Spring has sprung. Income tax filing season is over, and that means it’s time to get ready for the annual Virtual Nationwide Tax Forum. This year’s event will be held over five weeks, with live-streamed seminars three days each week.

The Nationwide Tax Forum is the IRS’ signature event, a summer tradition going back some 30 years. It targets the nation’s tax professionals, providing education and updates on a number of topics, such as tax law, cybersecurity, and ethics. In fact, registering and attending the Virtual Nationwide Tax Forum allows many tax pros to completely satisfy their annual requirements for continuing education.

While the Nationwide Tax Forum has historically been an in-person event, the IRS decided this year’s event would once again be held virtually—just as an extra measure of caution and to help ensure everyone’s safety.

How do I register for the 2021 Virtual Nationwide Tax Form?

The IRS says registration for the 2021 Virtual Nationwide Tax Forum is now open. Those who register by 5:00 p.m. EST on June 15 will qualify for the Early Bird rate of $240 per person. On June 16, registration reverts to the standard rate of $289 per person.

Everyone loves a discount …

Those lucky tax professionals who belong to one of the IRS’ partner organizations for the Tax Forum qualify for a $10 discount off the Early Bird registration price—but only if they register by the June 15 cutoff date. These partner groups include:

• American Bar Association (ABA) Section of Taxation
• American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA)
• National Association of Enrolled Agents (NAEA)
• National Association of Tax Professionals (NATP)
• National Society of Accountants (NSA)
• National Society of Tax Professionals (NSTP)
• Low Income Taxpayer Clinics (LITC)
• Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA)

The IRS says members of these groups should contact their respective associations directly for more information.

This year’s highlights …

The 2021 event starts on July 20 and continues through August 19. During that time, webinars will be live-streamed on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Registration enables a tax pro to take part in every one of the live webinars and earn up to 28 continuing education credits.

Internal Revenue Service Commissioner Chuck Rettig will kick off the Tax Forum, delivering the traditional keynote address. Commissioner Rettig will be followed by a plenary session that spotlights changes to tax law and publication updates.

Later, multiple sessions will zero-in on a wide spectrum of topics including virtual currencies, the gig economy, the new Advance Child Tax Credit, advanced cybersecurity, professional ethics and more. Presenters will include IRS experts and those from tax partner groups.

For the first time, the plenary session and an ethics webinar will be available in both English and in Spanish. Attendees in the Virtual Expo will also have access to additional multilingual sources.

Details about courses—including webinar titles, descriptions and a course schedule—are now available.

Connect with the Virtual Expo

Registration for the 2021 Virtual Nationwide Tax Forum includes access to the Virtual Expo. The Expo is where exhibitors from dozens of leading companies throughout the tax industry show off the latest and greatest in hardware, software, services and more. Industry professional organizations and key IRS offices also are represented in the Expo.

The IRS multilingual engagement and services booth is new for 2021, and has expanded resources, IRS publications, forms, and webpages now available in multiple languages. IRS exhibitors will also share some news about upcoming multilingual projects.

The agency also lists the following highlights:

• The latest tax products and software
• The IRS Zone and engagement with representatives from IRS program offices
• Bonus Q&A sessions in the Speaker's Corner
• Live webinars from many of [the IRS's] sponsors

Those attendees who would like to share their opinions directly with the IRS will get their chance at the 2021 Virtual Nationwide Tax Forum. The agency will assemble small, virtual focus groups to share their experiences and talk over creative ideas directly with IRS experts and others. Check the Tax Forum website for topics and the qualifying criteria for the focus groups.

Come see us at the IRS Virtual Expo!

Don't forget to check out the Drake Software virtual booth during the IRS Virtual Nationwide Tax Forum!

Source: IR-2021-118