Inside This Issue

1. IRS delivers a strong filing season; work continues
2. Virtual information session on BOI reporting requirements April 30
3. IRS seeks IRSAC membership nominations; new subcommittee created on Fairness in Tax Administration
4. Continuing education at the IRS Nationwide Tax Forum
5. IRS issues 2023 Data Book
6. IRS to update Allowable Living Expense standards for 2024
7. Updated FAQs for clean vehicle, energy efficient home improvement and residential clean energy property credits
8. Upcoming webinars for tax practitioners
9. News from the Justice Department’s Tax Division
10. Technical Guidance

1.  IRS delivers a strong filing season; work continues

With the filing season deadline earlier this week, the IRS emphasized a number of enhancements that dramatically expanded service for taxpayers during the 2024 filing season. Through Inflation Reduction Act funding, the IRS increased taxpayer service levels not seen in more than a decade. Compared to a year ago, the IRS answered more than 1 million more taxpayer phone calls this tax season, helped more than 170,000 people in-person and saw 75 million more IRS.gov visits fueled by a new and expanded Where’s My Refund? tool. “With the help of more funding and added resources, service for taxpayers this filing season eclipsed levels seen during the past decade,” said IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel.

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2.  Virtual information session on BOI reporting requirements April 30

A new law requires many companies doing business in the United States to report information to the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) about who ultimately owns or controls them. Join a FinCEN representative on April 30 at 2 p.m. ET for a virtual information session on beneficial ownership information reporting requirements and how to comply with the law. Learn more about beneficial ownership information reporting at https://www.fincen.gov/boi.

Companies created or registered in early 2024 may have an approaching deadline for a new federal government filing requirement. The Corporate Transparency Act, a bipartisan law that was passed to combat and stop illicit finance, requires many companies doing business in the United States to report information to the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) about who ultimately owns or controls them.

Federal regulations require certain companies (“reporting companies”) to file their initial reports by the following deadlines:

• Existing companies: Reporting companies created or registered to do business in the United States before Jan. 1, 2024, must file by Jan. 1, 2025.
• Newly created or registered companies: Reporting companies created or registered to do business in the United States in 2024 have 90 calendar days to file after receiving actual or public notice that their company’s creation or registration is effective.

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3.  IRS seeks IRSAC membership nominations; new subcommittee created on Fairness in Tax Administration

The IRS is accepting applications for the 2025 Internal Revenue Service Advisory Council (IRSAC), including nominees for a new subcommittee centered on fairness issues. The new IRSAC Subcommittee on Fairness in Tax Administration will review and issue specific recommendations related to fairness in tax administration for low-income communities, communities of color and other historically underserved populations. Deadline to submit your application is May 31. The IRSAC serves as an advisory body to the IRS commissioner and agency leadership. The group is organized under the Federal Advisory Committee Act and includes volunteer members with a diverse set of interests in tax issues. Qualified individuals who are selected will serve three-year terms on the IRSAC beginning January 2025.

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4.  Continuing education at the IRS Nationwide Tax Forum

Tax pros: The IRS Nationwide Tax Forum provides continuing education (CE) credits for enrolled agents, certified public accountants, Annual Filing Season Program participants and California Tax Education Council (CTEC) participants. Tax professionals can earn up to 19 credits at the three-day forum, which is coming this summer to Chicago, Orlando, Baltimore, Dallas and San Diego.

The IRS Nationwide Tax Forum is an IRS-approved CE provider for enrolled agents, as well as those participating in the Annual Filing Season Program. For more information on requirements, visit www.irs.gov/Tax-Professionals/Annual-Filing-Season-Program.

The Tax Forum is also registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. For more information, visit the IRS Nationwide Tax Forum: Continuing Education (CE).

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5.  IRS issues 2023 Data Book

The IRS this week released its 2023 Data Book outlining the agency’s activities during fiscal year 2023, which includes collected revenue and tax returns processed. The 2023 Data Book reflects the initial impacts of the historic long-term funding provided under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022 to transform the IRS and modernize how the agency serves the American people.

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6.  IRS to update Allowable Living Expense standards for 2024

Allowable Living Expense (ALE) standards for 2024 will be available April 22. The ALE standards reduce subjectivity when determining what a taxpayer may claim as basic living expenses to avoid undue hardship when the taxpayer must delay full payment of a delinquent tax. The standard allowances provide consistency and fairness in collection determinations by incorporating average expenditures for necessities for citizens in similar geographic areas.

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7.  Updated FAQs for clean vehicle, energy efficient home improvement and residential clean energy property credits

The IRS revised frequently asked questions (FAQ) to provide guidance related to the New, Previously Owned and Qualified Commercial Clean Vehicle Credits. These FAQ revisions include updates to the eligibility rules for the Clean Vehicle Credit; income and price limitations for the new Clean Vehicle Credit; and transfer of the new Clean Vehicle Credit and the Previously Owned Clean Vehicle Credit. The agency also updated FAQs to address the federal income tax treatment of amounts paid for the purchase of energy efficient property and improvements. 

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8.  Upcoming webinars for tax practitioners

The IRS offers the upcoming live webinar to the tax practitioner community. For more information or to register, visit the Webinars for Tax Practitioners webpage:

• Tax Implications of Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Filing for Individuals on May 1, at 1 p.m. ET. Earn up to 2 CE credits (Federal Tax). Certificates of completion are being offered.

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9.  News from the Justice Department’s Tax Division

Jonathan Barefoot, a Mississippi tax return preparer, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for preparing false tax returns. Barefoot and co-conspirators prepared thousands of fraudulent returns, causing more than $3.5 million in tax loss to the IRS. In addition to the term of imprisonment, Barefoot was ordered to serve one year of supervised release. IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.

Gary Sandiego, an Illinois tax preparation business owner, pleaded guilty to preparing false tax returns. The complaint alleges Sandiego exaggerated or fabricated expenses to deceitfully claim on the returns Residential Energy Credits and employment-related expense deductions. As a result, Sandiego caused a tax loss to the IRS of approximately $4.58 million. Sandiego faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison for each count and a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.

Bryon Taylor, an Illinois tax preparation business owner, is accused of 21 counts of tax return fraud. For tax years 2017 through 2020, Taylor allegedly prepared returns for clients that contained false information resulting in the clients claiming refunds to which they were not entitled. Taylor faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison for each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.

Awett Tedla, a former Washington, D.C. area tax return preparation business owner and now of Indianapolis, was sentenced to 21 months in prison for conspiring to file false tax returns, wire fraud and tax evasion. The complaint alleges that from 2012 through 2016, Tedla and co-conspirators prepared fraudulent returns for clients that reported fictitious businesses and claimed certain tax credits, including the Earned Income Tax Credit, to generate inflated tax refunds. Tedla’s conduct caused a tax loss to the IRS of approximately $171,534. In addition to the term of imprisonment, Tedla was ordered to serve three years of supervised release and to pay restitution to the United States. IRS Criminal Investigation and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration investigated the case.

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10. Technical Guidance

Notice 2024-33 provides limited relief to CAMT taxpayers from the addition to tax under section 6655 of the Internal Revenue Code] for failure to pay estimated income tax with respect to its CAMT liability under section 55 of the Code for the 2024 first quarterly installment of estimated income tax due on or before April 15, 2024 (or on or before May 15, 2024, for taxpayers with taxable years beginning in February 2024).

Notice 2024-35 provides relief with respect to certain required minimum distributions (RMDs) that are not made in 2024.

Revenue Procedure 2024-20 provides the domestic asset/liability percentages and domestic investment yields needed by foreign life insurance companies and foreign property and liability insurance companies to compute their minimum effectively connected net investment income under section 842(b) of the Internal Revenue Code for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2022. This revenue procedure applies to foreign insurance companies.

Revenue Procedure 2024-21 provides issuers of qualified mortgage bonds and mortgage credit certificates with (1) the nationwide average purchase price for residences located in the United States, and (2) the average area purchase price safe harbors for residences located in statistical areas in each state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, the Virgin Islands and Guam.

Revenue Ruling 2024-09 provides various prescribed rates for federal income tax purposes including the applicable federal interest rates, the adjusted applicable federal interest rates, the adjusted federal long-term rate and the adjusted federal long-term tax-exempt 

Revenue Procedure 2024-21 provides issuers of qualified mortgage bonds and mortgage credit certificates with (1) the nationwide average purchase price for residences located in the United States, and (2) the average area purchase price safe harbors for residences located in statistical areas in each state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, the Virgin Islands, and Guam.

 

Revenue Procedure 2024-21 will be in IRB 2024-19, dated May 6, 2024.

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today updated frequently asked questions in Fact Sheet 2024-14 to provide guidance related to the New, Previously Owned and Qualified Commercial Clean Vehicle Credits.

These FAQs supersede earlier FAQs that were posted in Fact Sheet 2023-29 on Dec. 26, 2023.

The FAQs revisions are as follows:

·         Topic A: Eligibility Rules for the New Clean Vehicle Credit: Revised Question 10.

·         Topic B: Income and Price Limitations for the New Clean Vehicle Credit: Revised Question 11.

·         Topic H: Transfer of New Clean Vehicle Credit and Previously Owned Clean Vehicle Credit: Revised Questions 5 and 15.

More information about reliance is available.

Notice 2024-35 provides relief with respect to certain required minimum distributions (RMDs) that are not made in 2024. This relief was provided with respect to certain RMDs in 2021, 2022, and 2023, and is being extended in this notice to certain RMDs in 2024. Specifically, the notice provides that if certain requirements are met, a plan will not fail to be qualified for failing to make a specified RMD in 2024, and a taxpayer will not be assessed an excise tax for failing to take the RMD. This notice also announces that the final regulations intended to be published relating to RMDs are anticipated to apply for purposes of determining RMDs for calendar years beginning on or after January 1, 2025. 

Notice 2024-35 will be in IRB: 2024-19, dated May 6, 2024.

WASHINGTON The IRS encourages taxpayers to use the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator to ensure they’re withholding the correct amount of tax from their pay in 2024. 

This digital toolprovides workers, self-employed individuals and retirees with wage income a user-friendly resource to effectively adjust the amount of income tax withheld from their wages. 

The Tax Withholding Estimator will help taxpayers avoid unwanted results in 2024 if the refund for their 2023 return was too large, too small or if they received a surprise tax amount due. 

Benefits of using the Estimator

For employed individuals, withholding refers to the federal income tax amount deducted from their paycheck. Taxpayers can use the Tax Withholding Estimator's findings to decide whether they should fill out a new Form W-4 and give it to their employer. This process can, for instance: 

• Ensure the correct tax amount is withheld, preventing a surprise tax bill or penalty during tax season, and
• Decide whether to reduce upfront tax withholding, increasing take-home pay and potentially reducing any tax refund at the end of the tax year. 

When should taxpayers use this tool?

The IRS suggests taxpayers review their withholding at least once annually. For anyone who’s recently completed their 2023 return, now is an ideal time to do so. It's also wise to use this tool after significant life events like marriage, divorce, buying a home or having a child. 

When using the withholding calculator taxpayers should consider all forms of income, including part-time work, side jobs or the sale of goods or services commonly reported on Form 1099-K.

What records are needed?

The Tax Withholding Estimator’s results are only as accurate as the information entered. To help prepare, the IRS recommends taxpayers gather: 

• Their most recent pay statements, and if married, for their spouse,
• Information for other sources of income, and
• Their most recent income tax return in 2023, if possible. 

While the Tax Withholding Estimator works for most taxpayers, people with more complex tax situations should instead use the instructions in Publication 505, Tax Withholding and Estimated Tax. This includes taxpayers who owe alternative minimum tax or certain other taxes, and people with long-term capital gains or qualified dividends. 

Additional information

Tax Withholding Estimator FAQs

Paycheck Checkup

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today updated frequently asked questions in Fact Sheet 2024-15 to addresses the federal income tax treatment of amounts paid for the purchase of energy efficient property and improvements. 

 

These FAQs supersede earlier FAQs that were posted in Fact Sheet 2022-40, on Dec. 22, 2022. 

 

The FAQs revisions are as follows: 

• General questions— Question 4 

On April 5, 2024, the Internal Revenue Service issued Announcement 2024-19 that addressed the federal income tax treatment of amounts paid for the purchase of energy efficient property and improvements. 

 

Generally, taxpayers who receive rebates for the purchase of energy efficient homes will not include the value of those rebates as income on their tax returns, however they will need to reduce the basis of the property when they sell it by the amount of the rebate.

 

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) statutory language describes performance-based incentives and electrification product subsidies as “rebates.” 

 

Announcement 2024-19 provides that amounts received from the Department of Energy (DOE) home energy rebate programs funded through the IRA will be treated as a reduction in the purchase price or cost of property for eligible upgrades and projects.  Accordingly, the consumer that receives an IRA rebate will not be required to report the value of the rebate as income.

 

More information about reliance is available.

WASHINGTON –The Internal Revenue Service today issued frequently asked questions (FAQs) in Fact Sheet 2024-13 related to the tax treatment of work-life referral services provided to employees under an employer’s work-life referral program. 

A work-life referral program is an employer-funded fringe benefit that provides work-life referral services to eligible employees. 

Work-life referral services are restricted to informational and referral consultations that assist employees with identifying, contacting and negotiating with life-management resources for solutions to a personal, work or family challenge.  For example, choosing a suitable child or dependent care program, connecting with a local retirement or financial planner or navigating eligibility for government benefits.   

The FAQs released today clarify that, under certain circumstances, the value of work-life referral services provided to employees through a work-life referral program can be excluded from income and employment taxes as de minimis fringe benefits.

Revenue Ruling 2024-09 provides various prescribed rates for federal income tax purposes including the applicable federal interest rates, the adjusted applicable federal interest rates, the adjusted federal long-term rate, and the adjusted federal long-term tax-exempt rate. These rates are determined as prescribed by § 1274. 

The rates are published monthly for purposes of sections 42, 382, 412, 642, 1288, 1274, 7520, 7872, and various other sections of the Internal Revenue Code.

Revenue Ruling 2024-09 will be in IRB:  2024-19, dated May 6, 2024.

Inside This Issue

1. IRS Commissioner thanks tax community for hard work, long hours this filing season
2. Dirty Dozen: IRS warns tax pros, individuals to be cautious of ongoing scams designed to steal valuable information
3. Register today for the IRS Nationwide Tax Forum
4. Treasury, IRS issue new rules on corporate stock repurchase excise tax
5. Treasury, IRS releases corrected census tracts for the qualified alternative fuel vehicle refueling property credit 
6. Guidance on clean hydrogen production credit and the election to treat clean hydrogen production facilities as energy property
7. Upcoming webinars for tax practitioners
8. News from the Justice Department’s Tax Division
9. Technical Guidance

1.  IRS Commissioner thanks tax community for hard work, long hours this filing season

IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel today thanked the tax community for their continuing efforts to help taxpayers during this filing season. In a news release highlighting IRS resources available as the filing deadline approaches, Werfel highlighted this:

“Delivering tax season is a massive undertaking, and we greatly appreciate people in many different areas working long hours to serve taxpayers as the tax deadline approaches,” Werfel said. “This effort reaches far beyond the IRS and includes hard-working tax professionals, software providers, the payroll community as well as our colleagues in the state tax agencies. Their work helping taxpayers makes a difference.”

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2.  Dirty Dozen: IRS warns tax pros, individuals to be cautious of ongoing scams designed to steal valuable information

The IRS continues to share its Dirty Dozen list of tax scams reminding taxpayers and tax professionals to remain vigilant and protect themselves against fraudsters’ attempts intended to steal valuable information and file false tax returns. The IRS and the Security Summit partners urge tax pros and taxpayers to watch out for:

• Inaccurate or misleading tax advice on social media; 
• “New client” scams;
• Improper art donation deductions, charitable remainder annuity trusts, monetized installment sales; and
• Bogus tax avoidance strategies and offshore schemes.

“It’s crucial for tax professionals and businesses to be wary of creative and evolving cyberattacks designed to access sensitive systems,” said IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel. The IRS urges individuals to report unscrupulous promoters and tax preparers.

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3.  Register today for the IRS Nationwide Tax Forum

Tax pros: Register today to attend an upcoming IRS Nationwide Tax Forum. This year the forums will take place in Chicago, Orlando, Baltimore, Dallas and San Diego. Each forum is a three-day event, running Tuesday through Thursday, with more than 40 continuing education seminars, networking opportunities and more.

The IRS encourages attendees to maximize their time at the forums by participating in special pre-forum events on Monday, including the annual filing season program refresher course and a special practice management session during which IRS association partners will provide advice and strategies on how to improve their individual tax businesses.

Visit IRSTaxForum.com for information on the program, accommodations and registration.

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4.  Treasury, IRS issue new rules on corporate stock repurchase excise tax

The Department of Treasury and the IRS this week announced proposed regulations that would offer taxpayers and tax professionals with new guidance concerning the one percent excise tax owed on corporate stock repurchases. The proposed regulations would impact publicly traded domestic corporations that repurchase their stock or whose stock is acquired by certain affiliates. The regulations also would impact certain publicly traded foreign corporations that repurchase their stock or whose stock is acquired by certain affiliates. These regulations follow Notice 2023-2, published on Jan. 17, 2023, which provided initial guidance on the application of the stock repurchase excise tax.

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5.  Treasury, IRS releases corrected census tracts for the qualified alternative fuel vehicle refueling property credit

The Treasury Department and the IRS corrected Appendix A and Appendix B of Notice 2024-20 to add supplementary eligible census tracts for the qualified alternative fuel vehicle refueling property credit. This correction reflects additional census tracts that were determined to meet the description of eligible census tracts in Notice 2024-20. Additional details about the alternative fuel vehicle refueling property credit can also be found in the frequently asked questions.

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6.  Guidance on clean hydrogen production credit and the election to treat clean hydrogen production facilities as energy property

The Treasury Department and the IRS issued guidance for the collection of information for taxpayers to request an emissions value from the Department of Energy (DOE) to petition the Secretary of the Treasury for a determination of a provisional emissions rate (PER). The guidance complements proposed rules Treasury and the IRS issued in December on the hydrogen production tax credit, which was established in the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act. Those rules have yet to be finalized.

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7.  Upcoming webinars for tax practitioners

The IRS offers the upcoming live webinars to the tax practitioner community. For more information or to register, visit the Webinars for Tax Practitioners webpage:

• Impacts of Gaming on Tax Exempt Organizations on April 18 at 2 p.m. ET. Earn up to 1 CE credit (Federal Tax). Certificates of completion are being offered.
• Tax Implications of Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Filing for Individuals on May 1, at 1 p.m. ET. Earn up to 2 CE credits (Federal Tax). Certificates of completion are being offered. 

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8.  News from the Justice Department’s Tax Division

The U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida permanently enjoined Kenia Rodriguez from preparing returns for others and from owning, managing or working at any tax return preparation business in the future. The complaint alleges Rodriguez, through a fictitious entity called Rodriguez Tax Services, claimed extensive fraudulent deductions and credits on customers’ tax returns to purposely underreport their tax liabilities and claim refunds they were not entitled to receive. The complaint also alleged that Rodriguez hid her tax preparation activity by failing to properly identify herself on the tax returns that she prepared.

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9.  Technical Guidance

Announcement 2024-19 addresses the Federal income tax treatment of amounts paid for the purchase of energy efficient property and improvements as part of the Department of Energy’s “Home Energy Rebate Programs” under sections 50121 and 50122 of the Inflation Reduction Act.

Notice 2024-34 sets forth updates on the corporate bond monthly yield curve, the corresponding spot segment rates for March 2024 used under section 417(e)(3)(D), the 24-month average segment rates applicable for April 2024, and the 30-year Treasury rates, as reflected by the application of section 430(h)(2)(C)(iv). 

WASHINGTON – With the April tax filing deadline here, the Internal Revenue Service highlighted a variety of improvements that dramatically expanded service for millions of taxpayers during the 2024 filing season.

Through Inflation Reduction Act funding, the IRS continued to expand taxpayer service levels not seen in more than a decade with double-digit gains occurring in critical areas. Compared to a year ago, the IRS answered over 1 million more taxpayer phone calls this tax season, helped over 170,000 more people in-person and saw 75 million more IRS.gov visits fueled by a new and expanded “Where’s My Refund?” tool.

“Taxpayers continued to see major improvements from the IRS during the 2024 tax season,” said IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel. “A well-funded IRS is like night and day for taxpayers. With the help of more funding and added resources, service for taxpayers this filing season eclipsed levels seen during the past decade. This tax season meant real-world improvements for people looking for help, whether calling, visiting in-person or using IRS.gov.”

“We still have much more work to do, both to finish the 2024 tax season as well as put in place continued improvements made possible by Inflation Reduction Act funding,” Werfel said. “But this filing season marks another important chapter where we’ve improved service for taxpayers, continuing an accelerating trend in the story of transforming the IRS.”

Through April 6, the IRS processed more than 100 million individual tax returns. Tens of millions more will come in advance of the April deadline, the busiest time of the year for tax returns. The IRS also projects about 19 million taxpayers will file extensions, which will be due Oct. 15.

Since the start of the January tax season, the IRS has delivered more than $200 billion in refunds through early April. The average refund was $3,011, a 4.6% increase from last April’s average of $2,878.

Here are major filing season numbers in 10 key areas. These numbers, generally from late March and early April, reflect the historic 2024 tax season taking place at the IRS:

• Improved phone service. Continuing a trend seen last year following the addition of 5,000 new telephone assistors, the IRS level of service on its main phone lines reached more than 88%. That’s above the 84% level seen last year and more than a five-fold increase from the phone service levels seen during the pandemic era period, when the level of service was at just 15% in 2022.
• More calls answered. The IRS answered more taxpayer calls on its live assistor lines this year, a 16.8% increase from 2023. IRS assistors handled 7,608,000 calls, up from 6,513,000 the year before. IRS automated lines handled another approximately 7 million calls, 280,000 more than the previous year.
• Faster response times. Taxpayers waited, on average, just over three minutes for help on the IRS main phone lines. This is down from four minutes in 2023 and 28 minutes in filing season 2022.
• More callback options. The IRS offered callback options on 97% of the phone lines this filing season. The agency offered call back for over 4 million taxpayers this tax season, more than double the 1.8 million calls in 2023. This option, offered when phone lines were busy, saved taxpayers nearly 1.4 million hours of wait time on the phones.
• More in-person help. The IRS helped 170,000 more taxpayers in-person this filing season than in 2023. IRS employees at Taxpayer Assistance Centers (TACs) served 648,000 taxpayers this year, up from 474,000 in 2023, a 37% increase.
• Expanded in-person hours. The IRS added extended hours at 242 TAC locations across the nation, generating more than 11,000 extra service hours for taxpayers during the 2024 filing season. In addition to extended service hours, IRS also offered taxpayer assistance on Saturdays in more than 70 locations. These evening and Saturday hours made it more convenient for thousands of hard-working taxpayers to get help.
• Additional free help at volunteer sites. The IRS saw tax return preparation work at volunteer sites increase to more than 2.3 million returns this tax season, up 2000,000 from last year following work at Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) sites.
• More taxpayers file for free. In addition to volunteer sites, the IRS saw more taxpayers file for free this year; in all, there were over 450,000 more returns filed between volunteer sites, Direct File and Free File. The new Direct File pilot, offered on a limited basis in 12 states, generated more than 60,000 tax returns after opening widely in mid-March. At the same time, the IRS partnership with the Free File partners offering free private-sector software via IRS.gov saw growth with more than 2 million tax returns filed, an increase of 11.2% or more than 200,000 more Free File returns than 2023.
• Higher usage of IRS.gov. Driven by increased use of the expanded information on the “Where’s My Refund?” for the 2024 filing season, IRS.gov saw large increases in traffic. The website had nearly 500 million visits, an 18% increase. And “Where’s My Refund?” accounted for more than 275 million of those visits, up 62 million from 2023 representing a 29% increase.
• More chatbot use. The IRS saw more use of its virtual assistant tool on key IRS.gov pages. There were 832,000 uses this filing season, up nearly 150% from 330,000 uses in 2023. 

“These numbers illustrate the strength of this year’s filing season, but the IRS needs to continue working hard to make more improvements and continue transforming to serve taxpayers – not just through the April tax deadline but throughout the year and into the future,” Werfel said.

With the April deadline approaching, the IRS reminds taxpayers there are many ways to get last-minute help. They can visit the special “free help” page on IRS.gov.

For taxpayers who need an extension of time to file their taxes, there are several options to get an automatic extension through Oct. 15. Although an extension grants extra time to file, it does not extend the obligation to pay taxes due on April 15, 2024. To avoid penalties and late fees, taxpayers who owe should pay either their full tax bill or at least what they can afford to pay by the April 15 deadline.

The IRS estimates 19 million taxpayers will file for an automatic extension.

Taxpayers in Maine and Massachusetts have until April 17 to file and pay taxes due this year. This is because these states observe the Patriots’ Day holiday on April 15 this year and April 16 is the Emancipation Day holiday in the District of Columbia.