Posted by Mark Brousseau
“The way tax administration occurs today has significantly changed,” Devon Bryan, CISSP, deputy associate CIO, cyber security, Internal Revenue Service, told attendees at the Federation of Tax Administrators (FTA) Annual Meeting at the Grand Hyatt Atlanta this afternoon. “Modern tax administration has grown increasingly dependent on the near limitless interconnectivity of the Internet to provide instant access to information and services. But that comes with a risk.”
Bryan said, “We are now facing a flood of increasingly sophisticated cyber threats. As commercial and government services continue to be made available online, the amount of sensitive and financial data transmitted over the internet, also increases.” He pointed to the 2009 Internet Crime Report which reported that the Internet Crime Complaint Center web site received more than 300,000 compliant submissions last year – a 22.3 percent increase as compared to 2008. The FBI estimates that more money was made in cybercrime last year than in illegal drug trafficking, Bryan added.
And that’s a chilling thought, Bryan said, when you consider that data networks now underlie the U.S. power grid, the country’s military operations, and its telecommunications infrastructure.
Data networks also are becoming critical to U.S. tax administration.
And that’s why tax processors need to be more vigilant about cyber security, Bryan said.
Showing posts with label government. Show all posts
Showing posts with label government. Show all posts
Monday, June 7, 2010
Changes taxpayers can believe in
Posted by Mark Brousseau
“Many taxpayers believe they can’t get a fair shake from their state tax system,” Walter Hellerstein, Shackelford Professor of Taxation, University of Georgia Law School, said this morning at the Federation of Tax Administrators (FTA) Annual Meeting at the Grand Hyatt Atlanta. “They think there are too many thumbs in the mix. This is what’s driving so many of the problems that we are seeing, not to mention, the Tea Party movement.”
Getting to a more “robust” tax system that is closer to “the ideal” will go a long way toward changing taxpayers’ negative perceptions, Hellerstein told attendees. He said that some key changes should include a streamlined sales tax, independent state tax courts, withholding on flow-through entities, federal-state tax coordination, and corporate income tax uniformity. “These changes would at least get us to where we could talk to each other in more civil tones,” Hellerstein said. “The answer is respect; not only between federal and state entities, but also between taxpayers and states.”
“Many taxpayers believe they can’t get a fair shake from their state tax system,” Walter Hellerstein, Shackelford Professor of Taxation, University of Georgia Law School, said this morning at the Federation of Tax Administrators (FTA) Annual Meeting at the Grand Hyatt Atlanta. “They think there are too many thumbs in the mix. This is what’s driving so many of the problems that we are seeing, not to mention, the Tea Party movement.”
Getting to a more “robust” tax system that is closer to “the ideal” will go a long way toward changing taxpayers’ negative perceptions, Hellerstein told attendees. He said that some key changes should include a streamlined sales tax, independent state tax courts, withholding on flow-through entities, federal-state tax coordination, and corporate income tax uniformity. “These changes would at least get us to where we could talk to each other in more civil tones,” Hellerstein said. “The answer is respect; not only between federal and state entities, but also between taxpayers and states.”
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Modernized e-Filing System Takes Off
Posted by Mark Brousseau
More than 6.5 million federal tax returns (business and individual) were submitted through the new Modernized e-File (MeF) system, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) told attendees of the Federation of Tax Administrators (FTA) Annual Meeting at the Grand Hyatt Atlanta today. That’s on top of nearly 400,000 state tax returns (business and individual) submitted using MeF. On March 15th alone, the IRS received nearly 500,000 MeF submissions.
MeF is a web-based system that allows electronic filing through the Internet of corporate, partnership, exempt organization, excise tax returns, and, for the first time this year, Individual 1040 returns. When fully deployed, MeF will replace the IRS’ legacy e-file system.
1040 MeF is being deployed over three years. The first phase, deployed this year, includes processing of Form 1040 and 22 other forms and schedules. Fourteen states currently are in live production with 1040 MeF. As of April 21, more than 1 million federal and state returns were submitted via 1040 MeF, the IRS says.
Phase 2, targeted for next filling season, will support the same forms and will include current and prior year processing. In addition, the IRS will complete the build-out of additional hardware and improved disaster recovery capabilities. The Phase 3 plan, targeted for January 2012, will bring online the remaining related 1040 forms and schedules and will include amended return processing. During the deployment phases, the IRS’ legacy e-file system will remain fully operational with current plans to retire it during the fourth quarter of calendar year 2012.
More than 6.5 million federal tax returns (business and individual) were submitted through the new Modernized e-File (MeF) system, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) told attendees of the Federation of Tax Administrators (FTA) Annual Meeting at the Grand Hyatt Atlanta today. That’s on top of nearly 400,000 state tax returns (business and individual) submitted using MeF. On March 15th alone, the IRS received nearly 500,000 MeF submissions.
MeF is a web-based system that allows electronic filing through the Internet of corporate, partnership, exempt organization, excise tax returns, and, for the first time this year, Individual 1040 returns. When fully deployed, MeF will replace the IRS’ legacy e-file system.
1040 MeF is being deployed over three years. The first phase, deployed this year, includes processing of Form 1040 and 22 other forms and schedules. Fourteen states currently are in live production with 1040 MeF. As of April 21, more than 1 million federal and state returns were submitted via 1040 MeF, the IRS says.
Phase 2, targeted for next filling season, will support the same forms and will include current and prior year processing. In addition, the IRS will complete the build-out of additional hardware and improved disaster recovery capabilities. The Phase 3 plan, targeted for January 2012, will bring online the remaining related 1040 forms and schedules and will include amended return processing. During the deployment phases, the IRS’ legacy e-file system will remain fully operational with current plans to retire it during the fourth quarter of calendar year 2012.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Confusion Over ARRA Funding
Posted by Mark Brousseau
A Dell survey of 662 public-sector IT professionals indicates a need for clearer, more customized information related to the flow and impact of American Recovery and Re-Investment Act (ARRA) funds. The survey results also suggest mounting IT challenges among public-sector healthcare and government organizations. Among the findings of the survey:
... 79% of public-sector IT professionals indicated they don’t have enough visibility or are only somewhat aware of the impact and flow of ARRA funds on their organizations.
... 78% said ARRA-related information is non-existent, too generic or not understandable and that tailored tools are needed to better navigate the recovery package.
... Higher education IT professionals rank resources as largest IT-related impediment to modernizing America’s educational institutions.
... Federal, state and local government IT professionals said a lack of standards, budgets and resources for IT deployment and management each has a “high impact” on infrastructure modernization.
... Healthcare IT professionals indicated that budgets, interoperability and disparate networks are the “largest IT impediments” to modernizing America’s healthcare system.
Frank Muehleman, vice president and general manager, Dell North America Public Business Group, noted that Dell sees three consistent themes from customers who want to use the ARRA to invest in IT: they want cost and energy efficiency, they demand transparency, and they are focused on IT that is simple to deploy and manage.
What do you think? Post your comments below.
A Dell survey of 662 public-sector IT professionals indicates a need for clearer, more customized information related to the flow and impact of American Recovery and Re-Investment Act (ARRA) funds. The survey results also suggest mounting IT challenges among public-sector healthcare and government organizations. Among the findings of the survey:
... 79% of public-sector IT professionals indicated they don’t have enough visibility or are only somewhat aware of the impact and flow of ARRA funds on their organizations.
... 78% said ARRA-related information is non-existent, too generic or not understandable and that tailored tools are needed to better navigate the recovery package.
... Higher education IT professionals rank resources as largest IT-related impediment to modernizing America’s educational institutions.
... Federal, state and local government IT professionals said a lack of standards, budgets and resources for IT deployment and management each has a “high impact” on infrastructure modernization.
... Healthcare IT professionals indicated that budgets, interoperability and disparate networks are the “largest IT impediments” to modernizing America’s healthcare system.
Frank Muehleman, vice president and general manager, Dell North America Public Business Group, noted that Dell sees three consistent themes from customers who want to use the ARRA to invest in IT: they want cost and energy efficiency, they demand transparency, and they are focused on IT that is simple to deploy and manage.
What do you think? Post your comments below.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Fraud Hits Financial Services Hardest
Posted by Mark Brousseau
Banks and financial services companies were the most commonly victimized industry by fraud (15 percent), according to the 2008 Report to the Nation on Occupational Fraud and Abuse prepared by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners. Banks and financial services companies are followed by government (12 percent) and healthcare (8 percent). The median loss for banks was $250,000 per case, according to the report.
What do you think? Post your comments below.
Banks and financial services companies were the most commonly victimized industry by fraud (15 percent), according to the 2008 Report to the Nation on Occupational Fraud and Abuse prepared by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners. Banks and financial services companies are followed by government (12 percent) and healthcare (8 percent). The median loss for banks was $250,000 per case, according to the report.
What do you think? Post your comments below.
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