Many people have tax questions and issues every year, and the taxpayer advocate service can be a great resource. Getting an IRS agent on the phone or finding what you need online can be challenging. That’s why you should consider reviewing the tools and resources offered by the Taxpayer Advocate Service.
What is the Taxpayer Advocate Service?
The Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS), also known as the Office of the Taxpayer Advocate, is an independent group within the Internal Revenue Service and the U.S. Department of the Treasury. The Taxpayer Advocate reports directly to the Commissioner of the IRS and assists taxpayers experiencing economic harm not resolved by the usual channels at the IRS. The Taxpayer Advocate Service may also help if you’ve delayed more than 30 days to resolve your tax issue or if you don’t receive a resolution or a response to a problem by the date the IRS promised to resolve it.
Each state, including Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia, has at least one Local Taxpayer Advocate. They can listen to your problem or situation, help you determine or understand what you need to resolve it, and follow up until the IRS resolves your issue. The Taxpayer Advocate also helps protect taxpayer rights and recommends changes to Congress to avoid future problems.
Taxpayer Advocate Resources
The Taxpayer Advocate website also has many tools and resources that can assist you with tax questions and problems, including specific resource pages for:
- Paying and payment of taxes,
- Filing returns,
- Issues and errors,
- Interacting with the IRS,
- International tax issues,
- Small business tax issues,
- Refunds,
- Credits,
- COVID-19, and
- General IRS issues.
However, the main areas where TAS can help involve IRS system issues, financial hardships, and fair and equitable treatment by the IRS. The TAS can also offer free tax prep services for qualifying taxpayers and has a low-income taxpayer clinic to assist individuals with tax disputes with the IRS.
An Experienced Tax Professional Can Help
If you’re struggling with finding answers and help for your tax problems, it may be time to seek guidance from an experienced tax professional. Contact Highland Tax Group to see how we can help you.