- BTB Launches New Website
- 2024 Seminar/Webinar Brochure now available
- DOJ Challenges Alabama BOI Ruling
- IRS to Focus Efforts on High Income Non-Filers
- Foreign Housing Costs Limits Released
- May 17 Deadline for Claiming Recovery Rebate Credit
- April Applicable Federal Rates
- 2024 Back to Basics Update
- 2024 Seminar / Webinar Dates and Locations
- 2023 On-Demand Webinars Available
- 2024 Desk Reference Guide
- State Tax Updates
- The Tax Book – Promo Code 544
- CFS Tax Tools – Coupon Code BTB57143
- $50 Referral Bonus
“Isn’t it appropriate that the month of tax begins with April Fool’s Day and ends with cries of May Day!”
~Rober Knauerhase
Instructors
James Hockenberry, EA – Jim is the President of Back to Basics Income Tax Seminars and has over 31 years of experience in income tax and financial planning. He is an Enrolled Agent and holds a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. He has worked as a tax researcher / technical writer and has served as an instructor for several tax and financial organizations.
Steve O’Rourke, EA – Steve is an Enrolled Agent with a successful tax practice in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. His firm, which was established in 1989, prepares over 2,500 individual and business tax returns. Steve has a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree from the University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh. He has over 40 years of experience as a tax professional and is a nationally known speaker, having taught tax seminars for the National Association of Enrolled Agents, the National Association of Tax Professionals, and several other professional organizations nationwide.
BTB Launches New Website
Back to Basics Income Tax Seminars has launched a new website where you can now create and manage your own account. Registration is now open but before you register for an event, you must create your account with a unique username and password. Instructions can be found here.
Once your account is created you can then login and register for each event. Click the buttons below to get started.
2024 Seminar/Webinar Brochure
The 2024 Back to Basics Income Tax Seminar Brochure is available electronically. Click here to view. Registration is open. Because we have a new registration system, be sure to log onto the website and create an account before you register for a seminar or webinar. The full 2024 Back to Basics Income Tax Seminar Brochure will be mailed to all prior attendees the week of April 8.
DOJ Challenges Alabama BOI Ruling
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has appealed the recent Alabama District Court judge’s ruling that the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) violated the constitution. The Alabama ruling essentially suspends the FinCEN requirement that most businesses reveal who their owners are by certain dates. The Alabama ruling only applies to the plaintiffs in the case – an Alabama businessman and members of the National Small Business Association.
Despite the court’s limited injunction, tens of millions of companies must still report their beneficial ownership information to FinCEN. As a reminder, entities established before January 1, 2024, are not required to file a report until January 1, 2025. For entities established on or after January 1, 2024, they only have 90 days from creation under state law to file an initial BOI report.
IRS to Focus Efforts on High Income Non-Filers
The IRS announced a new effort focused on high-income taxpayers who have failed to file federal income tax returns. Using Inflation Reduction Act funding, the IRS will issue compliance letters to more than 125,000 cases where tax returns haven’t been filed since 2017.
Last week the IRS began mailing compliance alerts for failure to file a tax return, formally known as the CP59 notice. About 20,000 to 40,000 letters will go out each week, beginning with filers in the highest-income categories.
The new non-filer initiative is part of a larger effort underway with the IRS working to ensure large corporate, large partnership and high-income individual filers pay the taxes they owe.
Foreign Housing Costs Limits Released
Notice 2024-31 provides for adjustments to the limitation on housing expenses for purposes of section 911 of the Internal Revenue Code for the 2024 tax year. These adjustments are made on the basis of geographic differences in housing costs relative to housing costs in the United States. If the limitation on housing expenses is higher for the 2024 tax year than the adjusted limitations on housing expenses provided in Notice 2023-26, qualified taxpayers may apply the adjusted limitations in this notice for the 2024 tax year to their 2023 tax year.
May 17 Deadline for Claiming Recovery Rebate Credit
The IRS is encouraging individuals who are eligible to claim the 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit (RRC), and haven’t yet filed their 2020 tax return, to file before the May 17, 2024 deadline. The RRC is a refundable credit for individuals who did not receive one or more Economic Impact Payments (EIPs), also known as stimulus payments, that were distributed in 2020 and 2021. Eligible taxpayers must file a tax return to claim an RRC even if their income from a job, business, or other source was minimal or nonexistent. Taxpayers owed a refund have three years after the filing due date to file and claim any money entitled to them. For 2020 tax returns, this year’s May 17 due date is three years after the original May 17, 2021 tax deadline. To claim the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit, taxpayers must file the required tax return by April 15, 2025.
April Applicable Federal Rates
| Annual | Semiannual | Quarterly | Monthly | |
| Short-term (≤ 3 years) | 4.89% | 4.83% | 4.80% | 4.78% |
| Mid-term (> 3 years but ≤ 9 years) | 4.30% | 4.25% | 4.23% | 4.21% |
| Long-term (> 9 years) | 4.45% | 4.40% | 4.38% | 4.36% |
Sec. 7520 rate – 5.20% |
2024 Back to Basics Update
Website – New and improved website for better access to the newsletter and an improved registration system.
Registration – In an effort to improve registration and CPE / CE reporting we need to have each participant register with his/ her own separate email address. The system is now designed to allow only one distinct email address per person. Your registration is your ticket to the seminar or webinar.
Note: Because of the strict continuing education requirements – each person will have to register separately even if you are part of an office group.
E-book Option – As always, all participants will receive a printed textbook for each session. However, if you prefer to go paperless, you can save $10 per session by selecting e-book only.
Webinars – Over 45% of our registrations are from Webinars – which tells us that more people prefer the convenience of on-line education. We have added additional dates and times for our on-line webinars this year – including an option that is more convenient for those in the Mountain time zone.
Seminar Locations – Due to the success of the webinars, the average classroom size for the in-person seminars has decreased. Unfortunately, this makes it necessary to consolidate a few of our seminar locations. For those who attended our prior seminars in Superior, Janesville, and Racine you will have to select one of our other remaining locations – or join us on-line.
Referral Program – We understand that referrals have always been the best way to grow a business. As a thank you, we will mail you a $50 referral fee for each new attendee who registers for a Back-to-Basics seminar.
2024 Seminar / Webinar Dates and Locations
Registration is now available.
| WISCONSIN | BUSINESS | PART I | PART II |
| Eau Claire – Holiday Inn 4751 Owen Ayres Ct. – 54701 | Mon. – Sept. 23 | Tue. – Sept. 24 | Wed. – Dec. 4 |
| Rothschild – Holiday Inn 1000 Imperial Ave. – 54474 | Thur. – Sept. 26 | Fri. – Sept. 27 | Thur. – Dec. 5 |
| Onalaska – Stoney Creek Hotel 3060 S. Kinney Coulee Rd. – 54650 | —————— | Mon. – Dec 2 | Tue. – Dec. 3 |
| Sun Prairie – Hilton Garden Inn 1220 S. Grand Ave. – 53590 | Mon. – Oct. 21 | Tue. – Oct. 22 | Mon. – Dec. 16 |
| Green Bay – Radisson Hotel 2040 Airport Drive – 54313 | Mon. – Oct. 28 | Tue. – Oct. 29 | Thur. – Dec. 19 |
| Oshkosh – Hilton Garden Inn 1355 W. 20th Ave. – 54902 | Thur. – Sept. 19 | Fri. – Sept. 20 | Tue. – Dec. 10 |
| Milwaukee – Crowne Plaza* 6401 South 13th Street – 53221 | Tue. – Sept. 17 | Wed. – Sept. 18 | Mon. – Dec. 9 |
| Brookfield Conference Center* 325 S. Moorland Road – 53005 | Wed. – Oct. 23 | Tue. – Dec. 17 | Wed. – Dec. 18 |
| ARIZONA | BUSINESS | PART I | PART II |
| Flagstaff – Double Tree by Hilton 1175 W. Route 66 – 86001 | ————— | Mon. – Nov. 4 | Tues. – Nov. 5 |
| Mesa – Holiday Inn* 1600 S. Country Club Dr. – 85210 | Fri. – Nov. 8 | Thur. – Nov. 14 | Fri. – Nov. 15 |
| Tucson – Double Tree by Hilton 445 S. Alvernon Way – 85711 | —————– | Mon. – Nov. 11 | Tue. – Nov. 12 |
| Phoenix – Double Tree by Hilton 10220 N. Metro Parkway East – 85051 | Wed. – Nov. 6 | Thur. – Nov. 7 | Wed. – Nov. 13 |
| WEBINARS | BUSINESS | PART I | PART II |
| Central Time | Fri. – Oct. 25 | Tues. – Nov. 19 | Thur. – Dec. 12 |
| Central Time | Thur. – Oct. 31 | Wed. – Dec. 11 | Fri. – Dec. 20 |
| Mountain Time | Thur. – Nov. 21 | Fri.. – Dec. 6 | Fri. – Dec. 13 |
Note: All webinars begin at 8:25 am and end at 4:35 pm in the time zone indicated above.
2023 On-Demand Webinars Available
All three of our 2023 8-hour webinars are available on demand at a reduced price but without CE/CPE credits. They are perfect for new hire training and review. Click here to check out the content, agendas, and pricing.
2024 Desk Reference Guide
Now that the final numbers for 2024 have been released by the IRS, we have updated the Desk Reference Guide for the new year. Click here for your copy of the 2024 Desk Reference Guide.
State Tax Updates
In mid-January we sent a link for the state tax updates. As a reminder, all Part II participants have the ability to view the Wisconsin and Arizona state updates for FREE. The state tax update programs will not qualify for continuing education credits. The link for the state updates included a recorded video, the written text, and PowerPoint slides.
If you did not attend the Part II session, you may purchase the state programs for $30 on our website.
Area Stakeholder Liaison Teams
| Stakeholder | States | |
| Liaison | Covering | |
| Alan Gregerson | alan.j.gregerson@irs.gov | MN, ND |
| Ann Burton | ann.burton@irs.gov | CO |
| Jody Stamback | jody.k.stamback@irs.gov | UT, ID |
| Lelah Martinez | lelah.l.martinez@irs.gov | NM |
| Michael Smith | michael.smith6@irs.gov | WI |
| Mercean Lam | mercean.lam@irs.gov | OK |
| Neki Cox | neki.m.cox@irs.gov | NE, SD |
| Krista Sullivan | Krista.M.Sullivan@irs.gov | MO, KS |
| Lisa Novack | Lisa.A.Novack@irs.gov | AZ |
Speaking Engagements
If your professional group is looking for outside speakers for an upcoming event – we can help. For additional information, please email jhockenberry@dbcllc.com.
The Tax Book – Promo Code: 544
Use Promo Code 544 for additional discounts and take advantage of The Tax Book’s award-winning tax research solutions.
Order at: www.thetaxbook.com/order
Promo Code: 544
CFS Tax Tools – Coupon Code: BTB57143
CFS Tax Software, Inc.
Tax Tools is a collection of over 300 worksheets, calculators, flowcharts, and forms that tackle a variety of tough tax topics (many of which aren’t included in your 1040 software), including:
- Individual Tax Planner
- ACA modules
- Penalty and Interest Calculator
- Social Security Optimization
- Updated for latest tax law changes
You can order online at www.taxtools.com, or call 1-800-343-1157. Either way, be sure to use Coupon Code BTB57143 for additional savings.
$50 Referral Bonus
Refer a new attendee to a Back to Basics Income Tax Full Day Seminar and receive a $50 referral fee. Upon receipt of the new attendee registration(s), BTB Income Tax Seminars will mail you a check of $50 for each new attendee. Click Here to get a copy of the referral coupon.
(NOTE: Not valid with any other special offers or discounts)
Back to Basics Income Tax Seminars® is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors. State boards of accountancy have final authority on the acceptance of individual courses for CPE credit. Complaints regarding registered sponsors may be submitted to the National Registry of CPE Sponsors through its website: www.nasbaregistry.org. Sponsor ID # 108520