Do You Need a Friend at the IRS?

As taxpayers, many of us have faced difficulties in dealing with the IRS – and it can be a daunting position to be in. One way to deal with these issues is to hire a CPA or Enrolled Agent to help you through the process. Another way is to deal with it yourself. The problem is that dealing with the IRS by yourself can be a very difficult thing to do.

The good news is that you have a friend at the IRS: The Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS).  The purpose of the TAS is to help taxpayers:

• whose problems with the IRS are causing financial difficulties;
• who have tried but have not been able to resolve their problems with the IRS; and
• who believe an IRS system or procedure is not working as it should.

The IRS has listed ten things that they believe every taxpayer should know about TAS:

1. The Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS) is an independent organization within the IRS and is your voice at the IRS.
2. We help taxpayers whose problems are causing financial difficulty. This includes businesses as well as individuals.
3. You may be eligible for our help if you’ve tried to resolve your tax problem through normal IRS channels and have gotten nowhere, or you believe an IRS procedure just isn’t working as it should.
4. The IRS has adopted a Taxpayer Bill of Rights that includes 10 fundamental rights that every taxpayer has when interacting with the IRS:
   • The Right to Be Informed.
   • The Right to Quality Service.
   • The Right to Pay No More than the Correct Amount of Tax.
   • The Right to Challenge the IRS’s Position and Be Heard.
   • The Right to Appeal an IRS Decision in an Independent Forum.
   • The Right to Finality.
   • The Right to Privacy.
   • The Right to Confidentiality.
   • The Right to Retain Representation.
   • The Right to a Fair and Just Tax System.

     Our TAS Tax website at TaxpayerAdvocate.irs.gov can help you understand these rights and what they mean for you. The website also has examples that show how the Taxpayer Bill of Rights can apply in specific situations.

5. If you qualify for our help, you’ll be assigned to one advocate who will be with you at every turn. And our service is always free.
6. We have at least one local taxpayer advocate office in every state, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.  You can call your advocate, whose number is in your local directory, in Publication 1546, Taxpayer Advocate Service — Your Voice at the IRS, and on our website at IRS.gov/advocate. You can also call us toll-free at 877-777-4778.
7. The TAS website at TaxpayerAdvocate.irs.gov has basic tax information, details about tax credits (for individuals and businesses), and much more.
8. TAS also handles large-scale or systemic problems that affect many taxpayers. If you know of one of these broad issues, please report it to us at IRS.gov/sams.
9. You can get updates at:
   • facebook.com/YourVoiceAtIRS
   • Twitter.com/YourVoiceatIRS
   • youtube.com/TASNTA
10. TAS is here to help you, because when you’re dealing with a tax problem, the worst thing you can do is to do nothing at all.