Standard mileage rates for 2016 are going the same way gasoline prices have gone in the last few months—down. The Internal Revenue Service has lowered rates for personal vehicles to 54 cents per business mile driven, down from 57.5 cents for 2015. The rate for medical or moving purposes will drop 19 cents per mile as of January 1, down from 23 cents this year.

A former tax return prepared based in New Orleans, La., has pleaded guilty to stealing identifications to file tax returns and receiving $577,000 in refunds in others' names. Donald Stewart, age 59, pleaded guilty to one count of theft of public funds and one count of aggravated identity theft, admitting he used IDs such as names and Social Security numbers of individuals to file returns and claim refunds without their approval.

The Internal Revenue Service has launched a program called the Early Interaction Initiative, designed to more quickly identify employers who are falling behind on their payroll or employment taxes. The IRS said the initiative is designed to help employers stay in compliance and avoid interest and penalty charges.

A 34-year old Alexandria, Va., man has been ordered to pay $20,427,688.03 in restitution to victims in a case in which he submitted false sales tax refund claims to government agencies. Sean M. Weaver was sentenced to five years 11 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to mail fraud and money laundering.