n-16-26.pdf

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Public Comment Invited on Recommendations for 2016-2017 Priority Guidance Plan

Notice 2016-26

The Department of Treasury and Internal Revenue Service (Service) invite
public comment on recommendations for items that should be included on the 2016-
2017 Priority Guidance Plan.
The Treasury Department's Office of Tax Policy and the Service 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 Service intend
to work on as priorities during the period from July 1, 2016, through June 30, 2017.
The Treasury Department and the Service 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 Service have the benefit of the experience and
knowledge of taxpayers and practitioners who must apply the rules implementing the
internal revenue laws.
As is the case whenever significant legislation is enacted, the Treasury
Department and the Service have continued to dedicate substantial resources during

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the current plan year to published guidance projects necessary to implement the
provisions of various tax legislative acts that have been enacted over the past
several years. The Treasury Department and the Service will continue to evaluate
the priority of each guidance project taking into account this tax legislation, as well
as other developments occurring during the 2016-2017 plan year.
In reviewing recommendations and selecting projects for inclusion on the 2016-
2017 Priority Guidance Plan, the Treasury Department and the Service will consider
the following:
1. Whether the recommended guidance resolves significant issues relevant to many
taxpayers;
2. Whether the recommended guidance promotes sound tax administration;
3. Whether the recommended guidance can be drafted in a manner that will enable
taxpayers to easily understand and apply the guidance;
4. Whether the recommended guidance involves regulations that are outmoded,
ineffective, insufficient, or excessively burdensome and that should be modified,
streamlined, expanded, or repealed;
5. Whether the Service can administer the recommended guidance on a uniform
basis; and
6. Whether the recommended guidance reduces controversy and lessens the
burden on taxpayers or the Service.
Please submit recommendations by May 16, 2016, for possible inclusion on the
original 2016-2017 Priority Guidance Plan. Taxpayers may, however, submit
recommendations for guidance at any time during the year. The Treasury

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Department and the Service may update the 2016-2017 Priority Guidance Plan
periodically to reflect additional guidance that the Treasury Department and the
Service intend to publish during the plan year. The periodic updates allow the
Treasury Department and the Service to respond to the need for additional guidance
that may arise during the plan year.
Taxpayers are not required to submit recommendations for guidance in any
particular format. Taxpayers should, however, briefly describe the recommended
guidance and explain the need for the guidance. In addition, taxpayers may include
an analysis of how the issue should be resolved. It would be helpful if taxpayers
suggesting more than one guidance project prioritize the projects by order of
importance. If a large number of projects are being suggested, it would be helpful if
the projects were grouped in terms of high, medium, or low priority. Requests for
guidance in the form of petitions for rulemaking will be considered with other
recommendations for guidance in accordance with the considerations described in
this notice.
Taxpayers may mail comments to:
Internal Revenue Service
Attn: CC:PA:LPD:PR (Notice 2016-26)
Room 5203
P.O. Box 7604
Ben Franklin Station
Washington, D.C. 20044

or hand deliver comments Monday through Friday between the hours of 8 a.m. and

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4 p.m. to:
Courier's Desk
Internal Revenue Service
Attn: CC:PA:LPD:PR (Notice 2016-26)
1111 Constitution Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20224

Alternatively, taxpayers may submit comments electronically via the Federal
eRulemaking Portal at www.regulations.gov
(type IRS-2016-0012 in the search field
on the regulations.gov homepage to find this notice and submit comments). All
recommendations for guidance submitted by the public in response to this notice will
be available for public inspection and copying in their entirety.
For further information regarding this notice, contact Charles A. Hall of the
Office of Associate Chief Counsel (Procedure and Administration) at (202) 317-3400
(not a toll-free call).