Tax reform percolates in Washington as the new Congress and the White House continue discussions over the scope and reach of tax legislation this year. Administration officials, lawmakers and Congressional staffers have signaled that off-the-record discussions have dealt with some hefty tax reform proposals but, so far, have released few details of these discussions. At the same time, Senate tax writers have opened up the tax reform process to public input.

The IRS requires that taxpayers substantiate their donations to charity. Whatever the donation is, whether money or a household item or clothing, the substantiation rules must be followed. The rules are complex and frequently tripped up taxpayers who had good intentions but failed to satisfy the IRS's requirements.

Between now and late June, the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to rule on an important provision of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act: the Code Sec. 36B premium assistance tax credit. The Supreme Court has heard oral arguments in King v. Burwell, 2014-2 ustc 50,367, where the plaintiffs argue that the IRS erred in extending the credit to enrollees in federally facilitated Health Insurance Marketplaces (also known as Exchanges).

The White House and the new Congress continue to look for common ground on tax legislation and tax reform in 2015. Both sides say tax reform is possible in 2015 and behind the usual rhetoric there seems to be a real drive to move tax reform in the 114th Congress. Reform could be similar to the comprehensive package moved nearly 30 years ago in the Tax Reform Act of 1986, or, as many observers predict, will take a new track to reflect a vastly different economy and Tax Code compared to 1986.

As an individual or business, it is your responsibility to be aware of and to meet your tax filing/reporting deadlines. This calendar summarizes important federal tax reporting and filing data for individuals, businesses and other taxpayers for the month of April 2015.

As an individual or business, it is your responsibility to be aware of and to meet your tax filing/reporting deadlines. This calendar summarizes important tax reporting and filing data for individuals, businesses and other taxpayers for the month of February 2015.

The tax code imposes a penalty on taxes that are paid after the due date (generally April 15). Taxpayers may wonder whether to save, to pay their taxes on time and avoid the penalty, or delay payment and owe a penalty. While this is a personal decision, and will vary with the taxpayer's circumstances, a taxpayer may prefer to use their funds for other purposes and delay the tax payment, especially where the penalty is relatively small.

President Obama and the White House unveiled Obama's tax program for 2015, with proposals designed to help middle class families. The proposals include providing a new $500 credit for two-earner families; enhancing the earned income tax credit (EITC), the child credit, and the dependent care credit; reforming and consolidating the multiple tax breaks for education; and expanding retirement savings vehicles. The tax cuts are estimated to cost $175 billion over 10 years.

The 2015 filing season is now underway and the IRS, taxpayers and tax professionals are expecting some challenges. In addition to the huge number of returns the IRS must process, the agency also must ensure that individuals are in compliance with new requirements under the Affordable Care Act and prevent the growing problem of refund fraud. The IRS has cautioned that its resources this filing season are stretched thin because of budget cuts.

The IRS has provided guidance and clarifications for U.S. taxpayers who have failed to disclose offshore assets and pay taxes due. The new instructions apply to taxpayers who apply for relief under the streamlined filing compliance procedures and are effective for applications submitted on or after July 1, 2014. The streamlined program is available to all U.S. taxpayers, including resident aliens living in the United States and U.S. citizens living abroad.