Area 4 Committee Meeting Minutes

December 17, 2003 

Present:

• James Abraham
• Frank Claudman
• Daniel Drumel
• Robin Gausebeck
• Richard Greenberg
• Delford Jones
• Lawrence Lexow
• Leslie Malcolmson
• Joseph Meissner
• Robert Meldman
• Richard Morris, DFO
• Dick Murphy
• Teresa Smedley, Chair

Staff Present

• Sandy McQuin, TAP Manager
• Mary Ann Delzer, Program Analyst
• Patti Robb, Note-taker

Welcome / Review Agenda
Smedley asked for the following additions to the agenda:

• “Discussion of Issues”--Joint Committee report on Form 990 response
• “Action Items”- update of the parking lot

Announcements / Approve Minutes
We have received official resignations from Ivan Cotman and Nancy Quarles.

ACTION: Robb will send out an updated Area 4 roster.

Minutes were approved without any changes.

Public Input
None

Action Items
All action items are in conjunction with issues, so they will be discussed during the issue discussion.

Discussion of Issues

• Form 990 – Meissner
  The Form 990 issue was elevated by the Joint Committee. Malcolmson wrote a nice article which was published on the GuideStar website www.guidestar.org/news/newsletter/tap.jfp . The Joint Committee was very positive about the response received from the TG/GE Operating Division.

ACTION: Meissner will follow up in six months to see how Form 990 recommendations/implementation is progressing.

• Refund Anticipation Loans (RAL) – Meissner
  Meissner attended the IRS LITC conference. They discussed RALs during the conference. He has materials he will share with the committee. Meissner is in the process of preparing an educational report for low income clinics warning people about the RAL. Outreach is the best way to get this information out. There are other ways to speed up your refund – that is the key message.

• Increase Acceptance of E-File – Claudman
  Still working on the report. He will send it out within two weeks.

ACTION: Delzer will forward the original increase acceptance of e-file issue to Claudman.

• Lien Desk Recording – Cain
  Drumel – the Internal Revenue Service sends out the lien releases, but they are not all input into the system immediately at the county level.

Gausebeck – this does not sound like it is an IRS systematic problem.

Drumel will do more research and report at the January meeting.

• Inclusion of Interest Calculation on Billing Notices – Lexow
  Still doing research. Need to identify a program owner.

• Interest Offset and Netting – Meldman
  Still working.

• Electronic 1040X – Meissner
  Delzer spoke to Electronic Tax Administration. This is a hardware issue. They are working on developing the Forms 1120 and 990 systems right now. Current timeframe for developing the 1040X is 2007. Close issue.

• 1099S – Drumel
  This issue will be put in the parking lot until the instructions come out.

• FICA/Medicare Claims – Claudman
  Malcolmson is still working on this issue.

• Schedule D Check-Box – Greenberg
  Was told a new box would be of no value whatsoever. Close issue.

New Issues
Greenberg submitted an email he received with several issues listed:

• Terse and intimidating letters/notices – the Notices issues committee is working.
• Automatic mailing of Form 1040-ES – if a return is filed with a balance due, the taxpayer automatically gets this form the following year. It is a personal preference, some taxpayers want it, and some taxpayers do not.
• Simplify POA or expand the check box permission on the 1040– this issue already by expanded authority with the checkbox.
• Reluctance to use email – IRS is currently rolling out new “e-services.” Account information will be available for clients on line. To participate, practitioner must be an ERO. Email is not secure enough to send taxpayer account information.
• Schedule D calculation – This is a legislative issue.
• Combining FUTA on the quarterly Form 941 – this issue was being looked at by the Payroll issue committee.

ACTION: Delzer will respond to Mr. Friese regarding his suggestions.

Meldman discussed an email he received for TAP about preparer penalties After discussion, the committee decided this was not a TAP issue.

ACTION: Delzer will respond to Mr. Zuckerman regarding his issue.

Outreach

• Meissner - attended the LITC conference in Washington , DC .
• Smedley - did a radio call in program. She talked about TAP.
• Lexow – spoke at a regional conference and a rotary group.
• Greenberg – did an outreach with AARP.
• Abraham – attended a Congressional liaison meeting. Met with his Local Taxpayer Advocate. Did three radio programs.
• Murphy – participated in a test on the installment agreement electronic web site. Entry went pretty smoothly.

ACTION: Delzer will send out outreach report forms. Please use them and send them into the office after doing any type of outreach.

Office Report
None.

Closing / Assessment
Smedley thanked everyone for their hard work.

Meeting adjourned.

Next conference call January 21, 2001, 8:00 a.m. CT.

ACTION ITEMS

ACTION: Robb will send out an updated Area 4 roster.

ACTION: Meissner will follow up in six months to see how Form 990 recommendations/implementation is progressing.

ACTION: Delzer will forward the original increase acceptance of e-file issue to Claudman.

ACTION: Delzer will respond to Mr. Friese regarding his suggestions.

ACTION: Delzer will respond to Mr. Zuckerman regarding his issue.

ACTION: Delzer will send out outreach report forms. Please use them and send them into the office after doing any type of outreach.