The Security Summit, a coalition of the IRS, state tax administrators, tax software companies, the tax professional community, and others in the larger tax community, was formed in 2015 to combat tax-related identity theft through better public-private sector coordination, strengthening internal protections, and raising awareness about security threats.

The National Tax Security Awareness Week features a week-long series of educational efforts to educate and inform taxpayers and tax professionals on how to defend against identity theft and other scams. The campaign includes daily press releases, social media awareness, special educational materials, and a special webinar for tax professionals on developing a Written Information Security Plan (WISP).

The IRS and Summit partners are focused on combating identity thieves and their increasingly sophisticated scams. Identity thieves often impersonate the IRS and others in the tax community using fake emails, texts, and online scams. These schemes frequently use recent tragedies or imitate charitable groups to coax people into sharing sensitive financial data, which can lead to tax-related identity theft.

The Security Summit partners remind taxpayers that the awareness effort is a year-round effort in the tax community. The special National Tax Security Awareness Week that begins on November 27 provides extra awareness for taxpayers as the holidays and the 2024 tax season approaches. The IRS and Summit partners urge tax professionals to review the “Taxes-Security-Together” Checklist and create a written data security plan as required by federal law.

Overall, National Tax Security Awareness Week is an innovative way for the IRS, the states, and the private-sector tax industry to work together to protect taxpayers and the tax community. Protecting taxpayers is an important priority for the IRS, and the National Tax Security Awareness Week provides helpful information to taxpayers to help in the ongoing battle against identity thieves.

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Disaster-area taxpayers in most of California and in parts of Alabama and Georgia have also been granted extensions until Oct. 16, 2023, to file various federal individual and business tax returns and make tax payments. Taxpayers affected by flooding in Illinois and Alaska have until Oct. 31, 2023, to file, while those affected by flooding in Vermont have until Nov. 15, 2023, to file. Taxpayers impacted by recent natural disasters, including those affected by the recent Maui fires and hurricane Idalia in parts of Florida, South Carolina, and Georgia, have until Feb. 24, 2024, to file various individual and business tax returns.

The IRS Free File is available through Oct. 16 and lets qualified taxpayers prepare and file federal income tax returns online using guided tax preparation software. It’s available to any person or family with an adjusted gross income (AGI) of $73,000 or less in 2022. Taxpayers can use the IRS Free File to claim the Child Tax Credit, the Earned Income Tax Credit, and other important credits. IRS Free File Fillable Forms is available for taxpayers whose 2022 AGI was greater than $73,000 and who are comfortable preparing their own tax return.

Taxpayers can get answers to many tax law questions by using the IRS’s Interactive Tax Assistant tool. Additionally, taxpayers can view tax information in several languages by clicking on the “English” tab located on the IRS.gov home page. The IRS Online Account feature provides information to help taxpayers file an accurate return, including AGI amounts from last year’s return, estimated tax payment amounts, and refunds applied as a credit.

Taxpayers can file anytime and schedule their federal tax payments up to the Oct. 16 due date. They can pay online, by phone, or with their mobile device and the IRS2Go app. Electronic payment options are easy and flexible, and taxpayers can pay when they file electronically using online tax software. Those who use a tax preparer should ask the preparer to make the tax payment through an electronic funds withdrawal from a bank account. The IRS2Go mobile app provides access to mobile-friendly payment options, including Direct Pay and debit or credit card payments. Payments can also be made with a credit card, debit card, or a digital wallet option, available through a payment processor. The payment processor, not the IRS, charges a fee for this service. Convenient, safe, and easy, the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS) allows for payments online or by phone using the EFTPS Voice Response System. EFTPS payments must be scheduled by 8 p.m. ET at least one calendar day before the tax due date.

In conclusion, taxpayers are reminded to file their tax returns on or before the Oct. 16 deadline to avoid late filing penalties. Those affected by natural disasters or in certain states have been granted extensions until 2023 and 2024. The IRS Free File and other online resources are available to help taxpayers prepare and file their returns, while electronic payment options provide convenience and flexibility. Taxpayers are encouraged to visit the IRS website for the latest information and resources.

Taxpayers affected by disaster declarations and those returning from a combat zone may have additional time to file. They include:

• Taxpayers affected by flooding in Illinois and Alaska. They have until Oct. 31, 2023, to file.
• Those affected by flooding in Vermont. They have until Nov. 15, 2023, to file.
• Taxpayers affected by recent natural disasters including those impacted by the recent Maui fires and hurricane Idalia in parts of Florida, South Carolina, and Georgia. Those in the counties of Maui, Hawaii, and many counties in Florida, South Carolina, and Georgia have until Feb. 24, 2024, to file various individual and business tax returns. This list continues to be updated regularly. Taxpayers potentially affected by recent storms should visit the disaster relief page on IRS.gov for the latest information.
• Members of the military and others serving in a combat zone. They typically have 180 days after they leave the combat zone to file returns and pay any taxes due.

IRS Free File and other online resources

IRS Free File is available through Oct. 16 and lets qualified taxpayers prepare and file federal income tax returns online using guided tax preparation software. It’s available to any person or family with an adjusted gross income (AGI) of $73,000 or less in 2022. Taxpayers can use the IRS Free File to claim the Child Tax Credit, the Earned Income Tax Credit, and other important credits. IRS Free File Fillable Forms is available for taxpayers whose 2022 AGI was greater than $73,000 and who are comfortable preparing their own tax return.

Taxpayers can get answers to many tax law questions by using the IRS’s Interactive Tax Assistant tool. Additionally, taxpayers can view tax information in several languages by clicking on the “English” tab located on the IRS.gov home page.

The IRS Online Account feature provides information to help taxpayers file an accurate return including AGI amounts from last year’s return, estimated tax payment amounts, and refunds applied as a credit.

Schedule and pay electronically

Taxpayers can file anytime and schedule their federal tax payments up to the Oct. 16 due date. They can pay online, by phone or with their mobile device and the IRS2Go app. Some other key points to keep in mind when filing and paying federal taxes electronically include:

• Convenience. Electronic payment options are easy and flexible. Taxpayers can pay when they file electronically using online tax software. Those who use a tax preparer should ask the preparer to make the tax payment through an electronic funds withdrawal from a bank account.
• IRS Direct Pay. This feature allows taxpayers to pay online directly from a checking or savings account for free and schedule payments up to 365 days in advance. An IRS Online Account is needed, however, to use IRS Direct Pay.
• Pay by card. Payments can be made with a credit card, debit card, or a digital wallet option. These are available through a payment processor. The payment processor, not the IRS, charges a fee for this service.
• IRS2Go. The IRS2Go mobile app provides access to mobile-friendly payment options, including Direct Pay and debit or credit card payments.
• Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS). Convenient, safe, and easy, EFTPS allows for payments online or by phone using the EFTPS Voice Response System. EFTPS payments must be scheduled by 8 p.m. ET at least one calendar day before the tax due date.

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These changes reflect the IRS’s ongoing transformation efforts made possible under the Inflation Reduction Act. Tax professionals are a critical part of the nation’s tax system, and the new IRS Strategic Operating Plan highlights the need to improve technology and services for taxpayers as well as tax professionals.

“Tax professionals provide a vital service to taxpayers and the nation, and the IRS is committed to making improvements to help them serve their clients,” said IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel. “As part of our transformation efforts, we will be working to add new technology and expand our relationship with the tax professional community. The ongoing improvements to the Tax Pro Account are just part of a larger effort.“

The new enhancements continue the IRS’s efforts to improve the third-party authorization process. The IRS also continues to work on additional expansions to improve services to taxpayers and their tax professionals.

Tax Pro Account provides tax professionals with a digital self-service portal they can rely on to manage their authorization relationship with taxpayers and view taxpayers’ information. With the recent enhancements, tax professionals can now use Tax Pro Account to send Power of Attorney (POA) and Tax Information Authorization (TIA) requests directly to a taxpayer’s individual IRS Online Account. Upon the taxpayer’s approval and validation of the information, the authorization records are immediately to the CAF database, which avoids faxing, mailing, uploading, and long review and processing time by the CAF Unit.

Tax professionals must have a CAF number to use a Tax Pro Account; a CAF number cannot be requested through the Tax Pro Account. Currently, the digital authorization process is available only for individual taxpayers, not businesses or other entities.

More than 260,000 people have used Tax Pro Account since it launched in July 2021. The webpage has been viewed over 2.7 million times.

The IRS is committed to improving and expanding Tax Pro Account capabilities and engaging with the tax professional community as these efforts progress. This partnership will enhance the authorization request process and provide tax professionals with the tools they need to access relevant taxpayer information and the ability to address relevant tax-related issues for their clients quickly.

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To be eligible for this increase, taxpayers must apply for and receive an allocation of capacity limitation with respect to their facility. The Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service have developed the Low-Income Communities Bonus Credit Program to allocate capacity limitations. The program is open to eligible solar and wind facilities that are placed in service in low-income communities or on Indian land, or that are part of either a qualified low-income residential building project or a qualified low-income economic benefit project.

The annual capacity limitation for each of the calendar years 2023 and 2024 is 1.8 gigawatts, divided across the facility categories. For 2023, 50% of the capacity limitation within each category is reserved for facilities meeting certain ownership and/or geographic selection criteria, known as additional selection criteria.

Facilities that receive an allocation must be placed in service within four years of the date of the allocation award. Facility owners will report to the Department of Energy that the facility has been placed in service through the same portal they used to apply.

Taxpayers who are eligible to claim the increase to the energy investment credit will calculate their energy investment credit and the increase by using Form 3468, Investment Credit. The credit increase will be calculated as the basis of eligible property in the solar or wind facility and the applicable increase of either 10 or 20 percentage points, based on the project category under which the facility was awarded an allocation.

The DOE and the Treasury Department hosted a virtual informational webinar for potential applicants on September 29, 2023. Additional information can be found on IRS.gov and the Department of Energy website.

Overall, this increase in the energy investment credit for solar and wind facilities benefitting low-income communities is a positive step towards promoting renewable energy and environmental justice.

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