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Wireless Access Code: 9166703926
www.mwe.com
Boston Brussels Chicago Düsseldorf Houston London Los Angeles Miami Milan Munich New York Orange County Paris Rome Silicon Valley Washington, D.C.
Strategic alliance with MWE China Law Offices (Shanghai)
© 2012 McDermott Will & Emery. The following legal entities are collectively referred to as “McDermott Will & Emery,” “McDermott" or “the Firm”: McDermott Will & Emery LLP, McDermott Will & Emery AARPI, McDermott Will & Emery Belgium LLP, McDermott Will & Emery Rechtsanwälte Steuerberater LLP, MWE Steuerberatungsgesellschaft mbH, McDermott Will & Emery Studio Legale Associato and McDermott Will & Emery UK LLP. These entities coordinate their activities through service agreements. McDermott has a strategic alliance with MWE China Law Offices, a separate law firm. This communication may be considered attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
The American Coalition for Taxpayer Rights (“ACTR”) for CWAGStephen M. Ryan, Esq.McDermott Will & Emery600 13th Street, N.W.Washington, D.C. 20005sryan@mwe.comTel. 202-756-8333 (O)
Stephen M. Ryan, Esq. sryan@mwe.comAmerican Coalition for Taxpayer Rights Tel. 202-756-8333 (O)
3
CWAG: WHO IS THE AMERICAN COALITION FOR TAXPAYER RIGHTS (“ACTR”)?
ACTR is a 501(c)(6)
Made up of 2 components: tax preparation companies and financial service settlement companies
We help prepare approximately 90 million of the 140+ million individual federal income tax returns
We provide approximately 18.6 million of the nearly 20 million RTs
ACTR tax preparation companies:
– H&R Block
– Intuit
– Jackson Hewitt
– Liberty Tax
– Tax Act (2nd Story)
– TaxSlayer
– CCH Small Firm Services (UTS)
Stephen M. Ryan, Esq. sryan@mwe.comAmerican Coalition for Taxpayer Rights Tel. 202-756-8333 (O)
4
Continued: WHO IS ACTR?
The tax companies’ offerings range from:
– In person
– Do-it-yourself software (DIY)
– “Professional” software (used by CPAs, lawyers, other preparers)
ACTR financial services companies:
– H&R Block
– Refund Advantage
– Republic Bank and Trust
– Santa Barbara Tax Products Group
Stephen M. Ryan, Esq. sryan@mwe.comAmerican Coalition for Taxpayer Rights Tel. 202-756-8333 (O)
5
CHARACTERISTICS OF TAX PREPARATION MARKETPLACE
In 1999, 1.25 million taxpayers used private sector on-line products. In 13 years the industry (not just ACTR members) has gone from about 1% of taxpayers to 80% of taxpayers using Internet and electronic tax-preparation products
The states and federal government did not pay for this change, but have benefited mightily, e.g.:
– lower cost of processing returns
– reduced errors in returns since software corrects routine taxpayer errors
– taxpayers benefit in reduced burden and cost
Industry marked by innovation, fierce competition and change
Software capabilities continue to increase, but not price
Competition is fierce within sectors (e.g., DIY), and between sectors (DIY v. stores v. professionals)
Example: A recent market entrant less than 10 years old has become the #3 company in the industry in a decade
Stephen M. Ryan, Esq. sryan@mwe.comAmerican Coalition for Taxpayer Rights Tel. 202-756-8333 (O)
6
ACTR COMPANIES AND “FREE FILE”: THE FEDERAL SYSTEM (IRS) AND 23 STATES
Industry has combined to provide free tax preparation and electronic filing for the lowest 70% of federal taxpayers (translates to $57K AGI and below)
ACTR companies provide many of those free services to the poor and underserved (H&R Block, Intuit, Liberty, TaxAct, Taxslayer)
23 states have “Free File” programs which include free state returns, coordinated with the federal program (map on next slide)
18 other states pay to create “competitive” software
GAO has said the costs of producing such software and the low take-up rate of state software do not justify IRS adopting such a model
ACTR is not Free File, but 6 of the 7 ACTR tax preparation companies are also Free File companies (H&R Block, Intuit, Jackson Hewitt, Liberty Tax, Tax Act, TaxSlayer)
Stephen M. Ryan, Esq. sryan@mwe.comAmerican Coalition for Taxpayer Rights Tel. 202-756-8333 (O)
7
STATES SPONSORING FREE FILE PROGRAMS
AL
TN
ID
AR
MNNY
ND
VT
WV
AZ
MS
OR
SC
IA
MI
OK
MO
NM
MT
MD
DE
CO
WY
NV
WA
SD
KS
OH
PACT
NH
TX
AK
KY
GA
NC
RI
MA
VA
FL
LA
MD
ME
UT
NE
NJCA
Free File States (23)
No Income Tax States (9)
State creates its own tax software and/or e-filing system (18)
1
IN
WI
HI
IL
CA
DC
DE
MD
Stephen M. Ryan, Esq. sryan@mwe.comAmerican Coalition for Taxpayer Rights Tel. 202-756-8333 (O)
8
BEING AN INDUSTRY LAWYER PRE-DODD-FRANK HAD ITS ADVANTAGES!
National Bank Act preemption was an easy win for industry attorneys:
– e.g., Pacific Capital Bank v. Connecticut, 542 F.3d 341 (2nd Cir. 2008)
– e.g., Pacific Capital Bank v. Milgram (New Jersey), No. 08-0223 (FLW), 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 19639 (D.N.J. Mar. 13, 2008)
With new concurrent jurisdiction of the CFPB and states under Dodd-Frank, life is more exciting
Stephen M. Ryan, Esq. sryan@mwe.comAmerican Coalition for Taxpayer Rights Tel. 202-756-8333 (O)
9
WHAT IS ACTR PREPARED TO DO WITH THE ATTORNEYS GENERAL COMMUNITY?
We want to reach a consensus with you (IRS and CFPB) that will stabilize the regulatory regime, federal and state, for a pro-consumer, pro-transparency agenda. We are prepared to volunteer for binding “best practices” to uplift the consumer experience
We want to drive a common understanding of what is good policy with respect to tax settlement bank products with you and the CFPB. We believe this can be done before the 2013 tax season, but in any case, certainly before 2014
We can support initiatives to help you combat identity theft in the tax arena
We can serve as a resource for you with respect to our industry
Stephen M. Ryan, Esq. sryan@mwe.comAmerican Coalition for Taxpayer Rights Tel. 202-756-8333 (O)
10
ACTR/ATTORNEYS GENERAL COMMUNITY, CONTINUED
There are things we must do to protect our industry, including:
– We will oppose any effort to claim the RT is a “loan” product in litigation, legislation or regulation (we believe this is an attempt to ban the product)
– We will continue to resist any attempt to dis-intermediate our industry from taxpayers/customers
Wireless Access Code: 9166703926
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