Tag Archive for IRS Commissioner

Staff Reductions & Insufficient Funding Will Dramatically Impact IRS in 2015 And Beyond

Last Tuesday, IRS Commissioner John Koskinen addressed the New York State bar Association Tax Section in New York. His comments provide keen insight into the going-on’s at the IRS. Mr. Koskinen’s most important announcement centered on the agency’s anticipated reduction in the number of rulemaking projects as a result of budgetary constraints.

Although releasing guidance is one of the agency’s core functions, there are simply not enough attorneys in the Office of Chief Counsel to shoulder the burden. Nor are there any plans on the horizon to hire more workers, in light of the agency-wide hiring freeze.

“Our office of chief counsel continues to make every effort to issue guidance in a timely Read More

Written by | Posted in Audit • Corporate • Federal • IRS • Partnership

OVDP — IRS Commissioner Offers Hope For The Minnow

On June 3, 2014 the new IRS Commissioner, John A. Koskinen indicated there may be hope for the numerous US persons who “non-wilfully” did not properly report their offshore assets and financial accounts. The relevant text of his remarks, is reproduced below. The full report can be accessed here. Maybe there is hope for the sea of minnows! Let’s stay tuned. I will be curious to know whether the contemplated “modifications” to the OVDP will address recompense for those taxpayers who have completed OVDP and paid the penalties now viewed as inappropriate.

“Now, while the 2012 OVDP and its predecessors have operated successfully, we are currently considering making further program modifications to accomplish even more. We are considering whether our voluntary programs have been too focused on those willfully Read More

Written by | Posted in FATCA • FBAR • OVDP