The IRS Just Made First-Time Penalty Abatement Automatic — Federal Tax Updates

Roger and Annie take a midyear look at how the IRS is holding up: call center struggles, a wave of CP2000, CP05, and CP14 notices, and the sudden departure of top Treasury tax official Ken Kies. They break down the new automatic penalty abatement replacing the old first-time abatement process, updates to Trump accounts, and a long list of OBBBA provisions kicking in for 2026, from the educator expense deduction to a higher 1099-K threshold. They close with practical tips for managing the fall extension crunch and a prediction on whether the TAS Act clears its Senate Finance Committee markup.

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Chapters

(00:00) - Welcome and Catch Up
(00:31) - Summer Tax Conference Circuit
(04:06) - Why IRS Phones Struggle
(06:22) - Digital Self Service Push
(08:44) - Staffing Tech and Leadership Shift
(12:34) - Tips and Overtime Reporting 2026
(14:39) - Refund Notices and Paper Checks
(16:53) - Most Common IRS Notices
(21:05) - Trump Accounts Guidance Update
(24:03) - Kwong Case Status and Deadlines
(27:00) - Fall Extension Survival
(28:43) - Client Info Deadlines
(31:13) - Systems and Automation
(33:07) - Midyear Client Touchpoints
(34:00) - Advisory in AI Era
(35:21) - Automatic Penalty Relief
(38:00) - AEP Tradeoffs Explained
(42:36) - Key Changes for 2026
(45:59) - Business and Reporting Updates
(48:50) - TAS Act Outlook
(53:43) - Conference Plans and Farewell

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Annie Schwab

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