The IRS Just Made First-Time Penalty Abatement Automatic
About this episode
Roger and Annie take a midyear look at how the IRS is holding up: call center struggles, a wave of CP2000, CP05, and CP14 notices, and the sudden departure of top Treasury tax official Ken Kies. They break down the new automatic penalty abatement replacing the old first-time abatement process, updates to Trump accounts, and a long list of OBBBA provisions kicking in for 2026, from the educator expense deduction to a higher 1099-K threshold. They close with practical tips for managing the fall extension crunch and a prediction on whether the TAS Act clears its Senate Finance Committee markup.
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Chapters
- (00:00) - Welcome and Catch Up
- (00:31) - Summer Tax Conference Circuit
- (04:06) - Why IRS Phones Struggle
- (06:22) - Digital Self Service Push
- (08:44) - Staffing Tech and Leadership Shift
- (12:34) - Tips and Overtime Reporting 2026
- (14:39) - Refund Notices and Paper Checks
- (16:53) - Most Common IRS Notices
- (21:05) - Trump Accounts Guidance Update
- (24:03) - Kwong Case Status and Deadlines
- (27:00) - Fall Extension Survival
- (28:43) - Client Info Deadlines
- (31:13) - Systems and Automation
- (33:07) - Midyear Client Touchpoints
- (34:00) - Advisory in AI Era
- (35:21) - Automatic Penalty Relief
- (38:00) - AEP Tradeoffs Explained
- (42:36) - Key Changes for 2026
- (45:59) - Business and Reporting Updates
- (48:50) - TAS Act Outlook
- (53:43) - Conference Plans and Farewell
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Roger Harris
Annie Schwab
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