IRS expands use of electronic payments, discontinues paper coupons.

• Author: Nevius, Alistair M.

The IRS has issued proposed regulations that would eliminate paper coupons for deposits of employment taxes, corporate income and estimated taxes, and many other taxes (REG-153340-09). The paper coupon payment system will be shut down at the end of this year.

With this change, taxpayers will be required to use the IRS's Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS) to make federal tax deposits of various withheld and estimated taxes. The preamble to the proposed regulations notes that more than 97.5% of all federal tax deposits are already deposited electronically through EFTPS.

The proposed regulations do continue the exception under Temp. Regs. Sec. 31.6302-1T(f)(4) for businesses that are depositing a minimal amount of withheld income and FICA taxes. Businesses that qualify can make their payments with their tax returns. Employers with a deposit liability of less than $2,500 for a return period can remit employment taxes with their quarterly or annual return.

The proposed regulations will require the following taxes to be deposited electronically:

1. Corporate income and corporate estimated taxes under Regs. Sec. 1.6302-1;

2. Sec. 511 unrelated business income taxes of tax-exempt organizations under Regs. Sec. 1.6302-1;

3. Sec. 4940 private foundation excise taxes under Regs. Sec. 1.6302-1;

4. Taxes withheld on nonresident aliens and foreign...