TRACY, Calif. - Petz Enterprises, which markets the CrossLink professional tax line for high-volume retail tax offices, has opened a Southeast regional office in Rome, Ga. It's the second regional office the California company has opened in the last 22 months.

WASHINGTON -The Internal Revenue Service has opened the online system under which paid tax preparers must obtain a Preparer Tax Identification Number. That move came as the IRS also issued its final regulations regarding the ID for those who prepare all or substantially all of a tax return.

A broad-based change to Paychex's product bundling and pricing is on the way over the next week, founder and chairman Tom Golisano said in this morning's Webast of results for the first quarter ended August 31. And although results were better than expected, Golisano outlined a plan that he said is necessary to counter the deterioration of sales close rates, to make the company more competitive than it has been in the last few years and to look into international expansion.