[OSSSA218] Fwd: IRS Headliners and Event Updates

Tue Nov 16 06:36:26 PST 2010

FYI

Karen Park

Oregon State Social Security Coordinator
Oregon PERS
503 603-7633
karen.park at state.or.us

SL2

Please note my office hours are Monday thru Thursday 6 am to 4:30 pm

CONFIDENTIALITY NOTE: All information in this email, including attachments, is approved solely for delivery to and authorized use by intended recipients. Use, dissemination, distribution, or reproduction of this message and/or any of its attachments by unintended recipients is not authorized and may be unlawful. If  you are not an intended recipient of this message or an authorized assistant to an intended recipient, please notify the sender by replying to this message and then delete it from your system. 

>>> "Marshall KayDel D" <KayDel.Marshall at irs.gov> 11/15/2010 3:38 PM >>>

Dear Business Organization:

Here are the latest IRS News Releases and Headliners to distribute to your small business members.  I hope that the information will be helpful and we encourage publication in your association's magazines, newsletters, email distributions and/or website.  

Below are summaries and links to the most recent headliners and news releases your members might be interested in.  The title and summary are designed to give you a brief overview of the article's content -- the link to the full article is at the end of each summary. I encourage you to use any or all of these in newsletters or emails to your members, or on your web site.  

Since many of you are non-profit organizations and may have contact with new non-profits, I also wanted to let you know that there will be a webinar this week (Nov 18) for new tax exempt organizations – it is free – here is the description and link to register: 
Starting Off Right: What New 501(c)(3) Organizations Need to Know 
This free webinar is a fast-paced overview by two IRS Exempt Organizations tax veterans on what new tax-exempts need to do (and what they will want to avoid) to follow IRS rules and keep their tax status in good standing in years to come. This 45-minute session will be held Nov. 18 at 11 AM PT. If you are a newly formed 501(c)(3) organization or an organization that wants a refresher, register today and start off right.  

If you haven't already done so, please make a note of my change in address and phone numbers below.  Due to the Federal Building remodel, the IRS will be in the location below for the next 3 or 4 years.  

For the next month or so, I may not be available.   If you need immediate assistance with anything while I am gone, please contact , Donna Wagner, my Management Assistant in Seattle at 206-220-5590 for referrals to my local colleagues; either John Blakeman or Brian Wozniak, whomever is available to help you.

If someone else in your organization is a more appropriate contact point for these types of emails, please let me know.  And if you do not want to receive future emails like this one, please reply and request your name be removed.

KayDel
KayDel Marshall 
Senior Stakeholder Liaison
Small Business & Self-Employed C/L/D
100 S.W. Main Street, Suite 1200
Portland, Oregon 97204 
503-415-7141 Phone 
503-415-7217 Fax 
E-Mail: KayDel.Marshall at irs.gov 
ID #1000843166
Upcoming Events: 
"Employer Survival Guide"  November 18, 4:00-7:00 p.m.  The Small Business Legal Clinic is putting on a seminar entitled "Employer Survival Guide".  This seminar is perfect for everyone--whether you haven't yet hired your first employee or have hired your 100th, this seminar will provide a concise overview of key employment issues to consider.  A special thank you to Renee Starr (of Renee E. Starr, LLC) and Cathy Tavares (Oregon Dept. of Revenue) for agreeing to put on the seminar, and to NedSpace for sponsoring it!!  Please RSVP  Becka Martinez Griffin rcmg at lclark.edu 503-768-6940 
Tax Planning for the Small Business
Thursday, November 18th 5:30-7:30pm

Good tax planning is one of the keys to being profitable as a business owner. Learn how your business income and expenses impact your tax return. In this class, you will learn what you need to know about home office, depreciation, auto expenses, etc, as well as the information you need to keep track of.

Note: This class is most helpful when taken in conjunction with the January 11th Session: “Filing the Small Business Tax Return”. Taking both classes is recommended, but not required.

Click here to sign up online.

Social Media Marketing 
Monday November 29th, 6-9pm

Join Tome Howe for a step-by-step setup guide on how to get new customers and increase revenue with smart use of social media marketing sites, including: LinkedIn, Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, YouTube, Podcasts, Flickr, Blogs, Biznik, and other social media sites. 

Click here to sign up online.

Free IRS Phone Forum -- Recordkeeping
http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/article/0,,id=166814,00.html#1
Dec 1 – three times to choose from:  7am, 10 am or 1 pm Pacific Time.
Learn about why specific books and records are needed, how to maintain good books and records, basic examination procedures and IRS examination expectations.
This IRS phone forum is for tax professionals, attorneys, payroll professionals, industry organizations and small businesses.  Register at AT&T TeleConference Services. Reservations are limited, so register early. You will receive a personal identification number to join the conference. If you have never registered with AT&T for a prior phone forum, you will first need to click on create a profile.  We will e-mail presentation materials the day before the forum. If you do not receive this e-mail by noon the day before the event, please e-mail us at nationalphoneforum at irs.gov to request the materials. 

January 25, 2011 - Oregon Small Business Forum 
The next Scheduled Oregon Small Business Forum has been scheduled for Tuesday, January 25, 2011 from 8:00 a.m. to Noon at the Oregon Association for Minority Entrepreneurs offices at 4134 N. Vancouver, Portland, Oregon.  The Focus Area Topic selected by participants for the next forum is "Marketing Your Business - What's Hot/What's Not and How to Reach your Targeted Customers to Increase Sales"   There are several great speakers on the marketing topic offering great information to disseminate to those small businesses you serve in order to enhance the success of small business in Oregon.

IRS Updates & News Releases:

Expanded Recovery Act Tax Credits Help Homeowners Winterize their Homes, Save Energy; Check Tax Credit Certification Before You Buy, IRS Advises
http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=231327,00.html
Homeowners making energy-saving improvements this fall can cut their winter heating bills and lower their 2010 tax bill as well.  Last year’s Recovery Act expanded two home energy tax credits: the nonbusiness energy property credit and the residential energy efficient property credit.  The nonbusiness energy property credit equals 30% of what a homeowner spends on eligible energy-saving improvements, up to a maximum tax credit of $1,500 for the combined 2009 and 2010 tax years. The cost of certain high-efficiency heating and air conditioning systems, water heaters and stoves that burn biomass all qualify, along with labor costs for installing these items. In addition, the cost of energy-efficient windows and skylights, energy-efficient doors, qualifying insulation and certain roofs also qualify for the credit, though the cost of installing these items does not count.  Homeowners going green should also check out a second tax credit designed to spur investment in alternative energy equipment. The residential energy efficient property credit equals 30% of what a homeowner spends on qualifying property such as solar electric systems, solar hot water heaters, geothermal heat pumps, wind turbines, and fuel cell property. Generally, labor costs are included when figuring this credit. Also, except for fuel cell property, no cap exists on the amount of credit available.

IRS YouTube Video: Energy Credits – It’s Not Too Late: English | Spanish | ASL

Nearly 70 Percent of Taxpayers Used IRS e-file in 2010
http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=231381,00.html
Nearly 99 million individuals filed their federal income tax returns electronically during 2010, a 3% increase in the IRS e-file rate. Of the 141.5 million returns filed so far this year, almost 70% were filed electronically.  Each year, more taxpayers chose to e-file their tax returns. Last year, nearly 95 million taxpayers or 67% used e-file. In the past decade, the number of individual tax returns e-filed has increased by 145%. The overall number of individual tax returns increased only by 8%. IRS e-file is no longer is the exception; now it is the norm.  Taxpayers who prepare their own tax returns using home computers continued to set the pace for e-file. This year, more than 35% of e-filers prepared and filed their returns themselves.

IRS Announces 2011 VITA Grant Recipients
http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=231340,00.html
The Internal Revenue Service has awarded more than $11 million in matching grants to support its Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program. Under the VITA Grant Program, the IRS awarded matching grants to 177 organizations that will offer free tax preparation services during the 2011 filing season at locations in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
VITA partners are organizations that provide free federal tax return preparation and electronic filing to low and moderate income individuals. For tax year 2010, individuals and families with an adjusted gross income of $49,000 or lower are eligible for assistance.  View the list of 2011 Grant Recipients.

IRS Begins Notifying Tax Return Preparers on PTIN Renewals
http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=229602,00.html
The Internal Revenue Service has begun notifying about 1 million tax return preparers to remind them that they must renew their Preparer Tax Identification Numbers (PTIN) if they are still paid preparers. Use of the PTIN will be required on all federal returns prepared by paid tax return preparers starting Jan. 1.  Tax return preparers can register immediately using a new PTIN sign-up system available through www.IRS.gov/taxpros. Preparers will need to create an account, complete the PTIN application and pay a $64.25 fee before getting their PTINs.  The PTIN requirement is one of the main provisions in a new oversight program to help regulate the tax preparation industry. Anyone paid to prepare all or substantially all of any federal tax return or claim for refund must have a PTIN. The requirement applies to all tax return preparers, including those who are enrolled agents, certified public accountants and attorneys.

IRS YouTube Videos:  PTIN: Preparer Tax Identification Number: English;  Message for Tax Preparers: English | Spanish | ASL

IRS Announces Pension Plan Limitations for 2011
http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=229975,00.html
The Internal Revenue Service has announced cost of living adjustments affecting dollar limitations for pension plans and other retirement-related items for tax year 2011. In general, these limits will either remain unchanged, or the inflation adjustments for 2011 will be small.  See the full article for details.

Recent Articles from e-News for Small Businesses

Looking for a retirement plan?
The IRS Retirement Plans Navigator can help small business owners choose a suitable plan, maintain the plan and correct common plan errors.  

Electronic accounting records provide significant advantages 
Headliner Volume 303, IRS Begins Accepting Taxpayer Records in Electronic Format, is now available on IRS.gov.  

Starting off right: webinar for 501(c)(3) organizations
A free Nov. 18 webinar offers an overview of what tax-exempt organizations need to do (and what to avoid) to follow IRS rules and keep their tax status in good standing. 

New free electronic mail service for payroll providers
Sign-up for the new e-News for Payroll Providers to get information about legislative changes, new employment tax procedures and other information specifically affecting federal payroll tax returns. 

Now showing in the video archive
The Sept. 29 IRS Live webinar, Collecting Employer Taxes on Tips, is now available on the IRS Video Portal. 

IR-2010-107, Commissioner of Internal Revenue Douglas H. Shulman's Keynote Speech Before the AICPA Fall Tax Meeting 

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