part of a wider effort by the IRS to reach as many people as possible who don’t file a tax return but may be eligible for the Child Tax Credit and Economic Impact Payments,” said Ken Corbin, IRS Wage and Investment Commissioner and the agency’s Chief Taxpayer Experience Officer. “We encourage people to share this information widely and encourage those who need help to visit these locations.” 

With the help of a new Non-filer Sign-up Tool on the IRS website, volunteers and IRS employees will assist eligible individuals and families get these important tax credits and benefits. This tool, an update of last year’s IRS Non-Filers tool, is also designed to help individuals register for the $1,400 third round of Economic Impact Payments (also known as stimulus checks) and claim the Recovery Rebate Credit for any amount of the first two rounds of Economic Impact Payments they may have missed. Individuals do not need to have children to attend these events and sign up for Economic Impact Payments. 

People can check their eligibility for the AdvCTC payments by using the new Advance Child Tax Credit Eligibility Assistant. 

For this weekend’s events, to make the sign-up process go quickly and smoothly, people are encouraged to have the following information when they come to one of these events: (1) Social Security numbers for their children, (2) Social Security numbers or Tax Identification Numbers for themselves and their spouse, (3) a reliable mailing address, (4) an e-mail address, and (5) their bank account information if they want to receive their payment by direct deposit. 

The IRS is also planning to do additional events in the future as well as work with partners inside and outside the tax community to share information as widely as possible to people who may be eligible for Child Tax Credits and the Economic Impact Payments. This is part of a wider effort to raise awareness of the expanded Child Tax Credit, the IRS also encourages its partners to use available online tools and toolkits to help non-filers, low-income families and other underserved groups sign up to receive the AdvCTC.

Some tax credits, such as the Child Tax Credit (CTC), are "refundable," meaning that even if taxpayers don’t owe income tax, the IRS will issue them a refund if they’re eligible; but they must file a tax return or register with the new Non-filer Sign-up Tool to receive it. Some people who haven’t filed a 2020 tax return yet are also eligible for the $1,400 per person Economic Impact Payments and the Recovery Rebate Credit. 

The first monthly payments of the expanded and newly-advanceable CTC from the American Rescue Plan will be made starting July 15. Most families will begin receiving monthly payments without any additional action. Eligible families will receive a payment of up to $300 per month for each child under age 6, and up to $250 per month for each child ages 6 to 17. 

People who need to file a 2020 federal income tax return, but are unable to attend one of these events, may be able to prepare and file their own federal income tax online using IRS Free File if their income is $72,000 or less. 

People who don’t need to file a 2020 federal tax return can also use the Non-filer Sign-up Tool to register to receive the advance CTC payments, the Third Round Economic Impact Payment, and the Recovery Rebate Credit.

The IRS encourages people to request payments via direct deposit, which is faster and more secure than other payment methods. People who don't have a bank account should visit the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation website for details on opening an account online. They can also use the FDIC's BankFind tool to locate an FDIC-insured bank. 

Finally, BankOn, American Bankers Association, Independent Community Bankers of America and National Credit Union Administration have lists of banks and credit unions that can open an account online. Veterans can see the Veterans Benefits Banking Program for financial services at participating banks. 

About the advance Child Tax Credit

The expanded and newly-advanceable Child Tax Credit was authorized by the American Rescue Plan Act, enacted in March. Normally, the IRS will calculate the payment based on a family’s 2020 tax return, including those who use the Non-filer Sign-up Tool. If that return is not available because it has not yet been filed or is still being processed, the IRS will instead determine the initial payment amounts using the 2019 return or the information entered using the Non-filers tool that was available in 2020.

The payment will be up to $300 per month for each child under age 6 and up to $250 per month for each child age 6 through 17.

To make sure families have easy access to their money, the IRS will issue these payments by direct deposit, as long as correct banking information has previously been provided to the IRS. Otherwise, people should watch their mail around July 15 for their mailed payment. The dates for the Advance Child Tax Credit payments are July 15, Aug. 13, Sept. 15, Oct. 15, Nov. 15, and Dec. 15. 

To learn more about advance CTC payments, visit IRS.gov/childtaxcredit2021 or see FAQs on the 2021 Child Tax Credit and Advance Child Tax Credit Payments.

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today posted answers to questions that certain transportation companies may have regarding Treasury grants and related taxes.

The Coronavirus Economic Relief for Transportation Services (CERTS) Act of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 authorizes the Department of the Treasury to provide grants to  transportation service providers--including eligible motorcoach companies, school bus companies, and passenger vessel companies-- that experienced annual revenue losses of 25 percent or more as a result of COVID-19.

These companies must generally prioritize the use of the grants for payroll costs, though grants may be used for certain operating expenses (including the acquisition of services and equipment needed to protect workers and customers from COVID-19) and the repayment of debt accrued to maintain payroll.  Funds not used for eligible activities within one year of receipt of the grant must be returned to the Treasury Department.

The FAQs posted today answer two important questions:

Additional information about tax relief for businesses affected by the COVID-19 can be found on IRS.gov.

Today, the IRS published the latest executive column “A Closer Look,” which features Small Business/Self Employed Collection Commissioner Darren Guillot, discussing how the redesigned IRS notices with quick response, or QR code technology, provides easy access to self-help options for taxpayers. “By emphasizing the availability of self-service channels, we're helping to empower taxpayers to resolve their outstanding tax issues through their preferred channel. Our pilot tests have shown that the redesigned notices increased the use of online service channels by more than 70 percent,” said Guillot. Read more here. Read the Spanish version 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.

WASHINGTON – The Internal Revenue Service today concludes the “Dirty Dozen” list of tax scams with a warning to taxpayers to watch out for schemes peddled by tax promoters, including syndicated conservation easements, abusive micro-captive insurance arrangements and other abusive arrangements.

The IRS warns people to be on the lookout for promoters who peddle false hopes of large tax deductions from abusive arrangements. These “deals” are generally marketed by unscrupulous promoters who make false claims about their legitimacy and charge high fees to boot. These promoters frequently devise new ways to cheat the system and market them aggressively. Some taxpayers play the audit lottery hoping they don't get noticed.

To fight the evolving variety of these abusive arrangements, the IRS recently created the Office of Promoter Investigations (OPI) to focus on participants and the promoters of abusive tax avoidance transactions. OPI coordinates service-wide enforcement activities. The best defense for a taxpayer approached by a promoter is to show caution: if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

These aggressively marketed abusive arrangements wrap up the IRS’s annual “Dirty Dozen” list and include the following:

Syndicated conservation easements
In syndicated conservation easements promoters take a provision of tax law for conservation easements and twist it through using inflated appraisals of undeveloped land and partnerships. These abusive arrangements are designed to game the system and generate inflated and unwarranted tax deductions, often by using inflated appraisals of undeveloped land and partnerships devoid of a legitimate business purpose. More information can be found here.

Abusive micro-captive arrangements
In abusive “micro-captive” structures, promoters, accountants or wealth planners persuade owners of closely held entities to participate in schemes that lack many of the attributes of insurance. For example, coverages may “insure” implausible risks, fail to match genuine business needs or duplicate the taxpayer’s commercial coverages. But the “premiums” paid under these arrangements are often excessive and used to skirt tax law. Additional information can be found here. Recently, the IRS has stepped up enforcement against a variation using potentially abusive offshore captive insurance companies domiciled in Puerto Rico and elsewhere.

Potentially abusive use of the US-Malta tax treaty
Some U.S. citizens and residents are relying on an interpretation of the U.S.-Malta Income Tax Treaty (Treaty) to take the position that they may contribute appreciated property tax free to certain Maltese pension plans and that there are also no tax consequences when the plan sells the assets and distributes proceeds to the U.S. taxpayer. Ordinarily gain would be recognized upon disposition of the plan’s assets and distributions of the proceeds. The IRS is evaluating the issue to determine the validity of these arrangements and whether Treaty benefits should be available in such instances and may challenge the associated tax treatment.

Improper claims of business credits
Improper claims for the research and experimentation credit generally involve failures to participate in, or substantiate, qualified research activities and/or satisfy the requirements related to qualified research expenses. To claim a research credit, taxpayers must evaluate and appropriately document their research activities over a period of time to establish the amount of qualified research expenses paid for each qualified research activity. Taxpayers should carefully review reports or studies to ensure they accurately reflect the taxpayer’s activities.

Improper monetized installment sales
Promoters find taxpayers seeking to defer the recognition of gain upon the sale of appreciated property and organize an abusive shelter through selling them monetized installment sales. These transactions occur when an intermediary purchases appreciated property from a seller in exchange for an installment note, which typically provides for payments of interest only, with principal being paid at the end of the term. In these arrangements, the seller gets the lion’s share of the proceeds but improperly delays the gain recognition on the appreciated property until the final payment on the installment note, often slated for many years later. 

The IRS continues to pursue actions against promoters of these schemes as well as the taxpayers who participate in them. 

“We are stepping up our enforcement against abusive arrangements,” said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. “Don’t be lulled into these shady deals. The IRS recommends that anyone who participated in one of these abusive arrangements should consult independent counsel about coming into compliance.”

For more on tax schemes, visit IRS.gov/Dirty-Dozen.

Revenue Ruling 2021-13  explains: (1) that an acid gas removal unit at an industrial  facility is a component of carbon capture equipment within the meaning of § 1.45Q-2(c); (2) an investor in certain components of carbon capture equipment at an industrial facility is not required to own every component of carbon capture equipment within a single process train at an industrial facility to be the person to whom the section 45Q credit is attributable under § 1.45Q-1(h), but must own at least one component of carbon capture equipment in the single process train of carbon capture equipment at the industrial facility; (3) solely for purposes of section 45Q(a), the original placed-in-service date of a single process train of carbon capture equipment at an industrial facility that includes the existing acid gas removal unit and new components of carbon capture equipment is the date that the single process train is placed in a condition or state of readiness and availability for the capture, processing, and preparation of carbon oxide for transport for disposal, injection, or utilization; and (4) the original placed-in-service date of the single process train for purposes of section 45Q has no effect on the placed-in-service date of the existing acid gas removal unit for depreciation purposes under sections 167 and 168.

Revenue Ruling 2021-13 will be in IRB:  2021-30, dated July 2021.

Revenue Procedure 2021-14 provides guidance regarding elections and revocations  related to § 2303(e) of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act).  Section 2303(e) of the CARES Act provides special rules for taxpayers with a net operating loss (NOL) for any taxable year beginning in 2018, 2019, or 2020, all or a portion of which consists of a “farming loss,” as defined by § 172(b)(1)(B)(ii) of the Internal Revenue Code (Code) (Farming Loss NOL). 

Revenue Procedure 2021-14 will be in IRB:  2021-29, dated July 19, 2021.

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today upgraded a key online tool to enable families to quickly and easily update their bank account information so they can receive their monthly Child Tax Credit payment.

The bank account update feature was added to the Child Tax Credit Update Portal, available only on IRS.gov. Any updates made by Aug. 2 will apply to the Aug. 13 payment and all subsequent monthly payments for the rest of 2021.

Families will receive their July 15 payment by direct deposit in the bank account currently on file with the IRS. Those who are not enrolled for direct deposit will receive a check. The IRS encourages people without current bank account information to use the tool to update their information so they can get the payments sooner.

The IRS also urges people to be on the lookout for scams related to the Child Tax Credit. People who need to update their bank account information should go directly to the IRS.gov site and not click on links received by email, text or phone.

How to update direct deposit information

First, families should use the Child Tax Credit Update Portal to confirm their eligibility for the payments. If eligible, the tool will also indicate whether they are enrolled to receive their payments by direct deposit.

If so, it will list the full bank routing number and the last four digits of their account number. This is the account that will receive their July 15 payment, and if they don’t change the account, all future payments will go there as well.

Next, if they choose, they can change the bank account receiving the payment starting with the Aug. 13 payment. They can do that by updating the routing number and account number and indicating whether it is a savings or checking account. Note that only one account number is permitted for each recipient—that is, the entire payment must be direct deposited in only one account.

How to switch from paper check to direct deposit

If the Update Portal shows that a family is eligible to receive payments but not enrolled to receive direct deposits, they will receive a check each month. If they want to switch to receiving their payments by direct deposit, they can use the tool to add their bank account information. They do that by entering their bank routing number and account number and indicating whether it is a savings or checking account.

The IRS urges any family receiving checks to consider switching to direct deposit. With direct deposit, families can access their money more quickly. Direct deposit removes the time, worry and expense of cashing a check. In addition, direct deposit eliminates the chance of a lost, stolen or undelivered check.

Families can stop payments anytime

Even after payments begin, families can stop all future monthly payments if they choose. They do that by using the unenroll feature in the Child Tax Credit Update Portal. Eligible families who make this choice will still receive the rest of their Child Tax Credit as a lump sum when they file their 2021 federal income tax return next year.

To stop all payments starting in August and the rest of 2021, they must unenroll by Aug. 2, 2021.

For more information about the unenrollment process, including a schedule of deadlines for each monthly payment, see Topic J  of the Child Tax Credit FAQs on IRS.gov.

Who should unenroll?

Instead of receiving these advance payments, some families may prefer to wait until the end of the year and receive the entire credit as a refund when they file their 2021 return. The Child Tax Credit Update Portal enables these families to quickly and easily do that.

The unenroll feature can also be helpful to any family that no longer qualifies for the Child Tax Credit or believes they will not qualify when they file their 2021 return. This could happen if, for example:

What is the Child Tax Credit Update Portal?

The Child Tax Credit Update Portal is a secure, password-protected tool, available to any eligible family with internet access and a smart phone or computer. It is designed to enable them to manage their Child Tax Credit accounts.  Right now, this includes updating their bank account information with the IRS or unenrolling from monthly payments. Soon, it will allow people to check on the status of their payments. Later this year, the tool will also enable them to make other status updates and be available in Spanish.

To access the Child Tax Credit Update Portal, a person must first verify their identity. If a person has an existing IRS username or an ID.me account with a verified identity, they can use those accounts to easily sign in. People without an existing account will be asked to verify their identity with a form of photo identification using ID.me, a trusted third party for the IRS. Identity verification is an important safeguard and will protect the user’s account from identity theft.

Anyone who lacks internet access or otherwise cannot use the online tool may unenroll by contacting the IRS at the phone number included in the outreach letter they received from the IRS.

Who is getting a monthly payment?

In general, monthly payments will go to eligible families who:

An eligible family who took any of these steps does not need to do anything else to get their payments.

Normally, the IRS will calculate the advance payment based on the 2020 income tax return. If that return is not available, either because it has not yet been filed or it has not yet been processed, the IRS is instead determining the payment using the 2019 tax return.

Eligible families will receive advance payments, either by direct deposit or check. Each payment will be up to $300 per month for each child under age 6 and up to $250 per month for each child ages 6 through 17. The IRS will issue advance Child Tax Credit payments on these dates: July 15, Aug. 13, Sept. 15, Oct. 15, Nov. 15 and Dec. 15.

Tax returns processed by June 28 will be reflected in the first batch of monthly payments scheduled for July 15.

Taxpayers will receive several letters

Taxpayers will also receive several letters related to the Child Tax Credit. In the next few weeks, letters are going to eligible families who filed either a 2019 or 2020 federal income tax return or who used the Non-Filers tool on IRS.gov to register for an Economic Impact Payment. The letters will confirm their eligibility, the amount of payments they’ll receive and that the payments begin July 15. Families who receive these letters do not need to take any further action. The personalized letters follow up on the Advance Child Tax Credit Outreach Letter, sent in early- and mid-June, to every family who appeared to qualify for the advance payments.

Child Tax Credit 2021

The IRS has created a special Advance Child Tax Credit 2021 page, designed to provide the most up-to-date information about the credit and the advance payments. It’s at IRS.gov/childtaxcredit2021.

Among other things, it provides direct links to the Child Tax Credit Update Portal, as well as two other online tools −the Non-filer Sign-up Tool and the Child Tax Credit Eligibility Assistant, a set of frequently asked questions and other useful resources.

Child Tax Credit changes

The American Rescue Plan raised the maximum Child Tax Credit in 2021 to $3,600 for children under the age of 6 and to $3,000 per child for children ages 6 through 17. Before 2021, the credit was worth up to $2,000 per eligible child.

The new maximum credit is available to taxpayers with a modified adjusted gross income (AGI) of:

For most people, modified AGI is the amount shown on Line 11 of their 2020 Form 1040 or 1040-SR. Above these income thresholds, the extra amount above the original $2,000 credit — either $1,000 or $1,600 per child — is reduced by $50 for every $1,000 in modified AGI. In addition, the credit is fully refundable for 2021. This means that eligible families can get it, even if they owe no federal income tax. Before this year, the refundable portion was limited to $1,400 per child.

For the most up-to-date information on the Child Tax Credit and advance payments, visit Advance Child Tax Credit Payments in 2021.

WASHINGTON – The Internal Revenue Service today extended the tax relief provided in Notice 2020-46 for calendar year 2021 for employers whose employees forgo sick, vacation or personal leave because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Notice 2021-42 provides that cash payments employers make to charitable organizations that provide relief to victims of the COVID-19 pandemic in exchange for sick, vacation or personal leave which their employees forgo will not be treated as compensation. Similarly, the employees will not be treated as receiving the value of the leave as income and cannot claim a deduction for the leave that they donated to their employer.

Employers, however, may deduct these cash payments as a business expense or as a charitable contribution deduction if the employer otherwise meets the respective requirements of either section.

Notice 2020-46 and Notice 2021-42 provide further details for employers with leave-based donation programs

Additional information about tax relief for those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic can be found on IRS.gov.

Notice 2021-42 extends the federal income and employment tax treatment provided in Notice 2020-46, 2020-27 I.R.B. 7, to cash payments made to charitable organizations described in section 170(c) of the Code (section 170(c) organizations) after December 31, 2020, and before January 1, 2022, that otherwise would be described in Notice 2020-46.  Notice 2020-46 provided guidance under the Internal Revenue Code (Code) on the federal income and employment tax treatment to employers and their employees of cash payments made before January 1, 2021, for the relief of victims of the COVID-19 pandemic in the affected geographic areas under employer sponsored leave-based donation programs.  Under leave-based donation programs, employees can elect to forgo vacation, sick, or personal leave in exchange for cash payments made by their employers to section 170(c) organizations.

Notice 2021-42 will be in IRB:  2021-29, dated July 19, 2021.