Inside This Issue
- O’Donnell retires after notable career; Krause to serve as acting IRS Commissioner
- March 3 is deadline for many farmers and fishers; disaster areas have additional time
- IRS Individual Online Account tool adds tax documents, improves services and convenience for taxpayers
- Dirty Dozen tax scams for 2025: IRS warns filers to watch out for dangerous threats
- Tax Time Guide: Track refund status using the Where’s My Refund? tool
1. O’Donnell retires after notable career; Krause to serve as acting IRS Commissioner
The Department of Treasury announced that IRS Chief Operating Officer Melanie Krause will become acting IRS Commissioner following the retirement announcement of Doug O’Donnell. O’Donnell, the IRS deputy Commissioner who has been acting as the agency’s Commissioner since January, will retire on Friday, Feb. 28. Krause will become the nation’s acting Commissioner and assume the position of deputy Commissioner.
“The IRS has been my professional home for 38 years,” O’Donnell added. “I care deeply about the institution and its people, and am confident that Melanie will be an outstanding steward of the Service until a new Commissioner is confirmed.”
Krause began her IRS career in October 2021 as the Chief Data & Analytics Officer. Krause spent 12 years in the federal oversight community, including the Government Accountability Office and the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General prior to joining the IRS.
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2. March 3 is deadline for many farmers and fishers; disaster areas have additional time
Tax pros: Your farmer and fisher clients who chose to forego making estimated tax payments by Jan. 15 must file their 2024 federal income tax return and pay all taxes due by March 3. Because the customary March 1 deadline falls on Saturday this year, the deadline is extended by two days. The deadline allows farmers and fishers to avoid any estimated tax penalties. Those who made a qualifying payment by Jan. 15, 2025, can wait until April 15 to file and still avoid estimated tax penalties. For details, see Publication 505, Tax Withholding and Estimated Tax.
Disaster-area taxpayers, including farmers and fishers, have more time to file and pay. Taxpayers in the entire states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina, and parts of Alaska, New Mexico, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia have until May 1.
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3. IRS Individual Online Account tool adds tax documents, improves services and convenience for taxpayers
The IRS is simplifying the tax filing process for taxpayers by integrating information return documents into their IRS Individual Online Account. This will centralize tax records in a single digital location. The first information returns to be added are Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement and Form 1095-A, Health Insurance Marketplace Statement. These forms will be accessible for tax years 2023 and 2024 under the Records and Status tab in the taxpayer’s Online Account.
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4. Dirty Dozen tax scams for 2025: IRS warns filers to watch out for dangerous threats
The IRS kicked off the annual Dirty Dozen list of tax scams with a warning for taxpayers, businesses and tax professionals to be aware of evolving schemes designed to steal sensitive taxpayer information. The IRS's annual Dirty Dozen campaign lists 12 scams and schemes that threaten taxpayers. While the Dirty Dozen is not a legal document or a formal listing of agency enforcement priorities, the education campaign aims to raise awareness and safeguard taxpayers and tax pros from common tax scams and schemes.
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5. Tax Time Guide: Track refund status using the Where’s My Refund? tool
Tax pros: Encourage your clients to use the Where’s My Refund? tool on IRS.gov to verify receipt and monitor refund status of their 2024 tax returns. The Where’s My Refund? tool allows taxpayers who file electronically to check status within 24 hours of filing. The tool is accessible around-the-clock and provides taxpayers with a quick and simple method of obtaining information without having to contact the IRS. Additionally, taxpayers can use the tool to view data regarding returns from 2022 through 2024. Through the IRS2Go mobile app users can access the mobile-friendly tool, find free tax help and make payments.
