The IRS has issued a tax tip reminding taxpayers that help is available year-round. This is good information for payroll professionals to pass on to employees who have tax questions. Employees may have more questions this year due to the tax reform law, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA; Pub. L. 115-97) [IRS Tax Tip 2018-91, 6-13-18].
The IRS has these resources available year-round:
- IRS.gov. Employees can find all sorts of helpful information on the IRS website. They can click on “Help” at the top of the home page to access several online tools. They can also get answers to tax questions with the Interactive Tax Assistant tool and the IRS Tax Map.
- Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS). This independent organization within the IRS can help people who are experiencing economic harm, seeking help in resolving tax problems, or believe that an IRS procedure is not working as it should.
- Low Income Taxpayer Clinics. These clinics provide professional representation to individuals who need to resolve tax problems and can represent taxpayers at no charge in disputes with the IRS. These clinics also help taxpayers who speak English as a second language.
- Multimedia center. Taxpayers can watch dozens of YouTube videos and listen to IRS podcasts. All are available in English and Spanish. There are also links to IRS social media websites, including Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook.
In addition to these resources, employers should also be prepared for questions about federal income tax withholding after the passage of the tax reform law. The TCJA marks the most sweeping tax changes in 30 years. While being careful not to provide tax advice, payroll professionals can point employees to the IRS Withholding Calculator, IRS Publication 505, Tax Withholding and Estimated Tax, and the Tax Withholding for Individuals page on the IRS website.
To learn more about federal and state laws, regulations, and information to keep your company's payroll operations in compliance, check out Payroll Source Plus!
