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Upcoming Closures for TAS and IRS

Due to the current budget situation, including the sequester, all IRS and TAS offices will be closed on May 24, June 14, July 5, July 22 and Aug. 30, 2013. Tax-filing and payment deadlines will remain the same. More information about the impact of the shutdown is available on IRS.gov. ...

Return Preparer Test Refund Update

Some preparers made appointments to take the test to become a registered return preparer, and paid the required fee. Since a U.S. District Court issued an injunction stopping the testing, the IRS is refunding those fees. Learn more about this news and related information on the Registered Tax Return Preparer Test page of the Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS) Tax Toolkit....

New Success Story: TAS Saves Taxpayer?s Car from Repossession

When a taxpayer whose return was being delayed by the IRS was facing a possible repossession of his vehicle, TAS stepped in to help. See how his TAS case advocate saved the day on the on the Success Stories page of the Tax Toolkit....

NTA makes the case for regulating tax preparers

Each year, taxpayers hire paid practitioners to prepare and file nearly 80 million individual tax returns, due to the overwhelming complexity of the tax code. Efforts by the IRS and Treasury to regulate preparers were halted when a U.S. district court found, in the Loving v. IRS case, that Treasury lacked authority to issue such standards. The National Taxpayer Advocate believes the district ...

TAS Case Advocates: Your Voice at the IRS

TAS case advocates assist qualifying taxpayers nationwide in resolving problems with the IRS. Identity theft was the most common issue in TAS casework during fiscal year 2012 (10/1/11 – 9/30/12) and rose 61 percent over the last fiscal year. TAS also found an increasing number of taxpayers were defrauded by tax preparers. Learn more about TAS Case Advocacy on the Taxpayer Advocate Servi...

National Taxpayer Advocate (NTA) Nina Olson Testifies on IRS Budget

In her recent testimony before Congress, National Taxpayer Advocate (NTA) Nina Olson notes the IRS could only answer 57 percent of calls on tax day – an “F” in any grading book. Learn more about IRS budget issues and the NTA’s recommendations in her testimony before Congress on the Taxpayer Advocate Service’s Tax Toolkit....

Taxpayer Advocate Service: Advocacy in Action; Improvements to Online PTIN System

TAS received nearly 220,000 new cases in FY2012. In addition, identity theft-related cases rose 97 percent. Learn more about TAS’s mission and work on the Who We Are page of the Tax Toolkit. In addition, learn about the recent improvements to the IRS’s online Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN) system on the Renewing or Applying for a PTIN page....

NTA Interviewed on Tax-Related Identity Theft; Video Explains What to Expect From TAS; New Tax Reform Comments Available

In a recent interview on Federal News Radio, National Taxpayer Advocate Nina Olson outlines the recent dramatic increase in tax-related identity theft, discusses how TAS and the IRS are working to help victims and the proposed new civil penalties for those who commit identity theft. In addition, new tax reform comments submitted by members of the public are now available on the Tax Reform Sug...

National Taxpayer Advocate Nina Olson Testifies on Tax Fraud and Tax ID Theft

National Taxpayer Advocate Nina Olson testified before the U.S. Senate Finance Committee on April 16 about several key tax issues, including tax fraud, tax identity theft and tax reform. Read her testimony on the Taxpayer Advocate Service’s (TAS) Tax Toolkit....

2013 Tax Forum Registration, PTIN Renewal Applications Update

Each year, TAS participates in the IRS Nationwide Tax Forums, a three-day series of tax education and networking conferences for tax professionals. Learn about registration, dates and locations for the 2013 Forums on the TAS at the IRS Nationwide Tax Forums page on the Taxpayer Advocate Service’s (TAS) Tax Toolkit. In addition, all enrolled agent renewal applications for SSNs ending in ...




Condi, John Doerr, Obama join virtual immigration march

Posted: Thu May 23 18:29:10 PDT 2013

If you've been on Twitter this week, you may have seen the hashtag #iMarch. You may have also seen it on newly acquired Tumblr, Facebook or a host of other social media channels. On May 22 and 23, a group of immigration reform advocates spearheaded by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg with backing from Silicon Valley politicians and tech leaders took to social media to lobby lawmakers. Th...

Large Kauai solar project moves forward

Posted: Thu May 23 17:59:48 PDT 2013

Kauai Island Utility Cooperative?s 12-megawatt Anahola Solar photovoltaic project on Kauai?s East side is one step closer to becoming a reality following the release Thursday of a draft environmental assessment that showed an ?anticipated finding of no significant impact.? The $55 million project includes a substation and a baseyard/customer service center on more than 60 acres of state Depart...

Honolulu transit-oriented development plan includes Blaisdell Center redevelopment

Posted: Thu May 23 17:53:24 PDT 2013

From the redevelopment of the Neal S. Blaisdell Center into a residential project to a full service grocery store and a limited amount of hotels for travelers and business professionals, the Hawaii Community Development Authority?s Kakaako transit oriented development overlay plan is aimed at utilizing TOD to improve the existing quality of the area as a whole. The public will get its first lo...

Lanai committee OKs Ellison?s plan for new hotel, industrial development

Posted: Thu May 23 17:43:19 PDT 2013

The Lanai Community Plan Advisory Committee has approved plans for a new ultra-luxury hotel and to set aside 200 acres for industrial development, committee member Alberta de Jetley told PBN. The plan approved Wednesday night calls for setting aside 100 acres for light industrial development and 100 acres for heavy industrial development on Lanai, she said. The committee also approved adding ...

Maximilien owners going casual with Capitol Hill gastropub

Posted: Thu May 23 17:39:47 PDT 2013

The owners and operators of Maximilien, the popular French restaurant in Pike Place Market, are planning to open a new, more casual place next month on Capitol Hill. The new restaurant and bar is called Le Zinc, named for the metal that traditionally covers the top of bars in France, and will be at the corner of 15th Avenue and East Pine Street. Owners Axel Mace and Wilfried Boutillier are ai...

Graystone joining housing rush in Castro

Posted: Thu May 23 17:27:23 PDT 2013

Graystar is fueling up on Castro apartments. The South Carolina-based developer, which has 200,000 rental housing units under management, has filed an application to build 87 units at 2198 Market St., a former Shell gas station. The project is being designed by HellerManus. The project site consists of a triangular shaped lot with frontage on Market and Sanchez Streets. The site was recently ...

Vivint Solar of Utah outdoes Hawaii solar contractors in stated permit values

Posted: Thu May 23 17:23:05 PDT 2013

Utah?s Vivint Solar Inc. continues to lead the pack of solar photovoltaic companies in Hawaii so far this year. Through April, the home security installation giant has managed to slay the top Hawaii companies with the largest share of the $160.6 million in stated value of PV projects for all of Oahu, according to an analysis of data from the City and County of Honolulu Department of Planning a...

5 Super Bowl lessons learned by past host cities

Posted: Thu May 23 17:19:12 PDT 2013

The efforts of the San Francisco Super Bowl Bid Committee and Santa Clara was rewarded May 21 when the NFL announced the South Bay will host the big game in 2016. Now the hard work of preparing for the event and its attendant crowds begins. Everything you need to know about the Santa Clara Super Bowl I chatted with people involved in planning previous Super Bowls as well as an economist t...

Hawaii developers debate whether Oahu will have enough homes for its growing population

Posted: Thu May 23 17:14:56 PDT 2013

Most of the big guns in Hawaii?s housing market were out in full force Thursday at Honolulu?s Plaza Club talking about what?s mostly on everyone?s minds these days on Oahu, especially with the slew of planned condominium developments slated for Kakaako, ?The Third City.? Moderator Harry Saunders, CEO of Castle & Cooke Hawaii, opened the panel discussion with the one word that describes his con...

Isle of Capri to open new Pa. casino July 1

Posted: Thu May 23 17:09:53 PDT 2013

Officials from Isle of Capri Casinos Inc. and Nemacolin Woodlands Resort announced Thursday that Lady Luck Casino Nemacolin in Fayette County, Pa., will open July 1, pending required regulatory approvals. The approximately $60 million resort casino includes 600 slot machines, 28 table games, a restaurant and a lounge. Isle and Nemacolin Woodlands Resort won Pennsylvania?s final Category 3 res...


Horace Mann Maintains Steady Dividend

Posted: Thu May 23 18:26:54 PDT 2013

Multiline insurance provider raised payout 22% last quarter.    ...

After Earnings, DryShips Is Struggling to Stay Afloat

Posted: Thu May 23 18:22:19 PDT 2013

DryShips continues to struggle.    ...

Why Investors Should Love GameStop Earnings

Posted: Thu May 23 18:18:51 PDT 2013

GameStop's earnings should make you stand up and take note.    ...

Pentagon Pays Millions for Training, Drones, and Dredging

Posted: Thu May 23 18:16:23 PDT 2013

And several other services besides.    ...

One Big Red Flag After DryShips Earnings

Posted: Thu May 23 18:16:04 PDT 2013

This should be a major warning sign for DryShips investors.    ...

Bull or Bear? The Market?s Next Move

Posted: Thu May 23 18:06:34 PDT 2013

Thoughts on the market from a Motley Fool advisor.    ...

Golf Clap for Patterson Companies

Posted: Thu May 23 18:04:29 PDT 2013

Just the facts, Fool.    ...

PetSmart's Earnings Beat Last Year's by 15%

Posted: Thu May 23 18:04:19 PDT 2013

Just the facts, Fool.    ...

Bristow Group Beats on Revenue, Matches Expectations on EPS

Posted: Thu May 23 18:04:08 PDT 2013

Just the facts, Fool.    ...

Signet Jewelers Misses on Revenues but Beats on EPS

Posted: Thu May 23 18:03:58 PDT 2013

Just the facts, Fool.    ...







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