More than 130 million American households will begin receiving Internal Revenue Service letters next week reminding them to file a 2007 tax return in order to receive a 2008 economic stimulus payment.

The mailings by the IRS will begin the first week in March and continue throughout the month. The informational notice, titled Economic Stimulus Payment Notice, alerts people that they may be eligible for a one-time stimulus payment of up to $600 ($1,200 married filing jointly) starting in May. There also is a $300 per child payment for qualifying children younger than 17.

 The Internal Revenue Service announced the launch of a simple electronic filing system that small tax-exempt organizations may use to comply with a new law requiring them to file an annual return.

In the past, small tax-exempt organizations generally were not required to file Forms 990 or 990-EZ, the annual information returns for tax-exempt organizations. But the Pension Protection Act of 2006 requires that tax-exempt organizations that normally have annual gross receipts of $25,000 or less must file an electronic Form 990-N, “Electronic Notice (e-Postcard) for Tax-Exempt Organizations not Required to File Form 990- or 990-EZ,” for tax years beginning in 2007.

The Internal Revenue Service is initiating enforcement action involving more than 100 U.S. taxpayers to ensure proper income reporting and tax payment in connection with accounts in Liechtenstein. 

The national tax administrations of Australia, Canada, France, Italy, New Zealand, Sweden, United Kingdom, and the United States of America, all member countries of the OECD’s Forum on Tax Administration (FTA), are working together following revelations that Liechtenstein accounts are being used for tax avoidance and evasion.

Agricultural industry taxpayers, farmers and fishermen, who electronically file Form 1040 returns with Form 4136, Credit for Federal Tax Paid on Fuels, must wait until March 3 to e-file the newly-revised Form 4136.

Normally, 1040 filers who are farmers or fishermen are not required to make an estimated tax payment if they file their return and pay all taxes due by March 1.   But this year, because March 1 falls on a Saturday, the date extends to Monday, March 3.  For eligible farmers and fishermen who attach Form 4136 to their Form 1040, the return will be considered timely filed with all tax paid if the return is e-filed and accepted on or before March 10 and all tax due is paid on or before March 10.

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 After reviewing the fourth quarter 2007 sales of American Honda Motor Company, Inc., the Internal Revenue Service announced that purchasers of qualifying Honda vehicles may continue to claim the Alternative Motor Vehicle Credit. Given the number of vehicles sold, the phase out period for Honda vehicles began on Jan. 1, 2008.

Honda sold 8,017 qualifying vehicles to retail dealers in the quarter ending Dec. 31, 2007. This brings the cumulative sales of qualified Honda hybrid vehicles sold from the period of Jan. 1, 2006, to Dec. 31, 2007, to 73,108.