Drake Software blog for tax pros, covering tax, IRS news, and more

Bob Williams

Forget genes; I’ve got words in my DNA. Communication has been part of who I am nearly all my life. From a long career in radio news to another one in newspapers – and a University of Georgia journalism degree sandwiched between the two – language has been my life. I’ve also been fortunate to have learned the tax business from the ground up here at Drake, starting with 1040.com online forms some years ago before moving on to work on the Web. In all things tax-ish, we aim to give you tools you can use.

Coming to Bank Accounts Soon: EITC and ACTC Refunds

Bob Williams - February 27, 2018

The first of many refunds claiming the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) or the Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC) should make their way to their respective taxpayers very soon. The Internal Revenue Service says some returns have cleared the verification process and could appear in bank accounts this week.…

IRS Fielding Flood of "Inappropriate" Calls to e-Help Desk

Bob Williams - February 23, 2018

The Internal Revenue Service’s e-Help Desk was set up to handle questions from income tax professionals. But the agency says the desk is getting flooded with calls from taxpayers who were told to call by their tax preparers.…

Audit Finds Employment Identity Theft Going Unnoticed

Bob Williams - February 19, 2018

Identity theft has gotten a lot of attention over the past couple of years. We’ve written a lot about the subject during that time. One of the varieties of identity theft is employment identity theft, but the agency that oversees the IRS says legitimate taxpayers aren’t being notified they’re a victim of this crime.…

Callers to IRS Must Verify ID

Bob Williams - February 14, 2018

If you have to call the IRS help line on behalf of a client, you’ll need more than the client’s name and SSN. By law, IRS operators will speak only with the taxpayer or their legally designated representative. This is all part of the industry-wide push for higher levels of security.…

Did You Get a Refund You Didn’t Expect?

Bob Williams - February 13, 2018

Everybody loves an income tax refund. But when a check for a tax refund shows up in your mailbox unexpectedly, it could be a signal of something very wrong: a tax scam.…

IRS Urges Taxpayers to Renew ITINs

Bob Williams - February 06, 2018

The Internal Revenue Service says taxpayers who have not renewed their expired Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) will face processing delays if the number is used to file a return. In addition, the taxpayer could lose eligibility for key tax benefits until the ITIN is renewed.…

Security Means Slower State Refunds

Bob Williams - February 02, 2018

If we gave out an award for the Word of the Year in 2017, it would have to be, “security.” It’s fair to say the last couple of years have been monumental in changing how Americans view the act of filing their income taxes. And it’s all been driven by security.…

Security: Prepare for the Worst, Hope for the Best

Bob Williams - January 31, 2018

Tax Season 2018 has finally arrived, with the IRS opening the gates to 1040 returns. Not to throw cold water on your enthusiasm, but what it means is, those cybercriminals we’ve been warning you about over the past months will now start playing for keeps.…

IRS Sees Busy Tax Season Ahead

Bob Williams - January 30, 2018

With the opening of the income-tax-return “gates” this week, the TY 2017 tax season is officially underway. With every opening, of course, comes a close; and this year’s deadline for tax preparers and taxpayers to file their individual returns and pay any tax due is Tuesday, April 17, 2018.…

Fertile New Ground for Hackers