Spring 2012 Statistics of Income Bulletin Now Available

The Internal Revenue Service today announced that the spring 2012 issue of the Statistics of Income Bulletin is available to the general public. This issue features information on high-income individual income tax returns filed for tax year 2009.

Taxpayers filed more than 3.9 million returns with adjusted gross incomes of $200,000 or more. These high-income returns represent almost 2.8 percent of all returns filed for 2009.

The Statistics of Income (SOI) Division produces the SOI Bulletin on a quarterly basis.  Articles included in the publication provide the most recent data available from various tax and information returns filed by U.S. taxpayers. This issue of the SOI Bulletin also includes articles on the following:

• Noncash charitable contributions.  For tax year 2009, 21.9 million individual taxpayers who itemized deductions reported $31.8 billion in deductions for noncash charitable contributions
• Individual retirement arrangements (IRAs).  At the end of tax year 2008, individual income taxpayers held $3.7 trillion in IRAs, based on fair market value. 
• Foreign recipients of U.S. income.  For tax year 2009, U.S. source income payments to foreign persons totaled $546.5 billion.  
• Corporate income.  For each tax year between 2004 and 2008, on average, 5 percent of corporate Schedule M-3 filers reported taxable income of more than $18.3 million.
• Gift tax returns. Individuals filed 223,000 federal gift tax returns to report almost $37.9 billion in assets transferred during 2009.

Income and wealth.  Almost 21 percent of estate tax decedents who died in 2007 reported income in the top 1 percent of the adjusted gross income distribution for tax year 2006.

For Small Business Week, IRS Spotlights Expanded Tax Credit for Hiring Veterans, Credit for Providing Health Care Coverage to Employees and Tax Relief

The Internal Revenue Service is marking Small Business Week, May 20 to 26, by encouraging small business owners to check out two key tax credits and a special relief program that could provide significant tax benefits during 2012.

Both the expanded credit for hiring veterans and the credit for employer-provided health care coverage can provide tax savings to eligible small businesses when they file their 2012 federal income tax returns. In addition, substantial relief from past payroll tax obligations is available to eligible employers who agree to reclassify their workers as employees in the future. Here are details on each of these benefits.

Expanded Tax Credit for Hiring Veterans
A law change enacted late last year now provides an expanded Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) to employers that hire eligible unemployed veterans. The credit can be as high as $9,600 per veteran for for-profit employers or up to $6,240 for tax-exempt organizations. The amount of the credit depends on a number of factors, including the length of the veteran’s unemployment before hire, hours a veteran works and the amount of first-year wages paid. Employers who hire veterans with service-related disabilities may be eligible for the maximum credit.

Certification requirements apply to these new hires. Normally, an eligible employer must file Form 8850 with the state workforce agency within 28 days after the eligible worker begins work. But under a special rule, employers have until June 19, 2012, to complete and file this form for veterans hired on or after Nov. 22, 2011, and before May 22, 2012. The 28-day rule will again apply to eligible veterans hired on or after May 22. This form can be faxed or electronically transmitted to the state workforce agency, as long as the agency is able to receive the certification forms that way.

Businesses claim the credit on their income tax return using Form 5884 and Form 3800. A separate claim procedure using Form 5884-C applies to eligible tax-exempt organizations. Details are on IRS.gov.

Credit Helps Small Employers Provide Health Care Coverage
Small employers that pay at least half of the premiums for employee health insurance coverage under a qualifying arrangement may be eligible for the small business health care tax credit. Enacted two years ago, the credit is designed to encourage small employers to offer health insurance coverage for the first time or maintain coverage they already have.

Eligible small employers can claim the credit for 2010 through 2013 and for two additional years beginning in 2014. Targeted to small employers that primarily employ low-and moderate-income workers, the maximum credit, in tax-years 2010 through 2013, is 35 percent of premiums paid by small businesses and 25 percent of premiums paid by tax-exempt organizations, increasing to 50 percent and 35 percent, respectively, in 2014.

Small businesses claim the credit on their income tax return using Form 8941 and Form 3800. Tax-exempt organizations also use Form 8941 and then claim the credit on Form 990-T.

The recently-revamped Small Business Health Care Tax Credit page on IRS.gov is packed with information and resources designed to help small employers see if they qualify for the credit and then figure it correctly. These include a step-by-step guide for determining eligibility, examples of typical tax savings under various scenarios, answers to frequently-asked questions, a YouTube video and a webinar.

Many Businesses can qualify for Substantial Payroll Tax Relief

Many businesses can now resolve past worker classification issues at a low cost by voluntarily reclassifying their workers. Better yet, they don’t have to wait for an IRS audit to do so.

By prospectively reclassifying workers, making a minimal payment and meeting a few other requirements, eligible businesses can achieve greater certainty for themselves, their workers and the government. Already, 540 employers have been approved to participate in the new IRS Voluntary Classification Settlement Program (VCSP) since it was launched last September.

The VCSP is available to many businesses, tax-exempt organizations and government entities that currently treat their workers or a class or group of workers as nonemployees or independent contractors, and now want to correctly treat these workers as employees in the future. To be eligible, an employer must:

• Consistently have treated the workers in the past as nonemployees,
• Have filed all required Forms 1099 for the workers for the previous three years
• Not currently be under audit by the IRS or the Department of Labor or a state agency concerning the classification of these workers

Interested employers can apply for the program by filing Form 8952. Employers accepted into the program will pay an amount effectively equaling just over one percent of the wages paid to the reclassified workers for the past year. It’s that simple. Moreover, employers will not be audited on payroll taxes related to these workers for prior years.

Details on these and other tax benefits are on IRS.gov. In addition, the Small Business Tax Center (www.irs.gov/smallbiz) has links to a variety of useful tax tools for small business, including the Virtual Small Business Tax Workshop, a downloadable tax calendar, common forms and their instructions and help on everything from how to get an Employer Identification Number (EIN) online to how to engage with the IRS in the event of an audit.

IRS Announces More Flexible Offer-in-Compromise Terms to Help a Greater Number of Struggling Taxpayers Make a Fresh Start

The Internal Revenue Service today announced another expansion of its "Fresh Start" initiative by offering more flexible terms to its Offer in Compromise (OIC) program that will enable some of the most financially distressed taxpayers to clear up their tax problems and in many cases more quickly than in the past.
"This phase of Fresh Start will assist some taxpayers who have faced the most financial hardship in recent years," said IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman. "It is part of our multiyear effort to help taxpayers who are struggling to make ends meet."

Today’s announcement focuses on the financial analysis used to determine which taxpayers qualify for an OIC. This announcement also enables some taxpayers to resolve their tax problems in as little as two years compared to four or five years in the past.

In certain circumstances, the changes announced today include:

• Revising the calculation for the taxpayer’s future income.
• Allowing taxpayers to repay their student loans.
• Allowing taxpayers to pay state and local delinquent taxes.
• Expanding the Allowable Living Expense allowance category and amount.

In general, an OIC is an agreement between a taxpayer and the IRS that settles the taxpayer’s tax liabilities for less than the full amount owed. An OIC is generally not accepted if the IRS believes the liability can be paid in full as a lump sum or a through payment agreement. The IRS looks at the taxpayer’s income and assets to make a determination of the taxpayer’s reasonable collection potential. OICs are subject to acceptance on legal requirements.

The IRS recognizes that many taxpayers are still struggling to pay their bills so the agency has been working to put in place common-sense changes to the OIC program to more closely reflect real-world situations.

When the IRS calculates a taxpayer’s reasonable collection potential, it will now look at only one year of future income for offers paid in five or fewer months, down from four years, and two years of future income for offers paid in six to 24 months, down from five years. All offers must be fully paid within 24 months of the date the offer is accepted. The Form 656-B,  Offer in Compromise Booklet, and Form 656, Offer in Compromise, has been revised to reflect the changes.

Other changes to the program include narrowed parameters and clarification of when a dissipated asset will be included in the calculation of reasonable collection potential. In addition, equity in income producing assets generally will not be included in the calculation of reasonable collection potential for on-going businesses.
Allowable Living Expenses
The Allowable Living Expense standards are used in cases requiring financial analysis to determine a taxpayer’s ability to pay. The standard allowances provide consistency and fairness in collection determinations by incorporating average expenditures for basic necessities for citizens in similar geographic areas. These standards are used when evaluating installment agreement and offer in compromise requests.

The National Standard miscellaneous allowance has been expanded to include additional items. Taxpayers can use the miscellaneous allowance for expenses such as credit card payments and bank fees and charges.

Guidance has also been clarified to allow payments for loans guaranteed by the federal government for the taxpayer's post-high school education. In addition, payments for delinquent state and local taxes may be allowed based on percentage basis of tax owed to the state and IRS.

This is another in a series of steps to help struggling taxpayers under the Fresh Start initiative.

In 2008, IRS announced lien relief for taxpayers trying to refinance or sell a home. The IRS added new flexibility for taxpayers facing payment or collection problems in 2009. The IRS made changes to lien policies in 2011 and expanded the threshold for small businesses to resolve tax issues through installment agreements. And, earlier this year, the IRS increased the threshold for a streamlined installment agreement allowing individual taxpayers to set up an installment agreement without providing a significant amount of financial information.

IRS Announces 43 Small Offices to Close, Others to be Consolidated; Agency Sheds More than One Million Square Feet of Office Space

The Internal Revenue Service today announced a sweeping office space and rent reduction initiative that over the next 2 years will close 43 smaller offices and reduce space in many larger facilities. These measures will save more than 40 million in taxpayer dollars. Coupled with space reductions last year, the initiative will slash total IRS office space by more than one million square feet.

“Given today’s tight budget environment, we have to be willing to make the tough but responsible calls to save taxpayer dollars,” said IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman.  “Cutting and consolidating our real estate is a responsible way we can save money. It’s an important addition to our growing portfolio of cost-saving measures.”

To ensure that the agency uses rental space as efficiently and effectively as possible, the IRS will:

• Close 43 smaller offices.  These are offices without taxpayer assistance centers and currently have fewer than 25 employees.
• Consolidate multiple offices within the same commuting area.
• Explore innovative ways to do more with existing space, such as desk sharing and increased telecommuting.

None of the offices being closed under this initiative are walk-in taxpayer assistance centers. Because of the nature of the work performed in these offices, the IRS anticipates minimal taxpayer impact as a result of these closures.

This cost-cutting initiative is projected to save $17.2 million in annual rental costs in fiscal 2012 and $23.5 million in fiscal 2013. These are permanent reductions in space and rent so these savings will be realized in future years as well.

The initiative will cut space by 715,000 square feet in fiscal 2012 and 230,000 square feet in fiscal 2013. This is on top of a 105,000-square-foot reduction in fiscal 2011.

The IRS has more than 650 offices around the country. Today’s initiative supplements space saving projects over the past seven years that are now yielding $70 million annually in rental savings . This is part of a broader Administration effort which has cut government real estate costs by over $1.5 billion and is on track to exceed the President's directive to save $3 billion by the end of the year.

Start Planning Now for Next Year's Tax Return

The tax deadline may have just passed but planning for next year can start now. The IRS reminds taxpayers that being organized and planning ahead can save time, money and headaches in 2013. Here are eight things you can do now to make next April 15 easier.

1. Adjust your withholding Why wait another year for a big refund? Now is a good time to review your withholding and make adjustments for next year, especially if you'd prefer more money in each paycheck this year. If you owed at tax time, perhaps you'd like next year's tax payment to be smaller. Use IRS's Withholding Calculator at www.irs.gov or Publication 919, How Do I Adjust My Tax Withholding?

2. Store your return in a safe place Put your 2011 tax return and supporting documents somewhere secure so you'll know exactly where to find them if you receive an IRS notice and need to refer to your return. If it is easy to find, you can also use it as a helpful guide for next year's return.

3. Organize your recordkeeping Establish a central location where everyone in your household can put tax-related records all year long. Anything from a shoebox to a file cabinet works. Just be consistent to avoid a scramble for misplaced mileage logs or charity receipts come tax time.

4. Review your paycheck Make sure your employer is properly withholding and reporting retirement account contributions, health insurance payments, charitable payroll deductions and other items. These payroll adjustments can make a big difference on your bottom line. Fixing an error in your paycheck now gets you back on track before it becomes a huge hassle.

5. Shop for a tax professional early If you use a tax professional to help you strategize, plan and make financial decisions throughout the year, then search now. You'll have more time when you're not up against a deadline or anxious for your refund. Choose a tax professional wisely. You are ultimately responsible for the accuracy of your own return regardless of who prepares it. Find tips for choosing a preparer at www.irs.gov.

6. Prepare to itemize deductions If your expenses typically fall just below the amount to make itemizing advantageous, a bit of planning to bundle deductions into 2012 may pay off. An early or extra mortgage payment, pre-deadline property tax payments, planned donations or strategically paid medical bills could equal some tax savings. See the Schedule A instructions for expenses you can deduct if you're itemizing and then prepare an approach that works best for you.

7. Strategize tuition payments The American Opportunity Tax Credit, which offsets higher education expenses, is set to expire after 2012. It may be beneficial to pay 2013 tuition in 2012 to take full advantage of this tax credit, up to $2,500, before it expires. For more information, see IRS Publication 970, Tax Benefits for Education.

8. Keep up with changes Find out about tax law changes, helpful tips and IRS announcements all year by subscribing to IRS Tax Tips through www.irs.gov or IRS2Go, the mobile app from the IRS. The IRS issues tips regularly during summer and tax season. Special Edition tips are sent periodically with other timely updates.

The IRS emphasizes that each household's financial circumstances are different so it's important to fully consider your specific situation and goals before making large financial decisions.