The FAMLI program will ensure all Colorado workers have access to paid leave in order to take care of themselves or their family during life circumstances that pull them away from their jobs — like growing their family or taking care of a loved one with a serious health condition. Eligible employees will receive up to twelve weeks of leave. FAMLI will start providing benefits to employees beginning January 1, 2024.
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 National Taxpayer Advocate has released the statutorily mandated midyear report to Congress. The report expresses concern about continuing delays in the processing of paper-filed tax returns and the consequent impact on taxpayer refunds. At the end of May, the agency had a backlog of 21.3 million unprocessed paper tax returns, an increase of 1.3 million over the same time last year. Backlog of Unprocessed Paper Tax Returns More than 90% of individual income taxpayers e-file their returns, yet last year, about 17 million taxpayers filed their returns on paper. Some choose to file on paper. Some have no choice because they encounter e-filing barriers, such as when they are required to file a tax form or schedule the IRS cannot accept electronically. Before the pandemic, the IRS typically delivered refunds to paper-filers within four to six weeks. Over the past year, refund delays on paper-filed returns have generally exceeded six months, with delays of 10 months or more common for many taxpayers. The report says the IRS has failed to make progress in eliminating its paper backlog because “its pace of processing paper tax returns has not kept up with new receipts.” During the month of May, the IRS processed an average of about 205,000 individual income tax returns (Forms 1040) per week. Its Form 1040 backlog at the end of May stood at 8.2 million, with millions more paper tax returns not yet classified or expected to arrive before the extended filing deadline of October 15. Forms 1040 are just one component of the paper tax returns processing backlog. Millions of business tax returns and amended tax returns (both individual and business) are also filed on paper. The overall backlog has increased by 7% over the past year. The report credits the IRS with taking recent steps to address the backlog but notes “missed opportunities” to have acted earlier. “The IRS’s paper processing delays were evident more than a year ago, and the IRS could have addressed them more aggressively at that time,” Collins wrote. “Had the IRS taken steps a year ago to reassign current employees to processing functions, it could have reduced the inventory backlog carried into this filing season and accelerated the payment of refunds to millions of taxpayers. Had the IRS implemented 2-D barcoding, optical character recognition or similar technology in time for the 2022 filing season, it could have reduced the need for employees to engage in the highly manual task of transcribing paper tax returns. Had the IRS quickly used some of the $1.5 billion of additional funds provided by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA), which was enacted 15 months ago, to hire and train additional employees, it could have worked through the backlog, answered more taxpayer telephone calls and otherwise improved taxpayer service. “At the end of May 2021, the IRS had an additional 15.8 million returns that had been suspended during processing and required manual review by IRS employees. The suspended returns consisted largely of e-filed returns on which taxpayers claimed Recovery Rebate Credit amounts that differed from the allowable amounts shown on IRS records. As of May 2022, the IRS had reduced the number of suspended returns to 5.4 million. The report credits the IRS with developing procedures to reduce delays among suspended returns, in part by automating the review process. However, e-filed returns suspended during processing did not generally result in extended refund delays. By contrast, unprocessed paper-filed tax returns have resulted in refund delays of six to 10 months or longer. |
New Business Mileage Rate effective July 1st, 2022 From 58.5 cents a mile to 62.5 cents a mile |
 On June 9, 2022, the Internal Revenue Service issued Announcement 2022-13, increasing the standard mileage rate for the final six months of 2022 from 58.5 cents per mile to 62.5 cents per mile. The new rate will be effective for traveling beginning on July 1, 2022, through December 31, 2022. The old rate of 58.5 cents per mile will remain in effective through June 30, 2022. In the IRS’ press release, IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig noted: The IRS is adjusting the standard mileage rates to better reflect the recent increase in fuel prices. We are aware a number of unusual factors have come into play involving fuel costs, and we are taking this special step to help taxpayers, businesses and others who use this rate. ”The standard mileage rate is a national average rate, which takes into account a variety of factors including fuel costs, depreciation, insurance and other fixed and variable costs. The business standard mileage rate is used to compute the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business use in lieu of tracking actual costs. This rate is also used as a benchmark by the federal government and many businesses to reimburse their employees for mileage. Employers continue to have the option to use other methods that calculate the actual costs of using their vehicle rather than using the standard mileage rates. |
New Colorado Delivery Fee Effective July 1, 2022, Colorado imposes a retail delivery fee on all deliveries including third party deliveries to a location in Colorado with at least one item of tangible personal property subject to state sales or use tax. |
 About the Retail Delivery Fee for the State of Colorado The retailer or marketplace facilitator that collects the sales or use tax on the tangible personal property sold and delivered, including delivery by a third party, is liable to collect and remit the retail delivery fee. Deliveries include when any taxable goods are mailed, shipped, or otherwise delivered by motor vehicle to a purchaser in Colorado. The retail delivery fee is due at the same time as your sales tax return. Returns are generally filed on a monthly basis and must be filed on or before the 20th day of the month following each reporting period. Retailers permitted to file state sales tax returns on a quarterly, annual, or other basis will file the retail delivery fee return on the same schedule. The retail delivery fee will be reported and paid on a new return, the DR 1786 form. The retail delivery fee is collected state-wide, does not need to be separated by jurisdiction, and is calculated per sale. The retail delivery fee is made up of six different fees for a total of .27 cents a sale. The rates are listed above. Retailers with an active sales tax account, a retailer license, and any sales tax liability reported after January 1, 2021, will be automatically registered for a retail delivery fee account by July 1, 2022. This applies to both in-state and out-of-state retailers. There is no license required or registration fee due. |
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