Stacie's Tax Stuff

WASHINGTON ― The Internal Revenue Service is seeking applications for vacancies on the Advisory Committee on Tax Exempt and Government Entities (ACT). The committee provides a venue for public input on relevant areas of tax administration.

Vacancies exist in the following customer segments:

• Employee Plans – two vacancies
• Exempt Organizations – two vacancies
• Indian Tribal Governments – one vacancy
• Tax Exempt Bonds – two vacancies

Members are appointed by the Department of the Treasury and serve two-year terms, beginning in June 2015. Applications will be accepted through Nov. 3, 2014.

The ACT is an organized public forum for the IRS and representatives who deal with employee plans, exempt organizations, tax-exempt bonds, and federal, state, local and Indian tribal governments. The ACT allows the IRS to receive regular input on administrative policy and procedures of the Tax Exempt and Government Entities Division (TE/GE).

Applications can be made by completing an ACT member application form.  Applications should reflect the proposed member’s qualifications.  Members of the ACT may not be federally registered lobbyists.  A notice published in the Federal Register, dated Oct. 2, contains more details about the ACT and the application process.

Applications should be sent by:

• Email to Mark.F.O’Donnell@irs.gov,
• Fax: 877-801-7395, or
• U.S. mail to Mark O’Donnell, TE/GE Communications and Liaison Director, Internal Revenue Service, 1111 Constitution Ave., NW, SE:T:CL, NCA 676, Washington, DC 20224.

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today reminded tax professionals that they can earn continuing professional education credits online through seminars filmed at the 2014 IRS Nationwide Tax Forums.

The 14 self-study seminars are now available on the IRS Nationwide Tax Forums Online  (NTFO). Self-study seminars provide information to students using interactive videos, PowerPoint slides and transcripts.

The 2014 online forum seminars cover many topics of interest to tax professionals including:

• Highlights of 2014 income tax law changes,
• Overview of the premium tax credit and the individual shared responsibility provision,
• Updates to and overview of Treasury Circular No. 230, and
• Improvements to the process for securing an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number.

The online forums are registered with the IRS Return Preparer Office and the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a qualified sponsor of continuing professional education (CPE). For a fee, Enrolled Agents and CPAs taking NTFO seminars can earn CPE credits. To earn CPE credits, users must create an account, answer review questions throughout the seminar, and pass short tests at the end of the seminars.

The online forum seminars can also be audited for free. Users who choose to audit seminars will not have access to the review questions or final examination and will not receive credit for the seminar.

In addition to the recently-added seminars, NTFO also offers many seminars from prior-year IRS Nationwide Tax Forums.