[OSSSA218] Early February Event Updates and Headliners

Thu Feb 10 04:38:42 PST 2011

Thank you KayDel - 

FYI all......Have a great day!

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

SL2
>>> "Marshall KayDel D" <KayDel.Marshall at irs.gov> 02/09/11 11:34 AM >>>
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.  

Although I normally only send these out once each month, there will be
an additional February issue of Event Updates and Headliners coming out
in the next week or so.  Let me know if you have an event you would like
me to include.

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. 

I still have a supply of the 2011 IRS Tax Calendar for Small Businesses
(our most popular small business product), so let me know if your
organization would like some to distribute to your members at events or
from your office.  The calendars are completely out of stock in our
distribution center, so they can no longer be ordered through the IRS
web site.   

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

Announcements & Upcoming Events:  

FREE Small Business Health Care Credit Webinar Rescheduled to February
16, 2011.   Participants who registered for the event have been notified
directly via e-mail. Registered participants do not need to re-register
for the new air date. Folks not registered already, but who want to now,
due to the date change, can go to:
http://www.visualwebcaster.com/event.asp?id=75575
<blocked::http://www.visualwebcaster.com/event.asp?id=75575> .

For those who can not view the event on Feb.16: The event will be
archived <blocked::http://www.tax.gov/>  for later viewing,
approximately two weeks after the date of the event, on the new IRS
Video Portal <blocked::http://www.irsvideos.gov/> .  Check it out now
for lots of free educational videos for small business.  Add this to
your favorites on your computer.

OAME 23rd Annual Trade Show & Luncheon Wednesday, May 11, 2011 at the
Oregon Convention Center in Hall D.  The tradeshow will host more than
120 small and large businesses, state, county and federal government
agencies and business development resources to help minority, women and
emerging small businesses grow.  For registration, exhibit and luncheon
information, and reservations, contact the Oregon Association of
Minority Entrepreneurs (OAME) at 503-249-7744 or at www.oame.org
<http://www.oame.org/> .  Tradeshow admission is free and luncheon
tickets are $65 per person (for more information please visit Luncheon
Information).  

A Silent Auction will be held during Conference & Trade Show.

Program outline:

Trade Show 10:00AM - 3:00PM

Reception 11:30AM - 12:00PM

Lunch 12:00PM - 1:30PM (Trade Show closed during luncheon)

Oregon Small Business Forum August 23, 2011 from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 Noon
at the Oregon Association for Minority Entrepreneurs (OAME), 4134
N.Vancouver, Portland, Oregon.  The focus area topic chosen for this
FREE August Forum is, "Knowing HR Compliance Issues to Stay Out of
Trouble,"  including such issues as BOLI reqalways, the focus area topic is followed by an informal roundtable
discussion where the agencies present will have an opportunity to
explain the services and products they have available to enhance the
success of small business in Oregon.  Mark your calendars now to reserve
this date.

Oregon Small Business Fair, September 24, 2011, Ambridge Event Center,
1333 NE MLK Blvd, Portland, Oregon 97232.  NOTE: Venue has changed/No
longer at Oregon Convention Center.    This is a FREE event for new and
start up small business with exhibitor booths and four workshops each
hour throughout the day. For exhibitor or other information, contact
Linda.E.Repp at state.or.us <blocked::mailto:Linda.E.Repp at state.or.us> .  
Thursday, February 10, 5:00 to 8:00 p.m.

Mercy Corps Northwest  has several small business trainings coming up. 
Check at  it out at:  
http://www.mercycorpsnw.org/what-we-do/classes-and-events/

IRS Updates & News Releases:

IRS Launches the IRS2Go App for iPhone, Android; Taxpayers Can Check
Refunds, Get Tax Information

http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=234882,00.html?portlet=7

The Internal Revenue Service has unveiled IRS2Go, its first smartphone
application that lets taxpayers check on their status of their tax
refund and obtain helpful tax information.

"This new smart phone app reflects our commitment to modernizing the
agency and engaging taxpayers where they want when they want it," said
IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman. "As technology evolves and younger
taxpayers get their information in new ways, we will keep innovating to
make it easy for all taxpayers to access helpful information."

The IRS2Go phone app gives people a convenient way of checking on their
federal refund. It also gives people a quick way of obtaining
easy-to-understand tax tips.  Apple users can download the free IRS2Go
application by visiting the Apple App Store. Android users can visit the
Android Marketplace to download the free IRS2Go app.

Tax Tip:  Tax Help for Small Businesses and Self-Employed

http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=234938,00.html

The IRS Small Business and Self-Employed Tax Center at
http://www.irs.gov/smallbiz offers extensive resources and online tools
designed to help small businesses and self-employed persons. The site
provides important tax information available for all stages of owning a
business. Whether you're starting, operating or closing a business,
visit http://irs.gov/smallbiz for all your federal income tax
information. Other resources available on the IRS website include a
virtual small business tax workshop, video and audio presentations, a
guide to IRS audits, and a tax calendar designed for small business
taxpayers.

Download the Tax Calendar for Small Businesses and Self-Employed

The 2011 Tax Calendar for Small Businesses and Self-Employed is filled
with useful information on general business taxes, IRS and SSA customer
assistance, electronic filing and paying options, retirement plans,
business publications and forms, and common tax filing dates. Paper
copies are already out of stock, but you can download a PDF version of
the calendar to print or download the calendar information to your
Outlook Calendar or ICAL (for the MAC) from the IRS website at
http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/article/0,,id=176080,00.html 

IRS to Start Processing Delayed Returns on Feb. 14; Most People
Unaffected and Can File Now

http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=234736,00.html

The Internal Revenue Service plans a Feb. 14 start date for processing
tax returns delayed by last month's tax law changes. Taxpayers affected
by the delay they can begin preparing their tax returns immediately
because many software providers are ready now to accept these returns. 
Beginning Feb. 14, the IRS will start processing both paper and e-filed
returns claiming itemized deductions on Schedule A, the higher education
tuition and fees deduction on Form 8917 and the educator expenses
deduction. 

Peomany major software providers have announced they will accept these
impacted returns immediately. The software providers will hold onto the
returns and then electronically submit them after the IRS systems open
on Feb. 14 for the delayed forms. Taxpayers using commercial software
can check with their providers for specific instructions. Those who use
a paid tax preparer should check with their preparer, who also may be
holding returns until the updates are complete. Most other returns,
including those claiming the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), education
tax credits, child tax credit and other popular tax breaks, can be filed
as normal, immediately.

The IRS needed the extra time to update its systems to accommodate the
tax law changes without disrupting other operations tied to the filing
season. The delay followed the Dec. 17 enactment of the Tax Relief,
Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010,
which extended a number of expiring provisions including the state and
local sales tax deduction, higher education tuition and fees deduction
and educator expenses deduction.

Free Tax Help Available Nationwide

http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=235201,00.html

Over 12,000 free tax preparation sites will be open nationwide this year
as the Internal Revenue Service continues to expand its partnerships
with nonprofit and community organizations providing vital tax
preparation services for low- to moderate-income and elderly taxpayers. 
The IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program offers free tax
help to people who earn less than $49,000. The Tax Counseling for the
Elderly (TCE) Program offers free tax help to taxpayers who are 60 and
older.  See the full article for more details on the types of returns
volunteers can prepare, a list of what to bring with you, and how to
find the VITA or TCE sites in your area.

For taxpayers who want to prepare and e-file their own tax returns,
there is IRS Free File. Everyone can use Free File, the free way to
prepare and e-file federal taxes either through brand-name software or
online fillable forms. Individuals or families with 2010 adjusted gross
incomes of $58,000 or less can use Free File software. Free File
Fillable Forms, the electronic version of IRS paper forms, has no income
restrictions. For either service, taxpayers must go through
www.irs.gov/freefile
<http://www.irs.gov/efile/article/0,,id=118986,00.html>  to access the
programs.

Relief for Tax Return Preparers Who Have Pending PTIN Applications

http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/n-11-11.pdf

Notice 2011-11 <http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/n-11-11.pdf>  provides
relief by allowing tax return preparers who have made a good faith
effort to obtain a PTIN to prepare tax returns for compensation even
though they have not received a PTIN.   Notice 2011-11 will appear in
IRB 2011-7 dated Feb. 14. 

Taxpayers Who File Electronically Must Use e-Signatures

http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=234470,00.html

In an effort to make electronic filing even more secure and paperless,
the Internal Revenue Service now requires all taxpayers who file their
tax returns electronically to also use electronic signatures. The IRS
has eliminated the paper signature document for e-filed returns.  Just
as the familiar automated teller machines use personal identification
numbers, so does the IRS e-signature process. If filing a joint return,
each taxpayer must create and use his or her own PIN to sign the tax
return. The IRS also must verify your identity so there will be personal
and tax-related questions. You should have your prior year 2009 tax
return on hand if it's available.  There are two ways to create an IRS
e-signature PIN: self-select PIN method and practitioner PIN method -
see the full article for more details.

Recent Articles from e-News for Small Businesses

IRS.gov has new research tool

Research tax law by topic with the new IRS Tax Map
<http://links.govdelivery.com/track?type=click&enid=bWFpbGluZ2lkPTExNzY0MDYmbWVzc2FnZWlkPVBSRC1CVUwtMTE3NjQwNiZkYXRhYmFzZWlkPTEwMDEmc2VyaWFsPTEyNzY3MzI0NjMmZW1haWxpZD1rYXJpLnMuZ2lsamVAaXJzLmdvdiZ1c2VyaWQ9a2FyaS5zLmdpbGplQGlycy5nb3YmZmw9JmV4dHJhPU11bHRpdmFyaWF0ZUlkPSYmJg==&&&118&&&http://www.irs.gov/formspubs/article/0,,id=213705,00.html>
.  

Reminder: indoor tanning tax due Jan. 31

Use Form 720
<http://links.govdelivery.com/track?type=click&enid=bWFpbGluZ2lkPTExNzY0MDYmbWVzc2FnZWlkPVBSRC1CVUwtMTE3NjQwNiZkYXRhYmFzZWlkPTEwMDEmc2VyaWFsPTEyNzY3MzI0NjMmZW1haWxpZD1rYXJpLnMuZ2lsamVAaXJzLmdvdiZ1c2VyaWQ9a2FyaS5zLmdpbGplQGlycy5nb3YmZmw9JmV4dHJhPU11bHRpdmFyaWF0ZUlkPSYmJg==&&&119&&&http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f720.pdf>
, Quarterly Federal Excise Tax Return to report and pay the indoor
tanning tax by Jan. 31. 

Related links: 

§         Indoor Tanning Webinar
<http://links.govdelivery.com/track?type=click&enid=bWFpbGluZ2lkPTExNzY0MDYmbWVzc2FnZWlkPVBSRC1CVUwtMTE3NjQwNiZkYXRhYmFzZWlkPTEwMDEmc2VyaWFsPTEyNzY3MzI0NjMmZW1haWxpZD1rYXJpLnMuZ2lsamVAaXJzLmdvdiZ1c2VyaWQ9a2FyaS5zLmdpbGplQGlycy5nb3YmZmw9JmV4dHJhPU11bHRpdmFyaWF0ZUlkPSYmJg==&&&120&&&http://www.irsvideos.gov/IndoorTanning/>
  (archived version)  

§         Excise Tax on Indoor Tanning Services Frequently Asked
Questions
<http://links.govdelivery.com/track?type=click&enid=bWFpbGluZ2lkPTExNzY0MDYmbWVzc2FnZWlkPVBSRC1CVUwtMTE3NjQwNiZkYXRhYmFzZWlkPTEwMDEmc2VyaWFsPTEyNzY3MzI0NjMmZW1haWxpZD1rYXJpLnMuZ2lsamVAaXJzLmdvdiZ1c2VyaWQ9a2FyaS5zLmdpbGplQGlycy5nb3YmZmw9JmV4dHJhPU11bHRpdmFyaWF0ZUlkPSYmJg==&&&121&&&http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/article/0,,id=224600,00.html>

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