A Texas tax preparer has received a 36-month prison sentence after pleading guilty to preparing a false tax return. Preparer Kenny Iroegbu must also pay $323,046 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service. The conviction stemmed from action Iroegbu took as a intern before 2005 and after starting his own business that year.

Tax software companies Convey Compliance Systems, Taxware, and VAT Resource have become Sovos Compliance. The combination brings together business that offer 1099 reporting, sales and use tax and value-added tax determination and compliance. The deal follows Taxware's purchase of VAT Resource a year ago and the merger of Convey and Taxware in the summer.

Paychex had its "best selling season in seven or eight years," CEO Martin Mucci said this week. Mucci made his comments during the week's webcast for earnings for the third quarter ended February 28. He said referrals and sales were strong in all of the payroll company's channels in what was the strongest selling season since the recession began in 2008.