Obtaining and Understanding Your Client’s IRS Account Information (Completed)

Over 70 million taxpayers each year have to interact with the IRS outside of filing a tax return. Many of these taxpayers need their account information at the IRS for a variety of reasons; including resolving an IRS notice or tax problem or getting their tax information for other uses, like applying for financial aid or a loan. Tax professionals are repeatedly called on by clients to help both obtain and understand their IRS information. Also, effective tax problem solving requires that the tax professional conduct effective due diligence which includes understanding their client’s IRS account information. This course will go into the importance of understanding taxpayer account information, including how to obtain, analyze, and use the five types of IRS transcripts. We will also cover how to interview the IRS to get other critical tax account information.

Who Should Attend
Tax professionals and tax firm leaders who want to be able to understand how to obtain, understand, and use IRS account information to answer client questions and resolve common tax issues with the IRS.

Topics Covered

• The two main sources of tax account information at the IRS
• How to be authorized to obtain your clients' account information at the IRS
• The three steps of the tax problem solving process- and the importance the due diligence step
• The five types of IRS transcripts and what information is included in IRS transcripts
• How to effectively use transcripts to resolve common tax issues and to double check prior year returns for accuracy
• How to obtain taxpayer account information from the IRS Practitioner Priority Service
• Best practices and tips on obtaining and analyzing tax account information

Learning Objectives

• Identify what information you can obtain from the IRS about your client and where to obtain IRS account information
• Recognize how to execute the proper authorization (Form 2848 or 8821) to obtain your client's account information at the IRS
• Describe how to effectively conduct due diligence to identify and resolve a client's tax issue with the IRS
• Identify how to interview IRS Practitioner Priority Service and campus compliance units to obtain important information about your client
• Recognize how to obtain, analyze, and use the five type of IRS transcripts to answer client questions and resolve tax problems and issues
• Describe how to initiate access to the IRS e-Services Transcript Delivery System platform to obtain client transcripts
• Recognize how to use IRS transcripts to identify future tax problems and notices and to double check the accuracy of prior year filed returns

Level
Basic

Instructional Method
Group: Internet-based

NASBA Field of Study
Taxes (2 hours)

Program Prerequisites
None

Advance Preparation
None