RAS AP Consulting Releases Educational Resource to Help Organizations Prepare for IRS FIRE-to-IRIS Transition

New guidance highlights the connection between Vendor Master governance, information reporting readiness, and evolving IRS filing requirements

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla., Oct. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- RAS AP Consulting, a leading advisory firm specializing in Accounts Payable Governance, Vendor Master Management, and Information Reporting Compliance, today announced its new educational resource, "1099 Compliance Starts in the Vendor Master File," to help organizations prepare for major changes affecting information return reporting and filing.

The educational initiative comes as organizations prepare to retire the IRS Filing Information Returns Electronically (FIRE) system and transition to the Information Returns Intake System (IRIS). The IRS announced that November 19, 2026, will be the final day to file information returns through the FIRE system, requiring current FIRE users to transition to IRIS beginning with the 2027 filing season.

In addition to system changes, organizations must navigate new IRIS Transmitter Control Code (TCC) requirements, application timelines that may take up to 45 days, and reporting threshold changes affecting certain information returns.

According to RAS AP Consulting, many organizations still treat 1099 compliance as a year-end filing exercise rather than an enterprise data governance initiative.

"Many filing issues begin long before forms are submitted," said Rosemarie A. Smith, BSBA, Founder and CEO of RAS AP Consulting, a certified 1099 and 1042‑S Information Reporting professional with more than 30 years of experience in Accounts Payable operations, supplier governance, and compliance. "Missing W-9S, inaccurate taxpayer information, duplicate vendor records, and weak onboarding controls can all create unnecessary compliance risk. The transition from FIRE to IRIS serves as an important reminder that information reporting begins with strong Vendor Master governance."

LinkedIn carousel: https://lnkd.in/p/etsiKA28

The firm's new educational LinkedIn carousel outlines key considerations for AP, Tax, Procurement, Shared Services, and Finance leaders, including:

• FIRE-to-IRIS transition requirements
• Critical IRS filing deadlines
• IRIS TCC application requirements
• Reporting threshold changes for certain information returns
• Vendor Master File governance leading practices
• W-9 and TIN validation readiness
• AP Governance considerations for year-end compliance

The campaign reinforces a core principle promoted by RAS AP Consulting:

"1099 compliance starts in the Vendor Master File, not at filing time."

The firm believes organizations that proactively evaluate supplier data quality, tax documentation processes, and Vendor Master controls before reporting season will be better positioned to reduce compliance risk, improve information reporting accuracy, and support successful year-end filing initiatives.

As part of the initiative, RAS AP Consulting is offering complimentary readiness discussions focused on Vendor Master integrity, taxpayer data validation, IRIS preparedness, and AP Governance best practices.

About Rosemarie A. Smith

Rosemarie A. Smith, BSBA, is the Founder and CEO of RAS AP Consulting and a recognized Accounts Payable Governance professional with more than three decades of experience in Accounts Payable operations, supplier governance, information reporting compliance, internal controls, and AP transformation. Smith holds professional certifications in both 1099 Information Reporting and 1042-S Information Reporting and has led compliance, supplier governance, and AP modernization initiatives across multiple industries throughout her career.

About RAS AP Consulting

RAS AP Consulting is a Florida-based advisory firm specializing in Accounts Payable Governance, Vendor Master Management, Information Reporting Compliance, AP Transformation, and Supplier Lifecycle Governance. The firm helps organizations strengthen controls, reduce compliance risk, improve supplier data integrity, and modernize AP operations through practical governance frameworks and operational excellence initiatives.

Media Contact

Rosemarie A. Smith, BSBA
Founder & CEO
RAS AP Consulting™
Port St. Lucie, Florida

AP Governance | Vendor Master Management | 1099 & 1042-S Compliance

Contact:
Rosemarie Smith
***@rasapconsulting.com

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SOURCE RAS AP Consulting LLC