With the rush of the holiday season, end-of-the-year bookkeeping and other life responsibilities, it may be easy to forget everything you need to do to get ready for the upcoming tax season, so we have compiled a quick checklist for you.

Things to do before meeting with clients

• Take CPE – While CPE is only mandatory for AFSPs, EAs, CPAs and attorneys, all tax professionals should be prepared for the upcoming tax season.
• Renew your PTIN – Dec. 31 is the official deadline to renew your PTIN; however, it can still be renewed right now. It should be renewed before you prepare your first 2019 tax return.
• Quick Reference Tax Guide – The January TAXPRO Monthly contains your 2019 Quick Reference Tax Guide (only accessible to NATP members) which will be useful as you prepare taxes.
• Review your EFIN – Confirm that the IRS has current information by reviewing and updating your IRS e-file applications. It’s important to provide changes to responsible officials, addresses and telephone numbers, and to remove individuals no longer associated with the firm, including deceased individuals. You can review and update information electronically using e-Services.

Quick reminders

• The IRS has not announced the date it will begin accepting individual or business tax returns for the 2020 tax filing season.
• Individual tax returns are due April 15.
• Partnership tax returns are due March 16.
• Refund claims in January and early February that contain the earned income tax credit or the additional child tax credit will not be issued until late February.

IRS Resources

• The IRS no longer provides a Refund Cycle Chart; however, it will continue to update Where’s My Refund?
• Need to mail a tax return? Check out Where to File a Paper Tax Return.
• Do you dread calling the IRS? Refer to the chart on the bottom of IRS Hotlines and Toll-Free Numbers to direct your call to the right place.
• In prior years, the IRS issued an annual revenue procedure with the updated per diem rates. Now you can search by city, state or zip code using the Per Diem Rates tool.
• The Offer In Compromise Pre-Qualifier tool will help determine if your client is eligible to settle tax debt for less than the full amount owed.

The Where’s My Amended Return tool provides the status of a Form 1040X, Amended Tax Return, for the current year and up to three prior years. It generally takes up to 16 weeks from the date received to process an amended return.