National Spending Journal – By Shoeboxed

Businesses planning to claim the newly-expanded work opportunity tax credit (WOTC) for eligible unemployed veterans and unskilled younger workers hired during the first part of 2009 have until Aug. 17 to request the certification required for these workers, according to the Internal Revenue Service.
Newly-revised Form 8850, now available on IRS.gov, is used by employers to [...]

Small Business Week was May 17 to 23, and the Internal Revenue Service urges small businesses to act now and take advantage of tax-saving opportunities included in the recovery law.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), enacted in February, created, extended or expanded a variety of business tax deductions and credits. Because some of these [...]

The Truth About Frivolous Tax Arguments (PDF 405K) addresses some of the more common false “legal” arguments made by individuals and groups who oppose compliance with the federal tax laws. These arguments are grouped under six general categories, with variations within each category. Each contention is briefly explained, followed by a discussion of the legal [...]

The Internal Revenue Service today reminded individual and business taxpayers that many energy-saving steps taken this year may result in bigger tax savings next year.
The recently enacted American Recovery and Reinvestment (ARRA) of 2009 contained a number of either new or expanded tax benefits on expenditures to reduce energy use or create new energy sources.
The [...]

The Internal Revenue Service has issued its 2009 “dirty dozen” list of tax scams, including schemes involving phishing, hiding income offshore and false claims for refunds.
“Taxpayers should be wary of scams to avoid paying taxes that seem too good to be true, especially during these challenging economic times,” IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman said. “There is [...]

It’s a moment many taxpayers dread. A letter arrives from the IRS — and it’s not a refund check. Don’t panic; many of these letters can be dealt with simply and painlessly.
Each year, the IRS sends millions of letters and notices to taxpayers to request payment of taxes, notify them of a change to their [...]

Will you be making a payment with your federal tax return this year? If so, here is what you need to know about making tax payments correctly.

Never send cash!
If you file electronically, you can file and pay in a single step by authorizing an electronic funds withdrawal via tax preparation software or a tax professional.
You [...]

Every year, millions of taxpayers donate money to charitable organizations. Here are six things you should know about the tax treatment of tax-exempt organizations.

Tax returns are made available to public. Exempt organizations generally must make their tax return available for public inspection. This also includes the organization’s application for exemption. These documents must be made [...]

The Internal Revenue Service announced today that taxpayers who buy a new passenger vehicle this year may be entitled to deduct state and local sales and excise taxes paid on the purchase on their 2009 tax returns next year.
“For those thinking about buying a new car this year, this deduction may give them a little [...]

With the tax filing deadline close at hand, here are the top 10 tips for taxpayers still working on their tax return.

E-file your return. Consider filing electronically instead of using paper tax forms. Choosing to e-file is the best way to ensure your return is accurate and complete.
Review tax ID numbers. Remember to carefully check [...]

Errors made on tax returns may delay the processing of your return and the arrival of your refund. Avoiding the common errors below will help ensure your refund arrives on time:

Recovery Rebate Credit – Many returns filed in 2009 have errors involving the Recovery Rebate Credit, a credit for people who did not receive a [...]

All or part of unemployment benefits received in 2009 will be tax free for many unemployed workers, according to the Internal Revenue Service.
“This morning we learned that a record 5.6 million people were receiving unemployment benefits in the middle of March. This underscores the need for the relief provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment [...]

The Internal Revenue Service announced today that small businesses with deductions exceeding their income in 2008 can use a new net operating loss tax provision to get a refund of taxes paid in prior years.
To accommodate the change in tax law, the IRS today updated the instructions for two key forms – Forms 1045 and [...]

As part of the Treasury Department’s consumer outreach effort and with the April 15 individual tax filing deadline approaching, the Internal Revenue Service today began a concerted effort to educate taxpayers about additional options at their disposal to claim the new $8,000 first-time homebuyer credit for 2009 home purchases. For people who recently purchased a [...]

Taxpayers who use a portion of their home for business purposes may be able to take a home office deduction if they meet certain requirements.
In order to claim a business deduction, you must use part of your home for one of the following two reasons:

Exclusively and regularly as either: your principal place of business, or [...]