GLO

GOVERNMENT LIASION OFFICER

January 2010 Monthly GLO Report

On December 24, the Senate voted 60-39 in favor of H.R. 3590, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. This bill would include such things as inclusion of cost of employer-sponsored health coverage on W–2, additional hospital insurance tax on high-income taxpayers, an employee may not elect for any taxable year to have salary reduction contributions in excess of $2,500 to health flexible spending arrangements (FSA), automatic enrollment of new full-time employees into one of the health benefit plans offered by large employers (200+ employees), and more…
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=111_cong_bills&docid=f:h3590pp.txt.pdf

Authorized IRS e-file Providers are prohibited from submitting electronic returns to the IRS prior to the receipt of all Forms W-2, W-2G, and 1099-R from the taxpayer.
http://www.irs.gov/efile/article/0,,id=201887,00.html

Starting in 2010, the U.S. Treasury Department will offer taxpayers the option to buy paper Series I savings bonds using their tax refund.
http://www.frbservices.org/fedflash/treasury_services/treasury_services_1209_01.html

January 15, 2010, IRS will release the Free File which is the fast, easy, and free way to prepare and e-file your federal taxes online.
http://www.irs.gov/efile/article/0,,id=118986,00.html

As part of the Currency Recirculation Policy, the Federal Reserve Banks introduced a Currency Quality Program designed to ensure that the quality of $10 and $20 notes in circulation remains fit for commerce. The monitoring program includes monthly analysis of the quality of currency deposited at the Reserve Banks, an annual sample of currency in circulation and regular communication with depository institutions about their experiences with currency quality.
http://www.frbservices.org/fedfocus/archive_fedcash/fedcash_0110_01.html

The Defense Appropriations Act extends the eligibility period for the COBRA premium reduction for an additional two months (through Feb. 28, 2010) and the maximum period for receiving the subsidy for an additional six months (from nine to 15 months).
http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/newsroom/2009/ebsa122109.html

The Internal Revenue Service unveiled its first redesigned notices that are part of an on-going effort to improve the way it corresponds with taxpayers. The nine new notices are among the first to be reviewed and revised for clarity, effectiveness and efficiency. The agency also will create an office that ensures the effort to improve communications is on-going and permanent.
http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=218133,00.html

Internal Revenue Service National Taxpayer Advocate stated that the IRS has set a target for FY 2010 of answering only 71 percent of calls from taxpayers seeking to speak with a customer service representative about account questions, down from 83 percent in FY 2007. In other words, the IRS is planning to be unable to answer about three of every 10 calls it receives.
http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=217903,00.html

Commissioner of Social Security Administration, and Chubby Checker, Grammy Award winner and rock and roll legend, launched a new campaign to inform millions of Americans about a new “twist” in the law that makes it easier to qualify for extra help with Medicare prescription drug costs.
http://www.ssa.gov/pressoffice/pr/chubby-checker-pr.html

The U.S. Department of Labor announced the "Explore and Recommend" phase of its "Tools for America's Job Seekers Challenge." A first of its kind effort, the challenge brings together a plethora of online resources for job seekers. It also allows them, and workforce professionals, to vote for their favorite job search and career sites. From Jan. 4 to15, 2010, members of the public are invited to explore the resources at the participating sites, review them and provide feedback. All job search and career sites participating in the challenge have agreed to allow job seekers free access during this phase when they enter their sites through the http://www.dol.gov/challenge portal.
http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/eta20091575.html

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has realigned their organizational structure to achieve greater efficiency and to more ably accomplish their mission. Significant changes include the creation of a Fraud Detection and National Security Directorate, the creation of a new Customer Service Directorate and the division of the existing Domestic Operations Directorate into two separate directorates, Service Center Operations and Field Operations.
http://www.uscis.gov/pressroom

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February 2010 Monthly GLO Report

The Social Security Agency announced that it is making new data about beneficiaries and the agency’s disability and
hearing processes available to the public. The new data supports the President’s Transparency and Open Government
initiative and is available at www.data.gov. Data.gov increases the ability of the public to easily find, download, and use
datasets that are generated and held by the Federal Government
http://www.ssa.gov/pressoffice/pr/dataset-pr.htmll

There is an updated Publication 15 (Circular E) effective January 8, 2010 instead of the previous December 17, 2009.
Changes include some paragraphs removed, or titles changed. Additionally the section under “COBRA premium assistance
credit” has been amended based on recent changes.
http://www.irs.gov/formspubs/article/0,,id=109875,00.html

The United States Postal Service (USPS) was notified on February 1, 2010 to begin returning mail sent to the Child Support
Services of Atlanta (CSS) based on a case filed September 2009 by the USPS claiming CSS was in violation of postal false
representation law.
http://dockets.justia.com/docket/court-gamdce/case_no-7:2009cv00111/case_id-77604/

Amounts paid to employees as reimbursement for expenses incurred to obtain identification cards are deductible employee
business expenses under section 162 of the Internal Revenue Code, and thus are excluded from income and wages if made
under an accountable plan, where previously they were taxable under the Homeland Security Presidential Directive-12.
http://www.irs.gov/pub/lanoa/pmta2009_068.pdf

State income tax refunds (such as in GA) has been included in federal taxable income and the state issues to the taxpayer
Form 1099-G. New York state is no longer mailing these forms, but is referring people to their prior year state income tax
refund received. Electronic forms are available.
http://www.nystax.gov/pit/1099g.html

President Obama’s Automatic Individual Retirement Account proposed that individuals who do not have access to an
employer-sponsored retirement savings arrangement may be eligible to make smaller tax-favored contributions to
individual retirement accounts or individual retirement annuities (IRAs).
http://www.treas.gov/offices/tax-policy/library/greenbk10.pdf

A Certified Public Accountant has been suspended for 12 months from practice before the Internal Revenue Service by the
Office of Professional Responsibility for providing false or misleading information in connection with the preparation of his
clients’ tax returns by assisting them to lower their tax bills by claiming false business expenses on tax returns he prepared.
http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=219105,00.html

The Internal Revenue Service is now providing information for payroll professionals and their clients via a designated
webpage. This page includes links to information on employment taxes, worker classification, electronic filing, employment
tax related forms and publications, news and events, and more.
http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/industries/article/0,,id=185188,00.html

The U.S. Department of Labor announced the results of its Tools for America's Job Seekers Challenge. Recommendations
have been tallied, and the top-rated sites in each of six categories — general job boards, niche tools, career tools, career
exploration tools, Web 2.0 and "other"
http://www.careeronestop.org/jobseekertools

A protracted case that started with a U.S. Department of Labor Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP)
investigation has resulted in an administrative law judge's (ALJ) recommended ruling that Bank of America discriminated
against African-American job applicants for entry level positions in Charlotte, N.C., in 1993 and from 2002 to 2005.
http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/ofccp/ofccp20100126.html

The U.S. Departments of Labor and the Treasury announced the request for information (RFI) soliciting public comments to
assist the agencies in determining what steps to take to enhance retirement security for workers in employer-sponsored
retirement plans through lifetime annuities or other arrangements that provide a stream of income after retiring.
http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/ebsa/EBSA20091571.html

The Federal Reserve Banks announced plans to conduct another series of studies to determine the current volume and
composition of check and electronic payments in the U.S. These studies will build on information gained from similar
studies conducted by the Reserve Banks in 2001, 2004 and 2007. “The Fed’s 2010 Payments Study is a continuation of an
ongoing effort by the Federal Reserve System to measure trends in noncash payments in the United States.
http://frbservices.org/fedfocus/archive_general/general_0210_01.html

According to APA's 2009 Survey of Salaries and the Payroll Profession, those in payroll positions with the Certified Payroll
Professional (CPP) designation earn, on average, 15.5% higher salaries than those without the CPP designation.
http://www.americanpayroll.org/product/?cid=10&gid=88
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December 2009 Monthly GLO Report

http://legacy.americanpayroll.org/currently/pdfs/PC_issue19_01.pdf

While the Social Security Administration has no immediate plans to resume sending no-match letters to employers, they offer a free service via their Business Services Online called View File/Wage Reports Status, Errors, and Error Notices with Name / SSN Errors.
http://www.ssa.gov/employer/documents/TY07EmpStatErrNtcsTextOnly.doc- 2008-01-29

The APA has recommended that the Internal Revenue Service suspend the enforcement of valuing and taxing personal use of company paid cell phone and similar devices.
http://legacy.americanpayroll.org/currently/pdfs/PC_issue19_08.pdf

The Social Security Administration had delayed the conversion to the Telephone Number Employee Verification (TNEV) automated phone service for verifying social security numbers from September 21 until the end of October.
http://www.socialsecurity.gov/bso/bsowelcome.html

The Internal Revenue Service has provided more clarification pertaining to whether an existing qualified profit sharing plan requiring or permitting certain annual contributions of the dollar
equivalent of unused paid time off cause the plan to fail to meet the requirements of § 401(a) and, if applicable, § 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code (Code).
http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/rr-09-31.pdf

The Social Security Administration announced that for the first time since 1999, the agency has ended the year with fewer disability hearings pending than in the prior year.
http://www.ssa.gov/pressoffice/pr/hearings-backlog-pr.html

The U.S. Department of Labor steps up efforts to serve workers with disabilities as the administration announces new initiatives during National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM)
http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/odep/ODEP20091228.html

The Internal Revenue Service discontinued programming support for Tax Talk Today as of October 6, 2009. This site will remain available until December 31, 2009.
http://www.taxtalktoday.com/

The U.S Citizenship and Immigration Services has launched a vastly improved USCIS.gov public website to help customers navigate the immigration system and remain up-to-date regarding their case status.
http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis

Federal reserve banks announce updated procedures for handling retired routing transit numbers
http://frbservices.org/files/communications/pdf/check/100209_retired_obsolete_return_item_service.pdf

The Internal Revenue Service announced a one-time extension of the deadline for special voluntary disclosures by taxpayers with unreported income from hidden offshore accounts. These taxpayers now have until Oct. 15, 2009.
http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=213463,00.html

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