The Taxpayer Advocate Service –Your Voice at the IRS

The Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS) is an independent organization within the IRS. They help taxpayers who are experiencing economic harm, taxpayers who are seeking help in resolving problems with the IRS and those who believe an IRS system or procedure is not working as it should. Here are ten things every taxpayer should know about TAS:

• This service is free and tailored to meet your needs.
• 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.
• The worst thing you can do is nothing at all!
• TAS helps taxpayers whose problems in dealing with the IRS are causing financial difficulty or significant cost, including the cost of professional representation.  This includes businesses as well as individuals.
• The Taxpayer Advocate Service is your voice at the IRS.
• If you qualify for help, they’ll do everything they can to get your problem resolved.  You will be assigned to one advocate who will be with you at every turn.
• They have at least one local taxpayer advocate office in every state, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.  You can call your local advocate, whose number is in your phone book and in Pub. 1546, Taxpayer Advocate Service — Your Voice at the IRS.  You can also call their toll-free number at 1-877-777-4778.
• As a taxpayer, you have rights that the IRS must abide by in its dealings with you.  The tax toolkit at www.taxtoolkit.irs.gov can help you understand these rights.
• 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 TAS through the Systemic Advocacy Management System.
• You can get updates on hot tax topics by visiting the TAS YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/tasnta and the TAS Facebook Page.

For more information on your tax return and tax filing deadlines, visit www.irs.gov.  Please contact our office for an initial consultation if you need legal advice at (941) 906-1231.