| The Taxpayer Advocate Service is an independent organization within the IRS whose employees assist taxpayers who are experiencing economic harm, who are seeking help in resolving problems with the IRS, or who believe that an IRS system or procedure is not working as it should. Here are seven things every taxpayer should know about TAS and it does work, sometimes.
1. TAS is your voice at the IRS.
2. The service is free, confidential, and tailored to meet your need, so says the IRS.
3. You may be eligible for TAS help if you have 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 be. Be careful to rile the troops. Make sure you have a case first.
4. TAS helps taxpayers whose problems are causing financial difficulty or significant cost, including the cost of professional representation. This includes businesses as well as individuals. You need to know what you are doing to have a chance because generally only a professional can help you when you are at this point.
5. TAS employees know the IRS and how to navigate it. But the employees still work for IRS. That is why an experienced professional is needed to help. They will listen to your problem, help you understand what needs to be done to resolve it, and stay with you every step of the way until your problem is resolved.
6. TAS has at least one local taxpayer advocate in every state, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. You can call your local advocate, whose number is in your phone book, in Publication 1546, Taxpayer Advocate Service.
7. You can learn about your rights and responsibilities as a taxpayer by visiting the online tax toolkit at www.taxtoolkit.irs.gov.
Most of the time, a matter of fact, almost all times, if the case is in the local IRS office and a decision is made prior to going to taxpayer advocate, IRS advocate office will uphold the decision of the local agent. |
