The Internal Revenue Service is making good on its pledge to provide information and assistance to underserved communities. The agency has now made two publications that are key to tax professionals available in Spanish.
Publication 947, Practice Before the IRS and Power of Attorney, is now available online. A Spanish version of Circular No. 230, Regulations Governing Practice Before the Internal Revenue Service, is expected to be posted on IRS.gov soon.
IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig said making these two publications available in Spanish helps the IRS reach its goal of serving all taxpayers, no matter where they live, their background, or what language they speak.
“Spanish-speaking tax pros have long played a vital role in helping businesses and families understand their tax-reporting responsibilities and take full advantage of valuable tax benefits,” said Commissioner Rettig. “We believe adding these two important professional resources in Spanish will help tax pros more effectively serve and represent this important community. This is just one more step in our continuing efforts to increase the information and services available in Spanish and other languages.”
Circular 230 is considered a crucial document for those who practice before the IRS.
The title refers to Treasury Department Circular No. 230, which defines and governs who may practice before the IRS. Those covered by Circular 230 include attorneys, certified public accountants, Enrolled Agents, enrolled retirement plan agents, enrolled actuaries and others who practice before the IRS.
The IRS Office of Professional Responsibility has oversight over Circular 230, including enforcing violations.
“Circular 230 will turn 100 years old in February, and making this document available in Spanish for the first time is an appropriate milestone,” said Sharyn Fisk, IRS Office of Professional Responsibility Director. “We will continue to look for other opportunities to make information available to tax professionals in additional languages.”
In another first, Form 1040 will be available in Spanish in tax-year 2020. The 2020 Form 1040 will also allow taxpayers to indicate on the form whether they wish to be contacted in a language other than English, should the IRS have a need to communicate with them.
More information about tax help in Spanish—and other languages—can be found on IRS.gov.
Source: IR-2020-246