IRS 2026 Updates: Understand Key Changes For Payroll, Accountants, Taxation & Legal Professionals

Session # 1 Navigating Payroll Department Transition From An Year End Crunch To A Smooth & Compliant Year End Process

Live Date - December 3, 2025

 Time - 1 PM ET

Duration - 90 Mins

Speaker - Vicki M. Lambert

Preparing for year-end should not begin in October or November as it may have in the past. Preparation should begin in January and be conducted throughout the calendar year. This is especially important now as the IRS is looking at year-end compliance issues. In this webinar we will give the latest best practices to help your payroll department transition from a year end crunch to a smooth and compliant year end process. We will discuss how check lists can help keep you on track to ensure all tasks are completed. How a simple two-page memo can prevent dozens of employee questions. We will cover how your duplicate Form W-2 request form and procedures should be set up and in place in advance of issuing the forms and how it will assist you when processing those requests in the upcoming year.

We will provide example of check lists that should be prepared for each year end to assist in a smooth transition. We will also provide updates for calendar year 2026 on such items as social security wage base, deferred compensation limits, mileage rates and Forms W-2 and 941. This webinar will provide a sample of a form to request a duplicate Form W-2 that can be used by the attendee in their own department as well as information on setting up the procedures for requesting the form.  We will discuss how to work throughout the year to collect information from accounts payable for year-end instead of trying to obtain all the information in December. We will demonstrate how this helps smooth out the year end processing and relieve year end stress for both departments.  We will provide the basis for a year end memo to help payroll departments inform the company’s employees of what lies ahead for the upcoming year to help curtail questions during this hectic time for payroll.

This webinar concentrates on preparing the department for the end of the calendar tax year and the new year processing.  Topics include reconciling, completing and submitting Form W-2 federal and state including the latest guidance on the OBBBA; update to annual changes from the IRS, SSA, DOL and on the state level; and best practices that will help make the year-end and year beginning go smoother.

We will also cover any late-breaking legislation/regulation changes.

Webinar Highlights

Information covered in the presentation:

• Latest updates on IRS guidance on implementing and complying with the OBBBA
• Latest update on the Form W-4 for 2026!
• Reconciliation of Form W-2 to Form 941 and why it must be done
• Update on year-beginning annual changes for social security wage base, fringe benefit limitations, federal per diem allowance, standard mileage rate, qualified transportation fringe benefits, and more.
• How to use the required year-end notice to update your employees for the coming year
• Best practices on organizing the payroll department for year-end including action item check lists for Form W-2, Year end and Year beginning to ensure a smooth process
• How to handle duplicate requests for Form W-2 including charging fees
• Status review of Publication 1494 for 2026
• Changes to Form W-2 for 2026
• Best practices for gathering, calculating and reconciling W-2 data all year long as is now expected by the IRS
• Taxation of fringe benefits for year-end including awards and prizes, personal use of company cars and gift certificates
• Latest update on white-collar exemptions
• Electronic delivery of W-2s to employees
• When to use the Form W-2c and when to correct the W-2 itself
• State regulatory changes affecting payroll including SUI wage bases, minimum wage increases and more
• Review of EFW-2 record changes for tax year 2025
• Verifying employee names and SSN’s
• Review of filing deadlines
• Third Party Sick Pay reporting

Session # 2 IRS Updates – What to Expect From a Fully Funded IRS in 2026

Live Date - December 11, 2025

 Time - 1 PM ET

Duration - 60 Mins

Speaker - Adam Fayne

The Internal Revenue Service changes and announces new initiatives every year.  This program will discuss the Internal Revenue Service’s latest initiatives and how you can prepare for a successful year in representing your clients.  We will discuss the Internal Revenue Service’s audit and collection efforts and activities and what you can expect during 2026, the first full year in which the IRS has been able to deploy their largest budget increase in more than a decade.

Webinar Objectives

This program will provide insight and tools to assist you and your clients understand what the Internal Revenue Service will focus on during 2026 and how successful they were during 2025.  We will discuss what a large budget increase to the Internal Revenue Service will mean for taxpayers. 

Webinar Highlights

• IRS Audit Activity during 2025
• IRS Collection Activity during 2025
• IRS priorities for 2026
• IRS Budget and what it means for your client for audits, collection, and criminal investigations
• New Programs that may be beneficial to your client

Who Should Attend

• Payroll Executives/ Managers/ Administrators/ Professionals/ Practitioners/ Entry Level Personnel
• Human Resources Executives/ Managers/Administrators
• Accounting Personnel
• Business Owners/ Executive Officers/ Operations and Departmental Managers
• Lawmakers
• Attorneys/ Legal Professionals
• Any individual or entity that must deal with the complexities and requirements of Payroll compliance issues for Year End closing and preparing for the upcoming year.
• Accountants, Tax Preparers, CFOs, Financial Compliance Professionals, and Lawyers