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.

Direct File Pilot to Debut Next Tax Season

Bob Williams - May 24, 2023

The Internal Revenue Service is moving ahead with a program that will offer taxpayers a new option on for filing their 2023 returns next year. Dubbed “Direct File,” a scaled-down version of the full program will allow taxpayers to file online for free, using an IRS-run website.…

Time Running Out to Claim Tax Year 2019 Refunds

Bob Williams - May 05, 2023

The Internal Revenue Service says it has almost $1.5 billion in leftover tax refunds for 2019 taxpayers who haven’t filed—but the time remaining to claim this money is slipping away.…

2023 Dirty Dozen Spotlights New Scams, Some Usual Suspects

Bob Williams - April 10, 2023

The Internal Revenue Service has released its annual Dirty Dozen list of the top scams and schemes posing threats to taxpayers and tax pros, and this year sees some new schemes among the known scams from previous lists.…

IRS Clarifies Mineral, Battery Component Requirements for Clean Vehicle Credit

Bob Williams - April 05, 2023

The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA) updated the Clean Vehicle Credit to make US-manufactured electric and fuel cell vehicles more attractive to American car buyers. Since provisions in the legislation changed several qualifying requirements that take effect in 2023, the Internal Revenue Service has been steadily issuing guidance since January.…

Non-Filers Can Still Benefit from Several 2021 Credits

Bob Williams - October 26, 2022

The Internal Revenue Service estimates over 9 million people who failed to file a tax year 2021 return could qualify for tax credits. This is not the first time the IRS has notified non-filers that they could be eligible for tax credits: the agency alerted 9 million taxpayers about their potential eligibility for Economic Impact Payments in September 2020.…

Multi-Factor Authentication Can Head Off Sophisticated Scammers

Bob Williams - October 03, 2022

Identity theft. Just the mere mention of this mayhem masquerade is enough to make the blood of tax professionals everywhere run cold.…

Prepare Now to Be Ready for Hurricane Season

Bob Williams - September 15, 2022

The US coastline is about to face the worst of the 2022 hurricane season, and many businesses within a day's drive are taking steps to prepare. While weatherproofing buildings and fueling generators is important, for tax professionals, there are a few more simple steps to be sure your business is ready to weather the storm.…

Know the Signs of Possible ID Theft

Bob Williams - August 23, 2022

We all know that identity thieves aren’t letting up in their efforts to steal your clients’ personal information so they can file fraudulent tax returns. If anything, they’re picking up the pace.…

Use IP PINs for Extra Security

Bob Williams - July 25, 2022

It’s never too early to start planning for the next tax season. For millions of tax pros, that means figuring how to make their operations more secure.…

ETAAC Recommends IRS Funding, MeF Enhancements

Bob Williams - July 15, 2022

One of the Internal Revenue Service’s main advisory committees is asking Congress to give the agency the funding it needs to function well. The recommendations, split into two categories, come from the Electronic Tax Administration Advisory Committee, or ETAAC, in its annual report to Congress.…