BREAKING NEWS – Corporate Transparency Act on Hold
as of Monday, March 3, 2024
On Friday March 1, 2024, the U.S. District Court for the District of Alabama declared the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) unconstitutional. In the case of National Small Business Association v. Yellen (Case No. 5:22-cv-01448) [1], initiated by the National Small Business United, the challenge was against the CTA’s mandate for small businesses to disclose their beneficial owners to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN).
The ruling has the effect of suspending all BOI filing requirements for now, all enforcement actions, and all compliance concerns including questions of “practicing law without a license.” Experts believe the ruling will be appealed, probably to the Supreme Court, so this is a temporary filing requirement suspension until a final appeal is exhausted. Voluntary filing appears to still be allowed if for some reason a client desires to file.
Open Filing Season for 2023 Tax Returns
The IRS began accepting and processing 2023 tax returns on January 29, 2024, marking the official opening of tax filing season. This year’s tax season will feature the roll out of several improvements to IRS services for taxpayers.
Taxpayers who have filed their returns may use the IRS “Where’s My Refund?” tool to check the status of their tax refunds. The newly updated tool now works seamlessly on mobile devices, and will provide clearer and more detailed information than past versions. For example, it will notify taxpayers if the IRS needs more information from them in order to process their returns.
This tax season will also feature several improvements to IRS services. Two key upgrades relate to digital form submission and options for taxpayers to access their IRS account information online.
Enhancements to IRS paperless processing systems include the addition of 20 more tax forms to e-filing platforms, and new ways to respond to IRS letters online. Taxpayers with online IRS accounts will also discover new account features, including options to schedule and cancel future payments, and to securely save bank information for greater convenience.