NCCPAP News

Topics Include Current Filing Statistics, Improvements to The Taxpayer Experience, and COVID-related Retirement Plan Relief As reported by Tax Chair, Stephen Mankowski, CPA, CGMA, who recently attended the monthly IRS Meeting. Current Filing Statistics 66M returns have been received through 3/12; 58.4M returns have been processed More than 15M business returns have been process through 3/12 160M is the total expected number of returns to be received Free File participation is up ... Read More

ATS 2021 Tax Season Special Pricing This year's 19th Annual Accounting & Tax Symposium (formerly LITPS) will again be virtual. Based on the success of our first virtual event last year, we are offering relevant & timely topics, nationally recognized speakers, an enhanced Lunch & Learn for networking, and up to 32 CPE Credits! We have spent hundreds of hours enhancing your Tax Symposium to make this a memorable event with the quality and exceptional education experience that you deserve. The event ... Read More

March 22, 2021—The National Conference of CPA Practitioners (NCCPAP), an organization representing sole practitioners and small CPA firms across the country, would like to take this moment to thank the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for their announcement last week extending the due date for personal income tax returns from April 15 to May 17, 2021; however, NCCPAP recognizes that work still needs to be done to help both individual and corporate taxpayers. ... Read More

March 19, 2021— Dear Director Ficara and Governor Murphy, For the last twelve months, taxpayers, practitioners, and the New Jersey Division of Taxation have been dealing with unprecedented circumstances associated with the Covid-19 pandemic. Every tax filing season is fraught with uncertainty. Unfortunately, the circumstances associated with the 2021 filing season are outside of the control of taxpayers, practitioners, and even the Division of Taxation. There has been late legislative action, ... Read More

March 19, 2021— Dear Commissioner Schmidt and Governor Cuomo, For the last twelve months, taxpayers, practitioners, and the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance have been dealing with unprecedented circumstances associated with the Covid-19 pandemic. Every tax filing season is fraught with uncertainty. Unfortunately, the circumstances associated with the 2021 filing season are outside of the control of taxpayers, practitioners, and even the Tax Department. There has been late legislative ... Read More

March 17, 2021—The National Conference of CPA Practitioners (NCCPAP), an organization representing CPAs across the country, gives its thanks to the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) regarding its decision to extend the April 15 filing and payment due date for personal income tax returns or extensions until May 17, 2021. “The past year has been extremely trying for everyone, especially for those who prepare income tax returns and advise businesses,” says Mark ... Read More

Topics Include Several COVID-related items: Employee Retention Credits, Recovery Rebate Credits, and PPP Loan Update As reported by Tax Chair, Stephen Mankowski, CPA, CGMA, who recently attended the monthly IRS Meeting Nationwide Tax Forums Registration opened on March 1. The IRS Forums will begin in July and spread over five weeks with Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday seminars. A case resolution room will be available until the Forums go back to live events; however, there will be an Exhibit ... Read More

March 8, 2021— Dear Secretary Yellen, Acting Assistant Secretary Mazur, and Commissioner Rettig: For the last twelve months, taxpayers, practitioners and the IRS have been dealing with unprecedented circumstances associated with the Covid-19 pandemic. Every tax filing season is fraught with uncertainty. Unfortunately, the circumstances associated with the 2021 filing season are outside of the control of taxpayers, practitioners, and even the IRS. There has been late Congressional action, issues ... Read More

NCCPAP Members, Steve Mankowski, CPA, CGMA and Andrea Parness, CPA, CTC Published in Notable Journals and Recognized for Their Expertise and Leadership Stephen F. Mankowski, CPA, CGMA has recently been published in CPA Now , a publication of the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA). In his article, Data Safety Prep and the 2021 Tax Filing Season , he talks about the importance of having a written data security plan. He also recommends looking at IRS Publication ... Read More

Accounting & Auditing: Upcoming Changes Present Challenges and Opportunities By Mark A. Stewart, Jr., CPA, National President, NCCPAP February 9, 2021— Many of us in the accounting profession are no doubt buried behind the tidal wave of accounting issues brought about by The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021. This includes PPP Second Draw Loans, PPP loan forgiveness, and The Employee Retention Credit, to name a few. NCCPAP continues to stay on top of these items, so please watch for our ... Read More

Carol Markman was destined to become a trailblazer. In the early 1980’s when she was establishing her CPA firm, the only CPA organization she knew about was the New York State Society of CPAs (NYSSCPA). Although Carol was invested in professional associations as a way of advancing her practice, she didn’t feel that NYSCCPA met her needs as an owner of a small CPA firm. Even so, she signed up for weekend getaways as a chance to get to know the members. According to Carol, “I wasn’t shy, so I stood ... Read More

Topics Include: e-Signature Update, TFA Report to Congress, Taxpayer Advocate Report to Congress, and Taxpayer Relief Initiatives As reported by Tax Chair, Stephen Mankowski, CPA, who recently attended the monthly IRS Meeting e-Signature Update The Taxpayer Digital Communications (TDC) Secure Messaging Program deployed e-Signature on 1/25/21. To access this capability, a tax practitioner must either be registered for e-Services or access it through Forms 2848 or 8821 . This will allow taxpayers ... Read More

Another Month, Another Multi-Thousand Page Bill to Absorb By Mark A. Stewart, Jr., CPA, National President, NCCPAP January 12, 2021—On the eve of the 2020 holiday season, CPA practitioners received both a gift and a lump of coal in their stocking—the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021. While the provisions of this Bill are mostly good news for practitioners and their clients, there are many issues we must now face as practitioners. The good news includes numerous tax extenders, deductibility ... Read More

NCCPAP In Action: A Major Victory for Business Owners/Taxpayers January 4, 2021—With the passage of the “Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021,” the National Conference of CPA Practitioners (NCCPAP), a national organization of small and mid-sized CPA practices, working with other organizations, can claim a major victory for business owners/taxpayers. After the CARES Act was passed in March, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) came out with a notice stating that their position with regard ... Read More

To My Friends at NCCPAP: By Mark A. Stewart, Jr., CPA, National President, NCCPAP December 4, 2020—This year has brought enough hardships for a lifetime. Our profession has been one of the lucky few ones that has actually thrived during the pandemic; however, we must remember that many other businesses are still struggling just to survive. Right now, it is more important than ever that we advocate for these businesses. We need our members to show their power and strength in numbers by bringing ... Read More

Topics Include: An IRS 2020 Summary, Technology at the Forefront, New Smart Form Availability, and a Paper Check Reduction Program Tax Chair, Stephen Mankowski, CPA, recently attended the monthly IRS Meeting. General Updates and 2020 Summary November was our last meeting for 2020 and we’re all hoping for a better 2021, even though next year will likely start out as virtual. To kick-off awareness for next tax season, November 30-December 4 is the 5 th annual tax security awareness week, ... Read More

A Look Ahead: The Future of the Profession Neil H. Fishman, CPA, CFE, FCPA, CAMS and Mark A. Stewart Jr., CPA, our respective outgoing and incoming presidents of NCCPAP, were recently featured in an Accounting Today podcast hosted by editor-in-chief, Dan Hood. They share the issues they've been working on, and what they see coming for the accounting profession. Neil’s Segment The biggest issues in the profession for the past couple of years are related to technology. Without ... Read More

Karen Tenenbaum, Distinguished New York Tax Attorney, to Lead Two Critical Topics at  NCCPAP’s 18 th Annual Accounting and Tax Symposium Karen J. Tenenbaum, Esq., CPA, LL.M. and Principal/Founder of Tenenbaum Law, P.C. of Melville, NY has been invited to present a number of critical topics at ATS 2020, NCCPAP’s Annual Accounting and Tax Symposium on November 10, 13, 18, and 19. She has participated as a featured speaker for all 18 years—since its inception! According to Ms. Tenenbaum, “The ... Read More

Topics Include: Tax Forums, Online Services, Enterprise Digitalization & Case Management, e-Signature, and the 2021 Get Ready Campaign Tax Chair, Stephen Mankowski, CPA, recently attended the monthly IRS Meeting. Tax Forums The IRS is intending to return to last year’s in-person format sometime in the future, pending the COVID-19 situation. Regardless of the format, there will be a Nationwide Tax Forum in 2021. The 2020 Forums attracted 10,300 paid attendees with access to 30+ seminars ... Read More

To My Friends at NCCPAP: By Mark A. Stewart, Jr., CPA, National President, NCCPAP November 4, 2020—There is no greater honor in this profession than to be recognized by your peers. I am beyond humbled that all of you have put your faith in me to lead NCCPAP, our organization. I promise to do my best in this position, as I have done all the years I have served at NCCPAP—at the Chapter level and the National level. Recently we faced, and still face, unique challenges as an organization. ... Read More

Sunita Lough, IRS Deputy Commissioner, Featured as Keynote Speaker at NCCPAP’s 18 th Annual Accounting and Tax Symposium Sunita Lough, the Deputy Commissioner for Services and Enforcement of the Internal Revenue Service, will be featured as the first Keynote Speaker at this year’s NCCPAP Accounting & Tax Symposium (ATS 2020) on November 10, 2020. Ms. Lough provides leadership to the four taxpayer-focused IRS operating divisions: Wage & Investment, Large Business and International (LB&I), Small ... Read More

Please join us in congratulating the 2020-2021 Officers and Directors for the National Conference of CPA Practitioners (NCCPAP). The installation of Officers took place on October 22, 2020. The 2020-2021 Officers include the following individuals from their respective firms: President:  Mark A. Stewart, Jr., CPA, Feldstein & Stewart, LLP, New City, NY Executive Vice President:  Frank Sands, CPA, Sands, Gililland & Company, PC, Plano, TX Vice President:  Scott Cheslowitz, CPA, Rothenberg ... Read More

Neil D. Katz to Speak at NCCPAP’s 18 th Annual Accounting and Tax Symposium Neil D. Katz, J.D., LL.M, CPA, Managing Partner of Katz Chwat, P.C. President and Principal Lecturer at Katz Tax Seminars, LLC in Melville, NY and a long-standing member of the National Conference of CPA Practitioners (NCCPAP), will be presenting two topics at the this year’s Annual NCCPAP Accounting & Tax Symposium (ATS 2020), taking place on November 10, 13, 18, and 19. As has been his tradition for many years, he ... Read More

Robert S. Barnett to Speak at NCCPAP’s 18 th Annual Accounting and Tax Symposium Robert S. Barnett, CPA, Esq., MS (Taxation), Founding Partner of Capell Barnett Matalon & Schoenfeld LLP of New York City and Jericho, NY, has been invited to present a number of critical estate planning and tax-related topics at ATS 2020, NCCPAP’s Annual Accounting and Tax Symposium. The conference will take place on November 10, 13, 18 and 19 in a virtual format. As a past President of The Educational ... Read More

Frank A. Gallo to Speak at NCCPAP’s 18 th Annual Accounting and Tax Symposium Frank A. Gallo, CPA and Managing Partner of Gallo & Company CPA's LLP of Jericho, NY is a long-standing member of the National Conference of CPA Practitioners (NCCPAP), a member of the Nassau/Suffolk Chapter of NCCPAP, Board Member of the Educational Foundation of the Nassau/Suffolk Chapter of NCCPAP, and Vice President of NCCPAP at the national level. This is his sixth year as a Symposium presenter. He will be ... Read More

Some Final Comments By Neil H. Fishman, CPA, CFE, FCPA, CAMS, National President, NCCPAP October 20, 2020—It is hard to believe that I became President of NCCPAP only two years ago. In my first message as President, I made the comment that some people were thinking, “What took so long?” Long before I passed the CPA exam and got my license from New York (my Florida license came a few years later), I was attending NCCPAP meetings with my ears open and my mouth shut, learning the practical ... Read More

Scott Peterson, U.S. Tax Policy and Government Relations Expert, Featured as Keynote Speaker at NCCPAP’s 18 th Annual Accounting and Tax Symposium Scott Peterson, Vice President of U.S. Tax Policy and Government Relations, at Avalara—a Seattle-based tax compliance software company that helps to manage the complexity of sales tax nexus—will be a Keynote Speaker at this year’s NCCPAP Accounting & Tax Symposium (ATS 2020), taking place on November 10, 13, 18, and 19. Mr. Peterson, who has particular ... Read More

Topics Include: IRS Highlights, Taxpayer First Office, Office of Professional Responsibility, Return Preparer Office, and Wage & Investment Immediate Past President and current Tax Chair, Stephen Mankowski, CPA, recently attended the monthly IRS Meeting. IRS Highlights: Services & Enforcement Although it seems like ages ago when the CARES Act was passed, the IRS is getting ready to send an additional $9 million to taxpayers who have not filed tax returns for the past two years, since ... Read More

Beanna J. Whitlock, Renown Liability and Professional Ethics Expert, to Present at NCCPAP's 18th Annual Accounting and Tax Symposium This year’s NCCPAP Accounting and Tax Symposium Attendees are in for quite a treat. Beanna J. Whitlock, EA, CSA is a Partner at Whitlock Tax Service in Canyon Lake, TX, Executive Director of the National Center for Professional Education (NCPE) Fellowship, former IRS Information Reporting Program Advisory Council Member, former IRS Commissioner’s Advisory Committee ... Read More

James C. Bourke, Technology Expert and CPA, to Be Featured Keynote at NCCPAP’s 18 th Annual Accounting and Tax Symposium James C. Bourke CPA, CITP, CFF, CGMA, and Partner/Managing Director Advisory Services at Withum, an advisory, tax, and audit firm with offices around the globe, will be a featured Keynote Speaker at this year’s Annual NCCPAP Accounting & Tax Symposium (ATS 2020), taking place on November 10, 13, 18, and 19. Mr. Bourke has been speaking at the Symposium for many years and similar ... Read More