Compliance August 21, 2009

IRS Launches Multimedia Help on ARRA

August 21, 2009 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has announced the availability of video and audio products to help taxpayers take "full advantage of the 2009 tax provisions in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act."
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According to the announcement, the IRS has launched a YouTube video site and an iTunes podcast site to better serve taxpayers.

The YouTube focus will be on the provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Videos will highlight the $8,000 first-time homebuyer’s credit for those who purchase a house this year, the sales or excise tax deduction on new car purchases and the expanded credits for education and energy conservation.

People can visit the video site at www.youtube.com/irsvideos to view information about the ARRA, tax tips and how-to videos. These videos will be in English, Spanish, American Sign Language and other languages.

Recovery Videos

The IRS YouTube channel will debut with seven Recovery videos in English and ASL and eight in Spanish.

Also included will be a video on using the IRS Withholding Calculator.   The IRS notes that many workers who received the Making Work Pay tax credit in April through their tax withholding at work, but that those with more than one job or working spouses should “especially check their withholding to ensure neither too much nor too little is being withheld”. People can use the calculator to help determine if they should make adjustments, according to the IRS.

People can visit the audio site at iTunes to listen to IRS podcasts about ARRA tax credits. People without an iTunes account can hear those same podcasts, in English and Spanish, on IRS.gov’s Multimedia Center. 

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