Treasury and IRS Seek Comments for Priority Guidance Plan

The Department of the Treasury and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recently published Notice 2018-43 soliciting public comment on recommendations for items that the Treasury/IRS should include in its 2018–2019 Priority Guidance Plan. The Priority Guidance Plan identifies guidance projects that the Treasury and IRS intend to work on during the period from July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019.

In reviewing recommendations and selecting projects for inclusion on the 2016–2017 Priority Guidance Plan, the IRS will consider the following:

• Whether the recommended guidance resolves significant issues relevant to many taxpayers;
• Whether the recommended guidance promotes sound tax administration;
• Whether the recommended guidance can be drafted in a manner that will enable taxpayers to easily understand and apply the guidance;
• Whether the recommended guidance involves regulations that are outmoded, ineffective, insufficient, or excessively burdensome and that should be modified, streamlined, expanded, or repealed;
• Whether the Service can administer the recommended guidance on a uniform basis; and
• Whether the recommended guidance reduces controversy and lessens the burden on taxpayers or the Service.

The IRS is asking for recommendations by June 15, 2018, for possible inclusion on the original 2018–2019 Priority Guidance Plan. You may, however, submit recommendations for guidance at any time during the year. The IRS may update the 2018–2019 Priority Guidance Plan periodically to reflect additional guidance that the IRS intend to publish during the plan year. The periodic updates allow the IRS to respond to the need for additional guidance that may arise during the plan year.

You may mail comments to: Internal Revenue Service; Attn: CC:PA:LPD:PR (Notice 2018-43); Room 5203; P.O. Box 7604; Ben Franklin Station; Washington, D.C. 20044. Alternatively, you may submit comments electronically via the Federal eRulemaking Portal at www.regulations.gov (type IRS-2018-0010 in the search field on the regulations.gov homepage to find this notice and submit comments).