The Taxpayer Advocate Service: Helping You Resolve Tax Problems 2011

IRS Tax Tip 2011-75, April 15, 2011

The Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS) is an independent organization within the IRS. We help taxpayers whose problems with the IRS are causing financial difficulties; who have tried but have not been able to resolve their 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:
 

1. The Taxpayer Advocate Service is your voice at the IRS.
    
2. Our service is free and tailored to meet your needs.
    
3. You may be eligible for our help if you have tried to resolve your tax problem through normal IRS channels and have gotten nowhere, or you face (or your business is facing) an immediate threat of adverse action.
    
4. The worst thing you can do is nothing at all!
    
5. We help taxpayers whose problems are causing financial difficulty or significant cost, including the cost of professional representation. This includes businesses as well as individuals.
    
6. 6. If you qualify for our help, we’ll do everything we can to get your problem resolved. You will be assigned to one advocate who will be with you at every turn.
    
7. We 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, in Pub. 1546, Taxpayer Advocate Service – Your Voice at the IRS, and on our website at /advocate. You can also call our toll-free number at 1-877-777-4778.
    
8. As a taxpayer, you have rights that the IRS must abide by in its dealings with you. Our tax toolkit at www.taxtoolkit.irs.gov can help you understand these rights.
    
9. 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 us through our Systemic Advocacy Management System at /advocate.
    
10. You can get updates on hot tax topics by visiting our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/TASNTA and our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/YourVoiceAtIRS, or by following our tweets at www.twitter.com/YourVoiceatIRS.

Links:

• Taxpayer Advocate Service
• Publication 1546, Taxpayer Advocate Service  - Your Voice at the IRS (902KPDF)
• Tax Topic 104, Taxpayer Advocate Service — Help for Problem Situations
• Form 911, Request for Taxpayer Advocate Service Assistance (126KPDF)
• TAS YouTube Channel

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