Area 4 Committee Meeting Minutes
March 17, 2004
Present:
- James Abraham
- Daniel Drumel
- Robin Gausebeck
- Richard Greenberg
- Delford Jones
- Lawrence Lexow
- Leslie Malcolmson
- Robert Meldman
- Dick Murphy
- Teresa Smedley, Chair
Absent:
Staff Present
- Richard Morris, DFO
- Mary Ann Delzer, Program Analyst
- Patti Robb, Note-taker
Welcome / Review Agenda
Ten members present; quorum met.
Announcements / Approve Minutes
Minutes were approved without changes. Richard Morris announced that the Designated Federal Official (DFO) is not actually considered a panel member. Therefore, they are not a voting member. This was announced at the Joint Committee meeting on March 16, 2004.
The list of TAP member vacancies was sent out. Why is only one person being recruited in Michigan? The recruitment will start on April 1 and end on May 7, 2004. We will actually be recruiting from all 50 states and Puerto Rico so there will be a good pool of reserves.
Who volunteered to extend their TAP membership for one year?
- Jim Abraham - Yes
- Dan Drumel - No
- Robin Gausebeck - No
- Dick Greenberg - Yes
- Delford Jones - Yes
- Larry Lexow - No
- Leslie Malcolmson - Yes
- Bob Meldman - No
- Dick Murphy - No
- Teresa Smedley - Yes
Public Input
None
Discussion of Issues
Morris stated that the processing of liens will be moving to Philadelphia. We are waiting to hear from the executive on our request for information.
Leslie will be writing a wrap-up report. We will not pursue this issue.
Abraham said that people don't understand the difference between innocent/injured spouse. The main problem for rejection of application is that the account is full paid and so the taxpayer is not qualified to file. It appears that the majority of innocent spouse claims are filed by taxpayers, not practitioners. The new Publication 971, Innocent Spouse Relief, and Form 8857, Request for Innocent Spouse Relief, are now available. There should be some way (on the form) to tell people that if their account is full paid, or they didn't file a married filing joint return, they should STOP. The subcommittee, Murphy, Meissner, Abraham, and Meldman will have a subcommittee meeting.
ACTION: Delzer to set up conference call for the Innocent Spouse Subcommittee, 10 AM Central Time on Friday, March 26, 2004.
Delzer sent out the requested information. She does not think this is an issue.
ACTION: Delzer to set up conference call for Married Filing Separate Subcommittee, in March, 2004.
Sue Sottile, Director, Strategic Planning, felt they answered this in their December 16, 2003, interim letter. Smedley agrees for this filing season, but are waiting for the final response in late April. Abraham noted that he is just receiving his VITA training/forms information now. It arrives much too late and is just thrown away. What a waste of resources. Smedley said the panel needs to have input on this issue and should pursue at the April meeting. Maybe we need to be more specific in our recommendation. Abraham said there needs to be a cutoff date for sending training material to the sites.
Smedley emailed David Meyer, Area 2 regarding Meldman's concern that this would require legislative action. He felt it would not require a legislative change. They are just asking for another line on the W-4 form for people to specify a percent to be deducted. Smedley feels the whole form needs revision.
ACTION: Delzer to set up conference call for W-4 Subcommittee, Tuesday, March 30, 2004 at 2:00 PM ET.
Outreach Strategy
Lexow did an article on licensing of Tax Preparers. We need a volunteer for the March article, as Claudman was assigned to write the March article but has since resigned. Lexow said he spoke to a communication specialist in Missouri and she didn't know anything about TAP. She seemed very interested. Smedley said that the panel has to take some responsibility to contact the places to publish or put out the articles.
ACTION: Delzer will send the list of contacts for the Outreach Strategy to Lexow to start sending the articles out.
New Issues
- VITA/TCE Training – Abraham
VITA does not prepare a 1040 with a Schedule C, Profit or Loss from Business, or 1040 Schedule E, Supplemental Income and Loss, yet the VITA test addresses both of these schedules. The test needs to be modified to fit what VITA actually does. Greenberg said that the TCE people are also very disappointed with the test. There is a distinctive difference between the returns prepared by TCE and VITA. TCE does a lot of Form 1040 Schedule Ds, Capital Gains and Losses. The training materials are virtually useless this year. There is a committee that prepares the test. Greenberg's letter was forwarded to them. TAP definitely needs to address this situation. Abraham said he addresses lines when teaching VITA, not categories of income/expenses. Smedley said there needs to be a subcommittee meeting before the April meeting. This would be a good issue to elevate.
Abraham, chair, Malcolmson, and Greenberg.
ACTION: Delzer to contact the program owner for VITA/TCE.
Outreach Report
Greenberg spoke at the College Excel Program at the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, and at Curie High School, with a tax education program. He included a discussion on TAP.
Abraham has speeches scheduled for the Cincinnati area on March 26, 2004.
Murphy is involved in an Asset Building Coalition in Owensboro. This is an outreach to low and middle income families. IRS and VITA have been invited to be a part of the day to help with the EITC questions.
Office Report
The face to face meeting is scheduled for April 19-20, 2004 , at the Embassy Suites Hotel Chicago Downtown, 600 North State Street, Chicago, IL 60610. Check in on Sunday, April 18 and check out on Tuesday, April 20. The meeting will be 8 am to 4 pm on Monday, April 19, and 8 am to noon on Tuesday, April 20. Robb will be contacting everyone regarding their travel preferences.
Sandy McQuin will be taking over as the manager for Area 5. Delzer will be mentoring Audrey Jenkins, Brooklyn Program Analyst.
See you in Chicago!
Meeting adjourned.
Action Assignments
Delzer:
- Delzer to set up conference call for the Innocent Spouse Subcommittee, Friday, March 26, 2004 at 10 AM CT.
- Delzer to set up conference call for Married Filing Separate Subcommittee, in March, 2004.
- Delzer to set up conference call for W-4 Subcommittee, Tuesday, March 30, 2004 at 2:00 PM ET.
- Delzer will send the list of contacts for the Outreach Strategy to Lexow to start sending the articles out.
- Delzer to contact the program owner for VITA/TCE.
Malcolmson
- Will write up a report for recommendation on FICA/Medicare claims
|
Text Version
