Tell the IRS What to Do Next

The IRS now and again seeks industry input on what tax guidance to issue next, via its Priority Guidance Plan program. 

The Department of Treasury and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) are inviting public comment for recommendations of items that should be included in the 2016-2017 Priority Guidance Plan.

In Notice 2016-26, the agencies note that the Treasury Department’s Office of Tax Policy and the IRS use the Priority Guidance Plan each year to identify and prioritize the tax issues that should be addressed through regulations, revenue rulings, revenue procedures, notices, and other published administrative guidance.  The 2016-2017 Priority Guidance Plan will identify guidance projects that the Treasury Department and the IRS intend to work on as priorities during the period from July 1, 2016, through June 30, 2017. 

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The Treasury Department and the IRS say they recognize the importance of public input in formulating a Priority Guidance Plan that focuses resources on guidance items that are most important to taxpayers and tax administration. Published guidance plays an important role in increasing voluntary compliance by helping to clarify ambiguous areas of the tax law. The published guidance process is most successful if the Treasury Department and the IRS have the benefit of the experience and knowledge of taxpayers and practitioners who must apply the rules implementing the internal revenue laws.  

What the agencies will consider and how to submit recommendations can be found in the Notice.

Confidence Key to Advancing Female Advisers' Careers

Confidence is in short supply among women in the profession, say female advisers.

At a February conference by Edward Jones for female advisers, nearly 80% of the attendees said confidence is among the biggest factors impacting leadership, success and fulfilment in a career.

Half of those surveyed also say confidence is the single most important tool in career advancement. For women in the industry, confidence levels are a critical issue. According to data from Cerulli, just 14% of financial advisers are female.

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The attendees were split on what’s most helpful for advancing a career, with having a mentor or sponsor cited as the most important tool (25%), hard work and accomplishments (15%), a professional network (9%) and an advanced degree (1%) as critical factors.

The age of the advisers played a part in their views on confidence. A majority (66%) of the advisers older than 64 believe confidence is the most empowering tool for career advancement, compared with roughly half of those ages 45 to 63 or those ages 29 to 44. All women in the youngest group, ages 18 to 28, instead choose mentorship/sponsorship.

In recent years, many studies have pointed to the disparity in confidence among men and women. For example, Edward Jones cites previous research that surveyed British managers about how confident they feel in their professions. Half the female respondents reported self-doubt about job performance, compared with fewer than one-third of male respondents. This relative lack of confidence has caused some women to decline career advancement opportunities and delay their promotions. Of those who admitted to declining a career advancement opportunity because of a lack of confidence, 44% say that it took longer for them to get promoted.

The Edward Jones survey also reveals inconsistencies in views on female representation and advancement opportunities in financial services. While 85% of individuals agree or strongly agree that strides have been made to advance women in their careers, 77% also agree or strongly agree that barriers to career advancement continue exist for women in the field, suggesting a continued industry challenge. 

“The financial services industry as a whole has been working to increase female representation,” says Katherine Mauzy, principal of Financial Advisor Talent Acquisition at Edward Jones. “However, a lot more can be done to ensure that women are backed with the tools and resources to promote and instill confidence.” At some firms, including Edward Jones, dedicated training programs and women’s networks have been established to support and encourage female financial advisers.

The survey of 100 female financial advisers was conducted on the grounds of Edward Jones’ 2016 annual Women’s Conference, February 17 to 19.

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