IRS Announces New Members for the Electronic Tax Administration Advisory Committee

In their newest press release, the Internal Revenue Service announced the selection of seven new members and a chairman for the Electronic Tax Administration Advisory Committee (ETAAC).

From the IRS Press Release:

ETAAC provides an organized forum for discussion of electronic tax administration issues and supports the goal of increasing electronic interactions between tax professionals and the IRS.

“The IRS is pleased with the continued support of the ETAAC,” said Cecille M. Jones, deputy director, IRS Electronic Tax Administration and Refundable Credits. “ETAAC offers constructive observations and suggestions about current or proposed policies, programs and procedures.”

The new members will replace the outgoing members whose terms expired and will ensure continuity of the committee. The new members are:

Sean Brennan of Philadelphia, Pa., is president of Brennan and Associates. He is a certified public accountant (CPA) e-filing both individual and business tax returns. Brennan has been teaching accounting and taxes at the college level for the past 13 years.

Alice Burnett of Lawrenceville, Ga., is the owner of Burnett & Associates. Her consulting firm offers operational expertise regarding electronic payment options, and she worked on the implementation and operation of the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS).

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IRS ETAAC Presents Annual Report to Congress

According to the newest IRS press release, the Electronic Tax Administration Advisory Committee (ETAAC) presented its 2010 Annual Report to Congress earlier this month.

The ETAAC provides feedback on the development and implementation of the Internal Revenue Service’s electronic tax administration strategy.

The report includes recommendations to further expand the use of electronic filing. The report recommends the IRS use a three-year phase-in approach to successfully implement the tax preparer requirement to electronically file individual tax returns. The report also calls for continued funding and completion of the modernization of IRS systems as well as collaboration between the IRS and industry regarding tax software standards and the implementation of the return preparer regulations.

“ETAAC plays a significant role in IRS efforts to improve the taxpayer’s experience via e-file and the Internet,” said David Williams, director of Electronic Tax Administration. “The IRS appreciates ETAAC’s recommendations, which we will consider as we plan our strategy for electronic tax administration.”

The 13-member panel provides an organized public forum for discussion of electronic tax administration issues and the overriding goal that paperless filing should be the preferred and most-convenient method of filing tax and information returns.

“ETAAC believes a fully e-enabled IRS is critical to meeting the overarching e-file goal and enhancing tax administration,” said Phil Poirier, ETAAC Chairman.

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IRS Announces New Members and a Chairman for ETAAC

According to their newest press release, the IRS has announced the selection of five new members and the new chairperson for the Electronic Tax Administration Advisory Committee (ETAAC).

“IRS is pleased by the continued support it receives from ETAAC,” said David R. Williams, director of IRS Electronic Tax Administration and Refundable Credits. “ETAAC helps the IRS work toward achieving its modernization goals and helps enhance tax administration on behalf of all taxpayers.”

“The 14-member ETAAC serves as a public forum for discussion of electronic tax administration issues and supports the goal of increasing electronic interactions between tax professionals and the IRS. ETAAC, which was created in 1998, submits an annual report to Congress on the progress of the IRS’ electronic tax initiatives.

Chris Beach of Sacramento, Calif., has been selected to serve as the Chairman of ETAAC for the 2008-2009 term. Beach, who joined ETAAC in 2006, is the Director of Filing Methods for the California Franchise Tax Board where he oversees business operations and product development for the state’s e-file and electronic services programs.

The new members, who will replace the outgoing members whose terms expired, will each serve three-year terms beginning October 2008 and ending October 2011.

The new members are:

Jean-Philippe Choudhry of Agoura Hills, Calif., is the Chief Process Officer for 1099 Pro Inc. where he is responsible for developing and defining processes to meet federal and state requirements for filing information returns. The company’s reporting methods include Web-based solutions and desktop software. 1099 Pro’s clients e-file hundreds of millions of information returns annually with the IRS FIRE (Filing Information Returns Electronically) system.

Paul Colombo of Colchester, Vt., is the former State Coordinator for the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) Tax-Aide program. His accomplishments include achieving an 80 percent e-file rate, with the help of 120 volunteers, at three dozen sites serving 12,000 clients each year. He has extensive experience with web design, creation, and programming.

Phillip Poirier of San Diego, Calif., is Vice President of the Government and Consumer Tax Division at Intuit. He is responsible for government initiatives relating to Intuit’s consumer businesses (TurboTax and Quicken). Poirier has extensive experience in business development, with privacy/security matters in connection with electronic commerce initiatives and with providing legal and regulatory compliance counsel.

Andrew Sidamon-Eristoff of New York is a former Commissioner of the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance and the New York City Department of Finance. Sidamon-Eristoff has been a leader in conceiving, implementing and promoting e-filing and electronic taxpayer services at the state and local government levels. He is currently a private investor and international consultant in tax administration.

Princess Vlandamir of Dallas is a Tax Strategist and Project Manager for Ernst & Young, supporting the Tax Practice. She co-leads e-filing initiatives, assists in solving return reject problems and manages the filing- season readiness program. Vlandamir also works on tax software applications and eStorage.”