A North Carolina man, who allegedly did not identify himself as a paid prepared on client tax returns, has been indicted on several charges. Hassie Demond Nowlin of Greensboro, N.C., has been charged with corruptly endeavoring to obstruct and impede the Internal Revenue Service, preparing and filing fraudulent tax returns, bankruptcy fraud and making false bankruptcy declarations.

The Internal Revenue Service has reopened its Preparer Tax Identification Number system. The agency closed the PTIN operation after a United States District Court decided on June 1 that the IRS can require use of the numbers but has no legal right to charge fees for issuing or renewing PTINs.

Tax preparers are receiving phishing emails purporting to originate from a tax software education provider in the United States. The Internal Revenue Service said recently the latest communication seeks a wide range of information, including e-Services logons and preparers' mothers' maiden names.