Master Tax Advisor, LLC

05/02/2026

Well said

05/01/2026

This from the IRS;
It’s not too early to start planning for next year: Check withholding now

Even though the tax filing deadline for tax year 2025 passed a couple of weeks ago, it’s not too early to start planning for next filing season. Planning now can help taxpayers avoid surprises next year. One action that can be taken is checking for proper tax withholding.

What is withholding?
Taxpayers need to pay their taxes as they receive their income, and they do this through withholding. For employees, “withholding” refers to the federal income tax portion of each paycheck that an employer takes out for tax purposes. It can also be the amount from earnings of self-employed people and others voluntarily set aside to pay their estimated taxes.

How taxpayers can check their withholding
The IRS Tax Withholding Estimator is a free, easy-to-use tool that helps workers and retirees estimate the amount of federal income tax to withhold from their paychecks now for the taxes they will owe next year.

The estimator reflects the changes to credits and deductions under the One, Big, Beautiful Bill. This includes the deductions for tips, overtime, car loan interest, and an enhanced deduction for seniors. It also accounts for updates tied to family-related credits, homeownership, and charitable giving.

What are the benefits of using the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator?
By using the estimator, taxpayers can manage their estimates based on any personal life change, such as buying a home, changing jobs, having a child or changing their marital status.

For people who recently completed their 2025 tax return, the IRS advises using the IRS Tax Withholding Estimator to consider all income sources such as full-time wages, side jobs, and any sale of services or goods.

By adjusting tax withholding, taxpayers can:

Prevent owing money and potential penalties at tax time
Adjust withholding to increase take-home pay instead of waiting for a refund
What else do taxpayers need
For an effective tax withholding estimate, taxpayers will need certain documents, including:

All income statements, including their spouse’s if filing jointly
Data from other sources of earnings
Their most recent income tax return
More information

Publication 505, Tax Withholding and Estimated Tax
Tax Withholding Estimator FAQs

03/15/2026

I want to thank everyone who posted on my timeline to wish me a Happy birthday! I am sorry I was not able to get to everyone individually. The number of the outpouring of emails, texts, calls, cards, and FB posts was amazing! 🤗🩷

03/14/2026

Note that there will be extended weekday and Saturday hours at Taxpayer Assistance Centers through the spring

The IRS is extending weekly office hours at more than 200 Taxpayer Assistance Centers (TACs) nationwide to provide tax professionals and taxpayers with additional time to receive in-person assistance during the filing season. Extended weekday hours will be available through Thursday, April 30.

Check whether a nearby TAC is offering extended hours by using the TAC Locator tool on IRS.gov: Contact your local office.

In addition to expanded weekday hours, many TACs will also be open on select Saturdays through June 2026 to provide in-person assistance. During these special Saturday hours, taxpayers can access all regularly available TAC services except for making cash payments.

For more information about Saturday hours, visit IRS.gov/saturdayhours. Check the website regularly as participating locations and availability may change without notice.

01/07/2026

Thought for today.

01/03/2026

IRS sets new mileage rate for 2026.

IR-2025-128, Dec. 29, 2025 — The Internal Revenue Service today announced that the optional standard mileage rate for business use of automobiles will increase by 2.5 cents in 2026.

11/28/2025

It’s Not Too Early to Get Ready for the 2026 Tax Season

Tax professionals should encourage their clients to take steps now to prepare for the upcoming filing season. IRS.gov/GetReady includes tips on what’s new and what to consider before filing.

The first of a series of special IRS "Get Ready" reminders helps tax professionals and taxpayers prepare for the 2026 tax filing season. A little advance work, preparing paperwork and organizing information now can help with filing tax returns quickly and accurately.

Taxpayers need to get ready now because the One, Big, Beautiful Bill can significantly affect federal taxes, credits and deductions. The IRS and Treasury are working to implement the new legislation, including providing information on the new tax deductions, such as no tax on tips, no tax on overtime, no tax on car loan interest, and the new temporary deduction for seniors and others. The IRS will release new information as it becomes available.

Organized tax records help tax professionals file complete and accurate tax returns and avoid errors that could delay refunds. The IRS reminder includes a list of documents clients should start collecting. Tax preparers should wait to file until they've received all tax records.

Taxpayers should also get ready by establishing an IRS online account. Online accounts allow taxpayers to access personal tax information, including recently filed returns, securely. Taxpayers can also perform a variety of other tasks through the tool, as explained in the IRS reminder.

As tax professionals already know, direct deposit is the fastest way to receive a refund. Additionally, in accordance with Executive Order 14247, the IRS began phasing out paper tax refund checks on Sept. 30, 2025. Tax professionals should remind their clients to get their routing and account numbers ready so their refunds will be directly deposited into their bank accounts.

Get ready to file your taxes. See tips that can make filing taxes easier next year. Learn about tax law changes, how to view your tax account information online, and ways to get help.

11/02/2025

THIS FROM THE IRS:

Tax professionals should be aware of the following during the current lapse in appropriations due to limited IRS operations:

Tax refunds. Generally, the IRS will not pay refunds. One key exception exists: the IRS will continue to pay individual refunds for your clients who requested direct deposit on their Forms 1040 if the client electronically filed the tax returns, the returns are error-free, and the returns can be automatically processed. The IRS urges tax professionals to electronically file their clients’ returns with direct deposit to avoid delays.
Payments. The IRS will accept and process any payments and remittances received, whether received electronically or by mail.
Correspondence. The IRS generally will not be responding to paper correspondence. Tax professionals who mail in correspondence to the IRS during this period should expect a delay for a response after full government operations resume due to a growing correspondence backlog.
Telephones. Only limited live IRS telephone customer service assistance will be available; however, most automated toll-free telephone applications will remain operational.
Taxpayer appointments. The IRS’s walk-in Taxpayer Assistance Centers (TACs) are closed. Appointments are cancelled until the government reopens. Likewise, appointments related to the Independent Office of Appeals or Taxpayer Advocate Service cases are cancelled. IRS personnel will reschedule those meetings when the government reopens.
Transcripts. Tax professionals needing historical filing information can use automated tools to request tax transcripts. In addition, the IRS will process transcript requests related to disaster relief.
Income verification. The IRS Income Verification Express Service (IVES) will remain available.
Tax-exempt groups. The IRS will not process applications or determinations for tax-exempt status or pension plans.
Enforcement activity. Criminal Investigation work continues during this period, as does compliance work related to protecting statutes of limitations.
2026 filing season. The IRS will continue some critical operations during this period to be ready for tax professionals and their clients. These critical operations include testing and preparation of filing season programs and related issues.
Tax professionals and their clients should continue using the tools on IRS.gov, including Tax Pro Account, online account for individuals and Business Tax Account. The following resources can help tax professionals market and set up IRS online accounts:

How to register for IRS online self-help tools
Publication 5533, Access Your IRS Individual Online Account [PDF]
Publication 5533-A, Tax Professionals: Save Time with The Tax Pro Account [PDF]
Publication 5533-B, Tax Professionals: How to Manage Authorizations Using Tax Pro Account [PDF]
Publication 5904, Access Your Business Tax Account [PDF]
ID.me Help Center

11/02/2025

This is from the IRS:
Tax professionals should be aware of the following during the current lapse in appropriations due to limited IRS operations:

Tax refunds. Generally, the IRS will not pay refunds. One key exception exists: the IRS will continue to pay individual refunds for your clients who requested direct deposit on their Forms 1040 if the client electronically filed the tax returns, the returns are error-free, and the returns can be automatically processed. The IRS urges tax professionals to electronically file their clients’ returns with direct deposit to avoid delays.
Payments. The IRS will accept and process any payments and remittances received, whether received electronically or by mail.
Correspondence. The IRS generally will not be responding to paper correspondence. Tax professionals who mail in correspondence to the IRS during this period should expect a delay for a response after full government operations resume due to a growing correspondence backlog.
Telephones. Only limited live IRS telephone customer service assistance will be available; however, most automated toll-free telephone applications will remain operational.
Taxpayer appointments. The IRS’s walk-in Taxpayer Assistance Centers (TACs) are closed. Appointments are cancelled until the government reopens. Likewise, appointments related to the Independent Office of Appeals or Taxpayer Advocate Service cases are cancelled. IRS personnel will reschedule those meetings when the government reopens.
Transcripts. Tax professionals needing historical filing information can use automated tools to request tax transcripts. In addition, the IRS will process transcript requests related to disaster relief.
Income verification. The IRS Income Verification Express Service (IVES) will remain available.
Tax-exempt groups. The IRS will not process applications or determinations for tax-exempt status or pension plans.
Enforcement activity. Criminal Investigation work continues during this period, as does compliance work related to protecting statutes of limitations.
2026 filing season. The IRS will continue some critical operations during this period to be ready for tax professionals and their clients. These critical operations include testing and preparation of filing season programs and related issues.
Tax professionals and their clients should continue using the tools on IRS.gov, including Tax Pro Account, online account for individuals and Business Tax Account. The following resources can help tax professionals market and set up IRS online accounts:

How to register for IRS online self-help tools
Publication 5533, Access Your IRS Individual Online Account [PDF]
Publication 5533-A, Tax Professionals: Save Time with The Tax Pro Account [PDF]
Publication 5533-B, Tax Professionals: How to Manage Authorizations Using Tax Pro Account [PDF]
Publication 5904, Access Your Business Tax Account [PDF]
ID.me Help Center

10/18/2025

The Following Early Release(s) have been posted
Early Releases are draft versions of tax forms, instructions, and publications. Do not file draft forms and do not rely on information in draft instructions or publications.

Product Title Rev. Date Posted
Form 461 Limitation on Business Losses 2025 10/16/2025

Instruction 8725 Instructions for Form 8725, Excise Tax on Greenmail Dec 2025 10/16/2025

Instruction 1040 (Schedule H) (sp) Instructions for Schedule H (Form 1040), Household Employment Taxes (Spanish Version) 2025 10/16/2025

Instruction 8962 Instructions for Form 8962, Premium Tax Credit (PTC) 2025 10/16/2025

Form W-9S Request for Student's or Borrower's Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification Jan 2026 10/16/2025

Form 8453-TR E-file Declaration or Authorization for Form 1045/1139 Oct 2025 10/16/2025

Instruction 1094-B and 1095-B Instructions for Forms 1094-B and 1095-B 2025 10/16/2025

10/18/2025

IRS
Recent Development for Tax Products
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) sent this bulletin at 10/17/2025 10:30
Recent Developments for Tax Products 10/17/2025
Tax Products Topics
Forms & Publications

The Following Early Release(s) have been posted
Early Releases are draft versions of tax forms, instructions, and publications. Do not file draft forms and do not rely on information in draft instructions or publications.

Product Title Rev. Date Posted
Form 1098-VLI Vehicle Loan Interest Statement (Info Copy Only) Dec 2026 10/17/2025

Instruction 4255 Instructions for Form 4255, Certain Credit Recapture, Excessive Payments, and Penalties Dec 2025 10/17/2025

Form SS-16 Certificate of Election of Coverage Dec 2025 10/17/2025

Form SS-4 Application for Employer Identification Number Dec 2025 10/17/2025