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Firm Management

AICPA Urges IRS to Plan for Next Possible Shutdown

The American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) sent a letter to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and Department of the Treasury on Nov. 18 urging that the IRS, as soon as possible, announce the contingency plan that would be in effect in the event of a government shutdown on Jan. 16.

The American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) sent a letter to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and Department of the Treasury on Nov. 18 urging that the IRS, as soon as possible, announce the contingency plan that would be in effect in the event of a government shutdown on Jan. 16.

In its letter, the AICPA noted that the partial government shutdown in October resulted in several months of continuing impact on tax return processing and that the IRS has already announced a projected delay in the start of the 2014 tax filing season from January 21 to sometime between January 28 and February 4. 

“Our members and their clients are concerned about any additional delay in the filing season as well as any planned reduction in IRS services that may affect a taxpayer’s and a tax practitioner’s ability to timely file tax returns, pay taxes, obtain refunds, address notices from the IRS, or contact the IRS with questions,” the letter stated.

The AICPA offered to work with the IRS to help it consider and prioritize the issues that taxpayers and practitioners are likely to face during the filing season, as well as the services and functions they might require.