IRS Tax Tip 2026-37: National Small Business Week: Avoid the scam

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IRS Tax Tips

May 4, 2026

Issue Number: Tax Tip 2026-37

National Small Business Week 2026: Avoid the scam

It’s National Small Business Week, and the IRS is sharing resources and highlighting key topics each day throughout the week. One of those topics is scams. Back in March, the annual Dirty Dozen list of common tax scams was announced. These scams and schemes target taxpayers, businesses of all sizes and tax professionals. Let’s look at a couple that could affect businesses and entrepreneurs as well as tax professionals supporting small businesses.

Spear-phishing and malware campaigns targeting businesses and tax professionals
Tax pros and businesses can be targets of “new client” or “document request” emails that deliver malicious links or attachments to steal client data or access systems.

  • Businesses, tax pros, and individuals should always be cautious of any suspicious requests or unusual behavior before sharing any sensitive information or responding to an email.
  • Warning signs may include unexpected requests for sensitive information, mismatched or unfamiliar sender addresses, urgent payment demands, or links directing users to websites that do not clearly originate from IRS.gov.
  • Be aware that by gaining access to a hacked email account, scammers can locate a genuine email from a previous victim’s email account sent to their tax professional.

Bogus “Self-Employment Tax Credit”

Additional tips to avoid the scam

  • Businesses can take proactive steps to safeguard their business and employees by using anti-malware/anti-virus software with automatic updates and requiring strong passwords with multi-factor authentication. Only enter personal data on secure websites (https) to prevent unauthorized access. See Publication 5961, Protect your business from tax scams PDF, for more information.
  • Protect the Employer Identification Number. Keep it secure and up to date. Use Form 8822-B, Change of Address or Responsible Party — Business, to make any necessary EIN updates promptly, ensuring its integrity and minimizing the risk of identity theft or fraudulent activity.

Reporting fraud or scams

  • Report suspected tax fraud, scams, identity theft, or other tax-related wrongdoing at IRS.gov/submitatip.
  • Tell us about data losses related to W-2 scams by emailing dataloss@irs.gov and providing contact information. In the subject line, type “W2 Data Loss” so that the email makes it to the right people. Don’t attach any employee personally identifiable information.
  • Contact the Federation of Tax Administrators to receive information on how to report victim information to states using the State Data Breach Contacts

More information

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IRS Tax Tip 2026-37: National Small Business Week: Avoid the scam

IR-2026-60: IRS seeking applications for Tax Counseling for the Elderly and Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program grants

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IRS Newswire

May 1, 2026

Issue Number:  IR-2026-60

Inside This Issue


IRS seeking applications for Tax Counseling for the Elderly and Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program grants

IR-2026-60 May 1, 2026

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service is now accepting applications for the Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) and Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) grants.

These grants allow eligible organizations to receive annual funding for up to three years to provide free federal tax return preparation assistance. In 2026, the IRS awarded TCE grantees $12 million and the VITA grantees $41 million.

Tax Counseling for the Elderly and Volunteer Income Tax Assistance programs provide invaluable, free assistance to taxpayers in need,” said IRS Chief Executive Officer Frank J. Bisignano. “The VITA program, which has been around for more than 50 years, provides help to America’s underserved populations, while the TCE program offers specialized assistance for older Americans related to pensions and retirement plans.”

Applications will be accepted on Grants.gov from May 1, 2026, through May 31, 2026, for both programs. Organizations can visit IRS VITA and TCE grants for grant application and program information.

The IRS established the TCE program in 1978 to provide tax counseling and return preparation primarily for individuals aged 60 and older. The IRS also provides training and technical assistance to support these services nationwide.

The VITA grant program, established in 2007, supplements the original VITA initiative, launched in 1969. The grant program helps expand services to underserved populations in the hard-to-reach urban and non-urban areas, increase the ability of taxpayers to file returns electronically, enhance volunteer training, and improve the accuracy rate of returns prepared at VITA sites.

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IR-2026-60: IRS seeking applications for Tax Counseling for the Elderly and Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program grants

Special edition: e-News for Small Business – Announcing 2026 National Small Business Week

Register for free IRS webinar – Latest on Small Business information and tips

 

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e-News for Small Business

May 1, 2026

Issue Number:  2026-09

    Announcing National Small Business Week

The IRS joins the U.S. Small Business Administration in celebrating National Small Business Week May 3-9, 2026. This week honors the critical role America’s 36 million small businesses play in the nation’s economy.

Join the Small Business Administration Virtual Summit
As part of National Small Business Week, the IRS is participating in the U.S. Small Business Administration’s free virtual summit Tuesday, May 5 and Wednesday, May 6. The summit will include workshops on AI, e-commerce, financing, and other important business topics.

Join a free webinar on understanding federal taxes
The IRS is hosting free webinar on May 7, 2 p.m. ET, Understanding Federal Taxes for Small Business.

This webinar will cover:

This session will also include live question and answer session.
Click here to register.

Check out National Small Business Week on IRS.gov
The IRS has a special National Small Business Week page on IRS.gov highlighting tools, guidance and educational resources to help small business owners meet their tax obligations and plan for success.

Bookmark this page and come back to check it throughout the week for more information on small business topics including:

  • Scams and schemes awareness and prevention
  • Best practices for new and existing businesses
  • Smart planning for small business success
  • Transformation and improvements by using tools and technology
  • The importance of disaster preparedness

Follow the IRS on social media
Protect yourself from misinformation and scams by following the IRS verified social media accounts. Be sure to follow @IRSsmallbiz on X for the latest IRS news and guidance for small business owners.

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Special edition: e-News for Small Business – Announcing 2026 National Small Business Week

Stalemates in Voting Rights and ICE Legislation; Small Business Funding Expanded

Stalemates in Voting Rights and ICE Legislation; Small Business Funding ExpandedSafeguard American Voter Eligibility Act (S 1383) – Also known as the SAVE America Act, this bill passed in the House on Feb. 11 but stalled in the Senate due to the Democrat filibuster. The bill would require states to verify documentary proof of citizenship and current residential address when Americans apply for federal voter registration. The easiest documentation would be a birth certificate or passport that confirms their current legal name (most women change their last name after marriage, so they require additional documentation, such as a marriage certificate). However, research from the Bipartisan Policy Center found that nearly 1 in 10 registered voters do not have access to their birth certificate, and 52 percent do not have an unexpired passport with their current legal name. Note that these registration requirements kick in any time current voters update their registration, such as for an address change or to switch political party affiliation. The bill also requires a specific type of photo ID to cast a ballot. A driver’s license is acceptable, but not student IDs or a tribal ID that lacks an expiration date (which tribal IDs do not contain). The president is also insistent that the legislation include unrelated restrictions for transgender Americans. The debate over this bill continues in the Senate.

Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2026 (HR 7744) – This is the bill that has held up appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2026. The bill was introduced by Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK) on March 2 and passed in the House on March 5. However, it triggered a partial government shutdown and is under heated debate in the Senate. Republicans insist on passing the complete bill with increased funding for national security and border protection. The legislation also includes provisions prohibiting funds for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Critical Theory programs, as well as abortions and gender-affirming care for ICE detainees. Senate Democrats are seeking to include guardrails that would prohibit ICE agents from wearing masks or entering homes, schools, hospitals, etc., without a judicial warrant. Currently at a stalemate, Republicans will likely try to pass funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), more money for ICE, and components of the Save America Act through a budget reconciliation bill.

Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act (S 3971) – On March 3, Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) introduced this bipartisan bill to reauthorize the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) programs. These programs, also known as America’s Seed Fund, expired last September. The new bill enables certain agencies to award a portion of their funds to larger projects focused on technology transition, rather than incremental R&D. These agencies, which include the Departments of Defense, Energy and Homeland Security, the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, may award up to $30 million to small business projects that prioritize national security, customer demand and undercapitalized technology areas. The bill passed in the Senate on March 3, the House on March 17, and was signed into law by the president on April 13.

Tyler’s Law (S 921) – The purpose of this bill is to issue guidance for hospital emergency departments to implement fentanyl testing as a routine procedure for patients experiencing an overdose. The current standard procedure tests for marijuana, cocaine, amphetamines, PCP, and natural and semisynthetic opioids, but not synthetic opioids like fentanyl – something many ER practitioners are unaware of. The bill is named for Tyler Shamash, a California teenager who died of an overdose after he passed a drug test in an emergency room that did not include fentanyl. The bipartisan bill was introduced by Sen. Jim Banks (R-IN) on March 10, 2025. It passed in the Senate on March 23, 2026, and is currently awaiting a vote in the House.

To require the Secretary of Homeland Security to designate Haiti for Temporary Protected Status (HR 1689) – This bill was introduced on Feb. 27, 2025, and passed in the House on April 16, 2026. Amid rampant immigration enforcement, this bill is designed to extend temporary protected status for Haitian migrants through 2029. TPS is intended to provide a safe haven for foreign nationals whose home countries are experiencing temporary unsafe conditions, such as from a natural disaster or civil unrest, for which Haitians continue to qualify. This largely partisan legislation faces an uphill battle in the Senate, as well as a likely veto by the president. In February, the president revoked TPS status for approximately 330,000 Haitians in the United States. However, enforcement of that order is currently halted, and its constitutionality is under consideration by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Understanding the EV/2P Ratio

What are the EV/2P RatioWhen it comes to raw materials, especially for fossil fuels, it’s essential to evaluate existing and potential production capabilities for such companies. Using the EV/2P Ratio is a powerful tool when evaluating fossil fuel-related companies.

Defining the Ratio

This ratio is calculated by dividing a business’ enterprise value into the company’s reserves. It provides financial analysts, investors and internal business stakeholders with a snapshot of a company’s reserves and the business’ likelihood of preserving operation growth. This standardizes valuations, thereby allowing analysts to compare company-to-company financials.

How to Calculate EV/2P

Enterprise Value (EV) / Total 2P Reserves

Defined as: Enterprise Value = Equity (open market price) + Debt (open market price) – Cash and Cash Equivalents

2P = Proven and Probable Reserves

Illustrating the Calculation

If a company’s capitalization is $300 million and debt consisting of $225 million, along with $30 million for proven reserve value, $20 million in probable reserves, and $25 million in possible reserves, the company’s resulting enterprise value becomes:

$300 million + $225 million = $525 million

The 2P reserves is:

$30 million + $20 million = $50 million

Plugging the numbers into the original formula, it’s: $525 million / $50 million = 10.5x (multiple)

Based on the resulting 10.5 multiple, this ratio provides a current valuation that translates to for every $1 in 2P reserves equals $10.50 of a market valuation.

Reserves are how internal/external stakeholders value the production/growth potential of oil/gas companies. It’s broken down into two categories:

1.) P1 are proven reserves, which are the highest caliber reserves. There’s at least a 9 in 10 percent likelihood (or more) of recoverable reserves. It’s also known as P90.

2.) Probable reserve (also known as P50) has an even chance of either non-recoverability or realized recoverability. This is the next best, but a lesser grade than P1.

These two resource categories are referred to as 2P.

Putting it in Perspective

Depending on the company’s calculated EV/2P Ratio, the business owner or investor can determine a course of action to take.

If it’s higher, it’s more highly valued than its competitors based on the same level of 2P reserves; therefore, the company’s shares are more expensive against its peers. This can give investors pause because other undervalued stocks are more attractive due to a higher likelihood they’ll appreciate.

However, if a company is valued higher, but the company is more efficient or a higher performer, investors also may be interested because its production and earnings justify the higher valuation. That’s why looking at the metric in a silo is not effective.

Debt Concerns

When it comes to debt and analyzing this ratio, fossil fuel businesses are often highly levered since they use massive sums of debt for research and development and continued operations.

Since the EV value looks at debt and equity concurrently, analyzing a company’s capital structure is essential when comparing companies’ valuations. Essentially, if a company has too much debt and if interest rates suddenly increase or it can’t service debt if the price of crude plummets, it may run into debt servicing issues.

While this ratio is effective in providing a level playing field for analytical uses, it’s important to remember that it needs to be used in conjunction with comprehensive financial analysis.

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