National Taxpayer Advocate Public Forum Transcripts

Wed, Jul 13, 2016

“[You] ask people, okay, if you had the choice between trying to find the answer to a government question online, yourself, or just picking up the phone and calling somebody, which would you prefer? Sixty percent of people say they prefer to pick up the phone, including half of millennials.”  — Rick Parrish, Senior Analyst serving Customer Experience Professionals, Forrester…

National Taxpayer Advocate Releases FY 2017 Objectives Report to Congress

Thu, Jul 07, 2016

Today the National Taxpayer Advocate released her FY 2017 Objectives Report to Congress, identifying the priority issues that she and TAS will address during fiscal year 2017. For the last two years, the IRS has been developing a “Future State” plan that envisions how the agency will operate in five years and beyond.  In the National Taxpayer Advocate’s 2015 Annual Report…

National Taxpayer Advocate Public Forums

Wed, Jun 22, 2016

The IRS receives more than 100 million telephone calls and 5 million visits in its walk-in sites each year from taxpayers. Over the last two years, the IRS has worked to develop a “Future State” plan, which outlines the IRS’s intended activities in 5 years and beyond. In her 2015 Annual Report to Congress, the National Taxpayer Advocate recommended the IRS solicit comments fro…

2016 Tax Forums: TAS focus groups to discuss IRS Future State and refund timing

Fri, Jun 03, 2016

Each year the IRS sponsors the Nationwide Tax Forums, a three-day series of tax education and networking conferences for tax professionals in cities around the country. These events feature the latest information from the IRS, news about tax law changes, the chance to meet with software vendors and the opportunity to attend nearly 50 seminars presented by IRS employees and members of profession…

Forum on taxpayer service in Washington DC

Fri, Jun 03, 2016

On Tuesday, May 17, National Taxpayer Advocate Nina E. Olson convened the seventh in a series of public forums on taxpayer service. Over 100 people attended, representing a range of interests and organizations, including tax professional groups like the AICPA, and the National Society of Accountants; several law firms; a blend of nonprofit and government researchers; and tax publications includ…

New Employer Shared Responsibility Provision estimator tool is now available

Wed, Jun 01, 2016

The Taxpayer Advocate Service is pleased to announce a new tool designed to help employers better understand how the Employer Shared Responsibility Provision (ESRP) works and learn how the provision may apply to them.If you are an employer, you can use this ESRP Estimator to determine: The number of your full-time employees, including full-time equivalent employees (FTEs), Whether you might be…

Forum on taxpayer service in Baltimore MD

Wed, May 18, 2016

National Taxpayer Advocate Nina E. Olson and Sen. Ben Cardin, a member of the Senate Committee on Finance, convened a public forum in Baltimore, Maryland, to discuss what taxpayers want and need from the IRS to comply with their tax obligations. Approximately 30 people attended the forum, including, business owners, tax practitioners, and community based organizations. One panelist shared her p…

Alert: Beware of practitioner scams against taxpayers with limited English proficiency and certain non U.S. citizens

Wed, May 18, 2016

Reports have detailed unscrupulous preparers instructing their clients to make Individual Shared Responsibility (ISRP) payments directly to the preparer rather than the IRS. In particular, current scams focus on those who primarily speak Spanish and those with Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers (ITIN). So choose your tax professional carefully. The requirement to pay the ISRP (and the a…

Forum on taxpayer service in Red Oak IA

Wed, May 11, 2016

National Taxpayer Advocate Nina E. Olson and Sen. Chuck Grassley, a member and former chairman of the Senate Finance Committee and current chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, convened a public forum to discuss what taxpayers want and need from the IRS to comply with their tax obligations. Over 50 people attended the forum, including farmers, tax practitioners, and community based organi…

Next Public Forum on taxpayer service needs and preferences to be held in Washington DC on May 17

Tue, May 10, 2016

National Taxpayer Advocate Nina E. Olson will hold a public forum in Washington, DC to discuss what taxpayers want and need from the IRS to comply with their tax obligations. The Public Forums unites speakers from the tax community, IRS advisory boards, and nonprofit and government researchers to discuss the future state of the IRS.The public forum will be held Tuesday, May 17, at 10:00 a.m. in…