Sometimes it feels like nothing is more complicated than dealing with the IRS; thankfully, the taxpayer advocate service is there to help. Whether you’re experiencing long delays in your tax refund, having difficulty getting someone at the IRS to answer the phone, or receiving frustrating bureaucratic responses to your questions, you aren’t alone. Fortunately, there is an agency on your side. The Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS) is an independent group within the IRS created to help people like you.
What is the Taxpayer Advocate Service?
Created in the 1970s, the Taxpayer Advocate Service is an advocate for taxpayers, designed to ensure that the IRS treats you fairly. The TAS reports directly to the IRS Commissioner, bypassing layers of bureaucracy. TAS can help you if you’re a taxpayer experiencing economic harm that you can’t resolve through the usual channels at the IRS.
Taxpayer Advocate Service Resources for You
The TAS website is chock full of resources and tools that you can use to answer your tax questions. There are resource pages for some of the most common issues taxpayers have, including filing your return, getting refunds, paying taxes, interacting with the IRS, and tax questions. TAS can also help low-income taxpayers with free tax prep and tax disputes with the IRS. But TAS is integral to helping taxpayers experiencing more difficult problems with the IRS, including systemwide issues, financial hardships, and unfair treatment.
- Issues with the IRS System
Sometimes the IRS system breaks down or doesn’t work as it should. TAS can help you if you’ve:
- Had a delay of more than 30 days in resolving a tax account problem with the IRS,
- The IRS hasn’t given you a response, or a solution to a problem by the date promised, or
- A system failed or isn’t working as it should within the IRS, keeping you from resolving a problem or dispute with the IRS.
- Taxpayer Financial Hardship
TAS can also help if you’re experiencing financial hardship due to IRS actions or inactions. TAS can help if:
- You’ve suffered economic harm or are about to,
- You have an immediate threat of adverse action from the IRS,
- You’ll incur high costs, including the cost of professional representation if the IRS doesn’t grant relief, or
- You’ll suffer irreparable injury or long-term adverse results with no relief.
- Unfair Treatment from the IRS
In many cases, TAS can also help if you’ve experienced unfair treatment from the IRS, particularly if the IRS is administering tax laws in a way that raises concerns about equity and fairness and adverse economic impact.
An Experienced Tax Professional Can Help
If you’re struggling with tax issues, having difficulty getting the help you need, or being unfairly treated by the IRS, it’s time to get an experienced tax professional involved. Contact Highland Tax Group to see how we can help you.