The Internal Revenue Service has launched a new and expanded e-subscription service available through IRS.gov for taxpayers, tax professionals, small business owners and the news media.

Subscribers to the e-service lists will get timely, specialized information sent via e-mail on topics such as state practitioner meetings, news releases, filing season tax tips and other programs.

To subscribe to any of the services, visit "e-News Subscriptions" on the IRS Web site.

Among the new features:

E-News for Tax Professionals

E-News for Tax Professionals is a reorganized and improved version of the Local News Net. The new electronic newsletter for tax practitioners and others provides consolidated and localized information that’s available for the first time on a state-by-state basis.

Previously, the old service was available only on a district-by-district basis, reflecting the old IRS organizational structure. In some instances, this format forced practitioners to subscribe to multiple listings to cover one state, and it meant professionals received information not pertinent to their area.

Current subscribers do not need to take any action. Subscribers to the old Local News Net have been converted over to the new e-News for Tax Professionals system.

IRS Digital Dispatch

IRS Digital Dispatch also has been expanded. The Digital Dispatch provides national tax news and recent information added to IRS.gov. These are regularly issued every other week and when special events warrant a special edition.

IRS Newswire

For the first time, IRS news releases and fact sheets will be available to anyone as soon as the IRS publicly issues them. Previously, only the news media received instant delivery of news releases via e-mail. Now, through the IRS Newswire, anyone who wants to receive copies can sign up for electronic delivery.

In addition, the IRS has started real-time posting of news releases on “The Newsroom” section of IRS.gov. Under the old system, news releases were generally not available on the Web until the following day.

IRS Tax Tips

The IRS Tax Tips series is also available for direct e-mail subscriptions for the first time. Tax Tips are practical hints and reminders that are issued once a day during the filing season and periodically during the rest of the year. They cover topics such as free tax help, child tax credits, educator expenses, car donations and other topics. The Tax Tips series was originally designed for news media, Web sites and newsletters, but the e-mail service was eventually expanded to include others.

Current subscribers to Tax Tips do not need to resubscribe. The new system will automatically convert current subscribers to the subscription list available via the Web.

The IRS also offers several other subscription services, including:

• the SB/SE Mailing List, which provides information about IRS small business and self-employed outreach products and programs;
• Employee Plans News, a quarterly publication, with periodic special editions, containing retirement plan information from the Employee Plans office; and
• the FSLG Newsletter, a periodic publication of the Federal, State and Local Governments office about items of interest to government entities.

For more information on the electronic subscription services, visit IRS.gov.