IRS celebrates entrepreneurs and small business owners during National Small Business Week

In celebration of National Small Business Week, May 4-10, 2025, the Internal Revenue Service is featuring useful tax-related tools and resources to help small business owners, employers and self-employed individuals succeed.

Best practices for small businesses

The IRS strongly encourages small business entrepreneurs to take advantage of the resources available on IRS.gov. Knowing how to start a business and understanding best practices are essential for success.

• Correctly classify your business. Decide on the appropriate business entity (sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation, S corporation or LLC) to determine tax filing requirements and legal considerations.
• Get your employer identification number (EIN). An EIN, also known as a federal tax identification number, is used to identify a business entity. Generally, businesses need an EIN. You may apply for an EIN in various ways, and now you may apply online. This is a free service offered by the Internal Revenue Service, and you can get your EIN immediately. You must check with your state to make sure you need a state number or charter. If you lost or misplaced your EIN, follow these steps.
• Keep adequate records. Good records will help you monitor the progress of your business, prepare your financial statements, identify sources of income, keep track of deductible expenses, keep track of your basis in property, prepare your tax returns and support items reported on your tax returns. Choose a recordkeeping system that clearly shows income and expenses.
• Hire the right tax professional. Choosing the right tax professional is essential for small business owners to ensure accurate and timely tax preparation. By asking the right questions and verifying credentials, businesses can avoid potential scams and protect their financial interests.
• Resolve debt and prevent new liabilities. If you owe a tax debt and can't pay all or part of it, the IRS can help. You have options to resolve your tax bill.
  • Pay what you can now to help avoid interest and penalties. Then choose one of these options:
    • Apply for a payment plan, also called an installment or online payment agreement, to pay off your balance over time. Fees may apply.
    • An offer in compromise lets you settle your tax debt for less than you owe. This used to be called the Fresh Start program.
  • Ask to delay collection. If you can't afford to pay now because of your financial condition, you can ask us to temporarily delay collection.
  • If you disagree with the information on your tax bill, call the number on the notice or visit your local IRS office. Be sure to have a copy of the bill and any tax returns, cancelled checks or other records to help us understand why you believe your bill is wrong. If we find that you're right, we'll adjust your account and, if necessary, send a revised bill.
  • Request spouse relief. If your spouse made errors on your joint tax return and you didn't know about it, you may qualify for tax relief for spouses.
  • If you're in bankruptcy, please let us know immediately. We may temporarily stop collection. Call the number on your bill or 800-973-0424. Have this information ready: location of court, bankruptcy date, chapter and bankruptcy number.
  • If you don't pay the amount due or contact us. We may take collection actions.

Plan for next year. You should pay taxes as you earn or receive income during the year. You can do this by having your employer withhold tax from your wages or by making estimated tax payments. For details, see IRS Tax Withholding Estimator and Estimated taxes.

Tips for tax professionals who support small businesses

Stay informed with the latest IRS updates and resources tailored for tax professionals.

• IRS Nationwide Tax Forum registration is open. This summer, tax professionals have the opportunity to attend continuing education sessions in five U.S. cities. The forum offers valuable continuing education credits and networking opportunities for enrolled agents, CPAs, attorneys and other tax professionals. Attendees can earn up to 18 continuing education credits, enhancing their professional development and expertise.
• Tax Pro Account can help tax professionals save time. Tax Pro Account makes it easy to view your clients’ tax information, view and withdraw from active authorizations, make payments or create payment plans on behalf of individual taxpayers and request Powers of Attorney or Tax Information Authorizations from your clients – in real time.
  • Link your Centralized Authorization File (CAF) number to view taxpayer information or view and withdraw active authorizations. A CAF number is a unique, nine-digit identification number assigned to you through Tax Pro Account or when you file your first POA or TIA with Form 2848, Power of Attorney and Declaration of Representative or Form 8821, Tax Information Authorization. If you need a CAF number, you can now request one directly in Tax Pro Account and it will be issued to you online in real-time.
• Stay updated on tax regulations and resources provided by the IRS to help you navigate tax season effectively. Subscribe to weekly e-News for tax professionals to get the latest IRS updates for the tax professional community. This is a weekly summary generally issued on Fridays, that highlights key information for tax professionals.

Delivering cutting edge technology

The IRS offers a suite of digital tools and technology designed to assist small businesses with managing tax responsibilities efficiently.

A suite of digital tools and technology designed to assist small businesses is available to help manage their tax responsibilities efficiently. The IRS’s digital tools save small businesses time by allowing them to avoid wait times and mailing in documents. Examples of these include:

• Business Tax Account. A new, secure platform where business owners can view tax information, manage accounts, make payment and communicate with the IRS. Initially available to sole proprietors, this digital tool continues to expand with additional services available.
• E-file information returns for tax years 2022 and later with the Information Returns Intake System (IRIS). This system lets you file corrections and requests automatic extensions.
• Digital and mobile adaptive forms. The IRS now provides certain forms in mobile-friendly options that allow taxpayers to easily complete and submit forms from their computer, cell phone or tablet. This gives taxpayers a safe and fast way to electronically engage with IRS. For forms that require signatures, you need an IRS Online Account to complete the mobile friendly forms.
• IRS Secure Messaging is a secure service for taxpayers and authorized representatives of a taxpayer/business to directly interact with IRS representatives. Messages can be securely sent to you by IRS representatives.

Beware of scams

Business owners should remain vigilant against common scams. Fraudsters use mail, telephone and email to scam individuals, businesses and payroll and tax professionals. Businesses should implement safeguards to avoid these scams.

• Remain vigilant against common scams targeting you as a business owner to ensure you’re protected against fraudulent activities. These are a few things you should know to protect yourself:
  • Last year, the tax community launched the Coalition Against Scams and Schemes Threats (CASST), following a surge in social media-fueled scams. The 2025 Dirty Dozen list highlights some persuasive scams impacting businesses. Some these scams include new client scams and spear phishing, fake charities, bad social media advice and false credit claims.
  • Social media can routinely circulate inaccurate or misleading tax information. Be wary of trusting internet advice, whether it's a fraudulent tactic promoted by scammers or it's a patently false tax-related scheme trending across popular social media platforms.
  • Phishing is another scam. This happens when fraudsters send an email claiming to come from the IRS. The email lures the victims into the scam with a variety of ruses such as enticing victims with a phony tax refund or threatening them with false legal or criminal charges for tax fraud.
  • Smishing scams use a text or SMS message with alarming language such as, "Your account has now been put on hold" or "Unusual Activity Report.” A bogus "Solutions" link is often provided, to restore the recipient's account. Unexpected tax refunds are another potential lure for scam artists.
• Take proactive steps today to safeguard your business and employees by implementing robust security measures such as using anti-malware/anti-virus software with automatic updates and enforcing strong passwords with multi-factor authentication. Ensure that you only enter personal data on secure websites (https) to prevent unauthorized access. See Publication 5961, Protect your business from tax scams PDF, for more information.
• Educate your employees on data security to protect both them and your business. Use valuable resources like IRS Identity Theft Central and security awareness publications to provide comprehensive training and awareness.
• Prioritize the protection of your Employer Identification Number (EIN). Keep it secure and up to date with accurate information. Use Form 8822-B, Change of Address or Responsible Party — Business PDF, to make any necessary updates to your EIN promptly, ensuring its integrity and minimizing the risk of identity theft or fraudulent activity.
• Report suspicious IRS or tax-related scams to [email protected]. Inform the IRS of data losses related to W-2 scams at [email protected]. Notify states of any disclosures of identity information at [email protected].

IRS national webinar at 2 p.m. ET

Small business, big tools: Free resources from the IRS that will lead to success.

In Support of National Small Business Week, and In Partnership with SBA and TAS, IRS presents: Small Business, Big Tools: Free Resources from the IRS That Will Lead to Success
Thursday, May 8, 2025
 2:00 p.m. Eastern, 1:00 p.m. Central, 12:00 p.m. Mountain, 11:00 a.m. Arizona and Pacific, 10:00 a.m. Alaska, 8:00 a.m. Hawaii

(75 minutes)

NO Continuing Education (CE) Credit/Certificate is offered for this webinar

 
The goal of today's webinar: 

• How to use IRS tools made for small businesses.
• Where to get free help when you run into tax problems.
• How the SBA and SBREFA give your business a voice.
• Simple tips to stay ready tax time.
• Raising awareness of resources for small businesses related to regulatory enforcement and fairness, particularly how to get assistance from the Office of the National Ombudsman.
• Raising awareness of resources from the Office of Taxpayer Advocate.

 

Offered with closed captioning.  Closed Captioning displays the words that descrbe the audio portion of the program for viewers who are deaf or hard of hearing.  Captions are available in English only.


NO CE credit/Certificate is offered for this webinar.

Register for Webinar Here

Proactively plan and prepare

Know how to protect financial and tax records in case of a disaster and what support is available from the IRS in the event of a disaster declaration.

Planning what to do in case of a disaster is an important part of being prepared. These simple steps can help taxpayers and businesses protect financial and tax records in case of disasters PDF:

• Take advantage of paperless recordkeeping for financial and tax records. Store critical documents in waterproof containers and duplicate important paperwork.
• Document valuables and business equipment. After a disaster hits, photographs and videos of a home or business's contents can help support claims for insurance or tax benefits. The IRS disaster-loss workbooks can help individuals PDF and businesses PDF compile lists of belongings or business equipment.
• Get IRS support during disasters. Following a federal disaster declaration, the IRS will automatically provide administrative disaster tax relief and special tax law provisions. This grants additional time for individuals and businesses to file returns, pay taxes, and perform certain other time-sensitive acts to taxpayers affected by a federally declared disaster. Taxpayers living in a federally declared disaster can visit IRS Tax relief in disaster situations or Around the nation to check for the available disaster tax relief.
• Check whether your employer has an employer fiduciary bond. Employers using payroll service providers should check if their provider has a fiduciary bond in place to protect the employer in the event of a default by provider. Employers are encouraged to create an Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS) to monitor their payroll tax deposits and receive email alerts.

​Stay informed, educated

There are a variety of resources available to help current and future small business owners understand the world of tax responsibilities, benefits and filing. The education and online learning products offered on IRS.gov ensure small businesses have the latest tax related information for their enterprise.

• Small businesses: Find tax resources and tools on IRS.gov
• What people need to know when starting a business
• Taxpayers and tax pros: Beware of these common tax scams
• Emergency preparedness plans for businesses should Include financial records
• Gig economy tax center
• Business taxes
• What taxpayers should do when they receive Form 1099-K
• SECURE 2.0 Act changes affect how businesses complete Forms W-2
• IRS tax tips

Webinars for small businesses

Topics vary from a general overview of taxes to more specific topics such as what constitutes business income and expenses.

Upcoming webinars
In support of National Small Business Week, and in partnership with SBA and TAS, IRS presents:
Small business, big tools: Free resources from the IRS that will lead to successThis free 75-minute webinar is open to all, and will overview:

• How to use IRS tools made for small businesses
• Where to get free help when you run into tax problems
• How the SBA and SBREFA give your business a voice
• Simple tips to stay ready tax time
• Raising awareness of resources for small businesses related to regulatory enforcement and fairness, particularly how to get assistance from the Office of the National Ombudsman
• Raising awareness of resources from the Office of Taxpayer Advocate
• Plus, a live Q & A

Register and attendSmall business, big tools
2 p.m. Eastern, 1 p.m. Central, 12 p.m. Mountain, 11 a.m. Arizona and Pacific, 10 a.m. Alaska, 8 a.m. Hawaii
Closed captioning will be offered
CE will not be offered
Questions? Email us at [email protected]
Email: [email protected]
Sponsored By: IRS Stakeholder Liaison
Date: 5/8/2025
Time: See event information
Location: Your home, office, or mobile device, any, nationwide

Workshops, meetings and seminars

Scheduled events held throughout the country; on occasion, the IRS participates in these events virtually.

Small business workshops, seminars and meetings, designed to help the small business owner understand and fulfill their federal tax responsibilities, are held at various locations throughout the country. These events are sponsored and presented by IRS partners specializing in federal tax. On occasion, IRS participates in these events in person or by virtual technology.
Topics vary from a general overview of taxes to more specific topics such as recordkeeping and retirement plans. Although most are free, some events have fees paid directly to the sponsoring organization, not the IRS.
If you live near a state line, please look for workshops in nearby cities of the bordering state.

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Subscribe

e-News for small businesses is a free email service that features the latest news, upcoming tax date reminders and tips to help small businesses.

The IRS offers several e-News subscriptions on a variety of tax topics. Below are links and information about subscribing.
When you subscribe, you will receive a confirmation message by email. Remember, you must respond to this email to verify your subscription. You can easily unsubscribe from any of the offerings.

Standard mileage rates

Current information for the many business owners who use their car for business.

If you use your car for business, charity, medical or moving purposes, you may be able to take a deduction based on the mileage used for that purpose.
2025 mileage ratesThe standard mileage rates for 2025 are:

• Self-employed and business: 70 cents/mile 
• Charities: 14 cents/mile 
• Medical: 21 cents/mile 
• Moving (military only): 21 cents/mile 

Find out when you can deduct vehicle mileage

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Current tax tips

Up-to-the-minute tips to help taxpayers and businesses.
Along with IRS.gov, the IRS routinely publishes helpful information on YouTube, Facebook, X, LinkedIn and Instagram.

​The IRS has options to help taxpayers pay their tax bill

Tax Tip 2025-29, May 5, 2025 — Tax returns for 2024 were due on April 15, 2025, with exceptions for taxpayers in a disaster area, combat zone or living and working abroad. Taxpayers who couldn’t pay their tax bill by the deadline shouldn't panic – the IRS is here to help. There are several options to help taxpayers meet their obligations.

Taxpayers should check their withholding now to prepare for next year

IRS Tax Tip 2025-28, April 22, 2025 — Proper tax withholding now is key to avoiding surprises when taxpayers file next year. Making any needed adjustments early means taxpayers won’t have to make a big change later in the year to catch up.

Taxpayers who missed the April tax filing deadline should file as soon as possible

Tax Tip 2025-27, April 17, 2025 — Taxpayers who missed the April 15 filing deadline should submit their tax return as soon as possible. Those who missed the deadline to file but owe taxes should file timely to avoid penalties and interest.

Taxpayers who need more time to file a federal tax return should request an extension

Tax Tip 2025-26, April 15, 2025 — Taxpayers who need more time to file should request an extension by the April 15 deadline.

Tips and resources to help last minute tax filers

Tax Tip 2025-25, April 14, 2025 — The IRS reminds last-minute tax filers that the April 15 tax deadline is a day away, and there are a variety of free tools to help them, including the Let us help you page, on IRS.gov.

Get ahead of the tax deadline: File, pay or ask for an extension now

Tax Tip 2025-24, April 10, 2025 — The April 15 tax deadline is right around the corner – but there’s still time for people to file their federal income tax return electronically and request direct deposit of any refund.

Review the education credits before filing a federal tax return

Tax Tip 2025-23, April 3, 2025 —There are two tax credits designed to help taxpayers reduce education costs: the American Opportunity Tax Credit and the Lifetime Learning Credit.


Options for free filing and tax help

Tax Tip 2025-22, April 1, 2025 — Taxpayers looking for help with their taxes have several options for free filing and return preparation.

Tax tip archive

IRS tax tips from January 2011 forward.