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I don't generally get involved in the installment agreements - I just tell the clients to do an online application or call IRS when they get their notice and it's usually a pretty simple process if they meet the guidelines. Most report back to me that it was easy. But in the few cases I did get involved, I didn't use the POA. I'd just check with the client to be sure they'd be available for an hour or two, then I'd call IRS and put the call on speaker while I did something important. When the IRS rep came on the line I'd ask if I can briefly put them on hold to conference the client in. Once that was done, we handled everything on a conference call. With only an exception or two, most clients came away form the process impressed by how easy it was to deal with the IRS employee.

Yes, that is my understanding as well, they have to call so that IRS can combine the years. (I think the limit may be $50,000). And, yes, in that first agreement, they agreed they'd pay on time in subsequent years. They obviously did not do that. It makes perfect sense to me that they have to call. And be grateful as all get out for the consideration they are going to be given.

I usually tell the client that the IRS is more understanding and helpful if the taxpayer talks to them rather than a paid professional, and that therefore they should call personally to set up an installment agreement.

Yes. I think I have learned my lesson on this one. I hope this helps some fellow tax pro. Orange you glad you know??

On the other hand, thinking about it, this second paragraph about online agreement revision could possibly be limited to only the year originally applied for. Good grief, IRS' vague instructions make it almost impossible to advise clients (especially the important ones) for sure what they can and can't do. "You can also use the links below to revise an existing Online Payment Agreement (unless you have a Direct Debit Installment Agreement) or to modify your e-authentication security profile". Maybe somebody else has an idea?

Clearly where you went wrong in instructing these people was using the orange highlighter instead of traditional yellow.

4. Technical Guidance Notice 2016-70 extends the due dates for certain information reporting requirements for 2016 imposed by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) under section 6055 and 6056 of the Internal Revenue Code. Specifically, this notice extends the due date for furnishing to individuals the 2016 Form 1095-B, Health Coverage, and the 2016 Form 1095-C, Employer-Provided Health Insurance Offer and Coverage, from January 31, 2017, to March 2, 2017. This notice also provides for transitional good-faith relief from the penalties imposed by sections 6721 and 6722 of the Internal Revenue Code relating to the 2016 information reporting requirements under sections 6055 and 6056 Great, this will help me and my one ALA for whom I have to prepare these forms !

Here in the Atlanta area there is a company that advertises to provide money to people who have lawsuits pending while they wait for their cases to grind through the courts and settlement to occur. The thing that piques my curiosity is this: they say that if you lose your lawsuit, you do not have to repay the funds. So I'm wondering if these people will be taxed on these funds as cancellation of debt income. I'm curious what you guys think.

Or both...

If the total owed is under $25K, I think they can get the two years combined. Limits may be higher, but I know someone who did this recently. They filed the second year with a balance due, an existing IA defaulted. They called IRS and got a new IA set up for both years combined. But they didn't do it online - they had to make the call.

I have one that had to revise agreements multiple years to keep adding new years (long story, includes a FL rental that fell into a sink hole, lack of NY w/h for hubby, tax preparer disappeared, and more). She made a call each year and asked nicely. It stretched her out until we got their withholding in good shape going forward. She still has a long way to go to pay off the older years; but at $200/month and no more new balances due, they will make it. Tell him to CALL.

Well, wait just a doggone minute here. I thought was "2016 and companies must come up to speed with 21st century technology and business protocols". I ain't bettin with you - you're playin both ends against the middle. Not fallin for it. No sirree.

And this surprises whom? I am waiting for the same notice about W-2, W-3 and 1099 reporting. I have a banana split says we see it before Dec. 31. Any takers??

TaxGuy2040. I believe you are sincere when you say you gave Drake an honest effort. But you are wrong on so many levels. You gave it a test spin around the block a few times, but you never took the time to really learn its capabilities. Your naïve statement about the "speed" issue is just one example. Its speed in backing up, navigating from one screen to another, and update time run circles around anything in its price range. And I haven't even mentioned the huge increases in efficiency (time saved) that learning how to write a few macros can provide. So you took a cursory look, filed a few returns, threw up your hands, and moved on. Nothing wrong with that. As for the refund policy - everyone has them. A good businessperson learns the ins and outs of the refund policy before buying anything new. You failed to do that and then tried to whine your way out. No sympathy here for your failure, but maybe you learned a lesson that will serve you well in business in the future. Learn the lesson and apply it. Drake takes a little investment of time and commitment to really discover its power. If you're high on the latest bells & whistles and you like tech gadgetry, then Drake is going to look pretty pedestrian. But then a 1040 looks pretty pedestrian too. Your software doesn't need to launch the space shuttle - it needs to produce an accurate tax return which is nothing more than a glorified Excel spreadsheet. So I agree that someone like you should look elsewhere for your tech thrills. Just don't fool yourself or others into the notion that you actually evaluated its capabilities. You never even came close.

"Moral of the story: I switched to Drake and only regret that I had not done it years earlier." Totally agree. For a small one person office with a dwindling client base and retirement around the corner, I regret not changing from ATX sooner. Though other than price increases, I had no complaints with ATX.