e-News for Tax Professionals 2022-17

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Issue Number: 2022-17

Inside This Issue

1. New leadership selected for Small Business and Self-Employed Division
2. OIC Form 656 Booklet updated for 2022; use current version to avoid processing issues
3. IRS seeks nominations for the 2023 IRSAC
4. A Closer Look: IRS Tax Day message – thank you for filing
5. IRS revises tax year 2021/filing season 2022 FAQs for the Child Tax Credit
6. IRS accepting applications for VITA, TCE grants in May
7. News from the Justice Department’s Tax Division
8. Technical Guidance

Experienced agency executive Lia Colbert has been named the new commissioner of the Small Business Self-Employed Division (SB/SE), which oversees the agency's collection activities and the examinations of most businesses in the United States. "This is a crucial position for the IRS, and Lia's background provides a unique perspective for this important role," said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. Maha Williams has been selected to act as the deputy commissioner, SB/SE Examination, and Darren Guillot will continue to serve as deputy commissioner, SB/SE Collection and Operations Support.

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The IRS recently updated its Offer in Compromise Form 656 Booklet for 2022. The booklet contains all the forms necessary to submit an offer as an individual or business. Tax professionals submitting OICs to the IRS must use the most current year version of the booklet to avoid unnecessary issues with processing their offers. An updated Spanish version of the form is scheduled for release later this year. Taxpayers thinking about submitting an offer will want to check out the IRS’s Offer in Compromise Pre-Qualifier Tool to make sure they’re eligible to file one. Note: even though individuals and businesses can submit an offer, the tool is currently only available to individuals.

The IRS also created an easy-to-navigate, OIC video playlist to help taxpayers to file an offer on their own and avoid paying excessive fees to companies advertising outlandish claims. Visit the Offer in Compromise webpage on IRS.gov for more.

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The IRS is now accepting applications for the Internal Revenue Service Advisory Council (IRSAC) for 2023 through June 3. The IRSAC serves as an advisory body to the IRS commissioner and provides an organized public forum for discussion of relevant tax administration issues between IRS officials and representatives of the public. Visit the IRSAC webpage for more information about the council and the application process.

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In the latest executive column, A Closer Look, IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig discusses the challenges and successes of this filing season. “All of us at the IRS want to serve taxpayers well,” said Rettig. “We want our phones answered quickly. We want the nation’s tax laws enforced fairly. We want people to get the help they need whenever they need it.” This feature is also available in Spanish.

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The IRS issued a revised set of frequently asked questions (FAQs) for tax year 2021 and filing season 2022 for the Child Tax Credit. This article is also available in Spanish.

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The IRS is accepting applications for the Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) and Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) grant programs, which will allow some organizations to apply for annual funding for up to three years. The application process begins May 1 through May 31. In the past year, the IRS awarded 34 TCE grantees $11 million and 300 VITA grantees $25 million. This article is also available in Simplified Chinese.

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Richard Barker, a New York tax preparer, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for conspiring to defraud the United States. In addition to the term of imprisonment, Barker has also been ordered to serve two years of supervised release and to pay approximately $464,252 in restitution to the IRS.

In an indictment unsealed recently, a federal grand jury in Del Rio, Texas, indicted tax return preparer Adela Cruz for willfully helping clients file false tax returns with the IRS. If convicted, Cruz faces a statutory maximum sentence of three years in prison for each count of filing a false tax return for herself and her clients. Cruz also faces a period of supervised release and monetary penalties.

In an indictment unsealed recently, a federal grand jury in Chicago charged former Illinois tax preparer Erica Early with filing false returns for clients, filing false returns on her own taxes and wire fraud. If convicted, Early faces a maximum penalty of three years for each count of filing false tax returns and helping clients file false tax returns, and 20 years in prison for each count of wire fraud. She also faces a period of supervised release and monetary penalties.

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Notice 2022-21 contains the annual solicitation notice for Priority Guidance Plan recommendations.

Notice 2022-22 sets forth the updated mortality improvement rates and static mortality tables that are used for purposes of determining minimum funding requirements under section 430(h)(3) for 2023 and minimum present value under section 417(e)(3) for distributions with annuity starting dates that occur during stability periods beginning in the 2023 calendar year.

Revenue Procedure 2022-24 provides the 2023 inflation adjusted amounts for Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) as determined under section 223 of the Internal Revenue Code and the maximum amount that may be made newly available for excepted benefit health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs) provided under section 54.9831-1(c)(3)(viii) of the Pension Excise Tax Regulations.

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