A California tax preparer utilized Form 1099-OID withholdings to seek $5.49 in phony tax refunds, a federal indictment allegedthis week. Cubby Wayne Williams, 63, of Alhambra, was indicted on 22 counts of assisting in preparation of phony returns for clients and four counts for preparing bogus returns for himself.

Internal Revenue Service is seeking applications for membership for the Internal Revenue Service Advisory Council. The council serves as an advisory body to the commissioner of Internal Revenue.

A franchisee of the former Mo Money tax store chain has been sentence to five years in prison. Teresa Chism is the latest person formerly associated with the chain, which had once more than 300 stores in 13 states, to be convicted for tax return fraud. She continued operating tax businesses after the chain itself was closed.

The number of returns filed for the tax season through April 19 was up .2 percent over the year through April 20, 2018. The statistical report from the Internal Revenue Service, which encompassed this year’s filing deadline, showed that all growth stemmed from self-prepared returns.