e-News for Tax Professionals 2025-44

Practitioner Scams: IRS Cybersecurity will describe the most prolific scams for which practitioners should watch. See sample scam emails and learn about different ways scammers attempt to steal your clients’ information.
Data Breaches: The IRS Data Breach program lead will describe what happens when you experience a data breach; the next steps involved; and the resources available to you, such as the Written Information Security Plan (WISP).
Identity Protection PIN: Learn how you can help yourself and your clients protect federal tax return information.
How This Affects You: Learn how your local area is affected by scams and data breaches.

Participants will receive helpful links to help themselves and their clients.

Please note: CE/CPE will not be granted for these sessions.

If you have a data breach/scam question, please email [email protected] in advance of the program.

2. Continuing Education Seminars Available on IRS Nationwide Tax Forum Online

The IRS encourages tax professionals to register for the IRS Nationwide Tax Forum Online to get access to 15 seminars recorded at the 2025 IRS Nationwide Tax Forum. The Nationwide Tax Forum Online offers tax professionals a convenient way to stay informed about current legislation, IRS procedures and key topics for the upcoming tax season.

Each seminar features a 50-minute interactive video presentation with synchronized slides, downloadable materials and complete transcripts. Courses can be taken for continuing education (CE) credit for a fee of $29 per credit, or they can be reviewed for free (no CE credit).

3. 401(k) and IRA Contribution Limits Increased for 2026

The IRS announced cost-of-living adjustments affecting dollar limitations for pension plans and other retirement-related items for tax year 2026. Tax professionals can share these limits with their clients to assist with retirement planning.

The amount individuals can contribute to their 401(k) plans in 2026 increases to $24,500, up from $23,500 for 2025. This annual contribution limit also applies to employees who participate in 403(b) plans, governmental 457 plans and the federal government’s Thrift Savings Plan.

The limit on annual contributions to an IRA increases to $7,500 from $7,000. The SECURE 2.0 Act of 2022 amended the IRA catch-up contribution limit for individuals aged 50 and over to include an annual cost-of-living adjustment increase to $1,100, up from $1,000 for 2025.

Also, the income ranges for determining eligibility to make deductible contributions to traditional Individual Retirement Arrangements (IRAs), to contribute to Roth IRAs and to claim the Saver’s Credit all increased for 2026.

All cost-of-living adjustments affecting dollar limitations – including phase-out limitations – for pension plans and other retirement-related items for tax year 2026 appear in Notice 2025-67.

4. Educate Yourself about Education Tax Benefits

Tax professionals can refresh their knowledge about tax benefits for education by visiting the information center on IRS.gov. It includes overviews of scholarships, education credits, deductions, savings plans and more.

To prepare for the upcoming filing season, tax professionals may want to educate their clients with student dependents about these topics.

5. Technical Guidance

Interest rates will remain the same for the calendar quarter beginning Jan. 1, 2026.

The rates are:

7% for overpayments (payments made in excess of the amount owed), 6% for corporations
4.5% for the portion of a corporate overpayment exceeding $10,000
7% for underpayments (taxes owed but not fully paid)
9% for large corporate underpayments

The rates are compounded daily.

Under the Internal Revenue Code, the rate of interest is determined on a quarterly basis. For taxpayers other than corporations, the overpayment and underpayment rates are the federal short-term rate plus 3 percentage points.

Generally, in the case of a corporation, the underpayment rate is the federal short-term rate, plus 3 percentage points, and the overpayment rate is the federal short-term rate, plus 2 percentage points. The rate for large corporate underpayments is the federal short-term rate, plus 5 percentage points. The rate on the portion of a corporate overpayment of tax exceeding $10,000 for a taxable period is the federal short-term rate, plus one-half (0.5) of a percentage point.

The interest rates above are computed from the federal short-term rate determined during October 2025.

See Revenue Ruling 2025-22 for details. The revenue ruling will appear in Internal Revenue Bulletin 2025-48, dated Nov. 24, 2025.

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