New Tax Laws
The Internal Revenue Service has announced initial plans for processing tax returns involving the Earned Income Tax Credit and Additional Child Tax Credit during the opening weeks of the 2017 filing season. The IRS is sharing the information now to help the tax community prepare for the 2017 season, and plans are being made for a wider communication effort this summer and fall to alert taxpayers about the changes that will affect some early filers.
This action is driven by the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes Act of 2015 (PATH Act) that was enacted Dec. 18, 2015, and made several changes to the tax law to benefit taxpayers and their families. Section 201 of this new law mandates that no credit or refund for an overpayment for a taxable year shall be made to a taxpayer before Feb. 15 if the taxpayer claimed the Earned Income Tax Credit or Additional Child Tax Credit on the return.
This change begins Jan. 1, 2017, and may affect some returns filed early in 2017. Additional information is listed below.
This is one more step the IRS is taking to ensure taxpayers receive the refund they are owed. The IRS plans to work closely with stakeholders and IRS partners to help the public understand this process before they file their tax returns and ensure a smooth transition for this important law change.
We keep you informed of the most important changes:
Disclosure and Use of Taxpayer Information – New IRS regulations provide taxpayers with greater control over their personal tax return information. The Internal Revenue Code, Section 7216, Disclosure or Use of Tax Information by Preparers of Returns, became effective January 1, 2009. These regulations limit tax return preparers' use and disclosure of information obtained during the return preparation process.
Anti-abuse rules – Act Sec. 1211(c) gives IRS the authority to issue rules which are necessary to prevent the abuse of the purposes of Act Sec. 1211, including anti-stuffing rules, anti-churning rules (including rules relating to sale-leasebacks), and rules similar to the regulations under Code Sec. 1091 relating to losses from wash sales.
Schedule an appointment to learn more about important changes in tax law.