The site, unveiled this week at the National Press Club in Washington, aims to offer the nation's 45 million small-business and self-employed taxpayers assistance with basic tax questions and issues. It can be accessed through the IRS's home page at http://www.irs.gov/ by clicking the "Small Business and Self-Employed Community" link, or by clicking on Small Business or self-employed at the bottom of the page.

In addition to answers to basic tax questions, the site will include a calendar of important deadlines, on-line access to many IRS forms, industry-specific tax information for the construction and restaurant industries, and news and events specific to new businesses and to the construction and restaurant industries, the agency said.

The Web site will also provide links to a number of resources, including federal and court opinions on tax issues, rulings and regulations affecting specific industries, state tax information, non-IRS sites for general tax information, and other small business resources.

"We are very excited about this evolving on-line tool because we believe it underscores not only the important changes in practice at the IRS but the important change in tone as well," Commissioner Charles O. Rossotti said. "This new Web site demonstrates that the IRS is serious about serving its customers better and greatly improving the way we do business."

The move was lauded by Sen. Christopher S. "Kit" Bond, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Small Business, who called the site "a great step forward in the agency's quest to provide better service to small-business taxpayers."

"With the paperwork and compliance burdens continuing to grow for America's small businesses, I applaud the IRS for making this new Internet resource available," Bond said.

Eventually, the IRS plans to revamp the entire site with new sections and improved functionality for individual filers, large corporations and tax-exempt organizations.

-- SmartPros News Staff

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