• IRS Taxpayer Advocate Releases Annual Report to Congress
• Presidential Inauguration

IRS Taxpayer Advocate Releases Annual Report to Congress

While many Americans are just starting to think about filing taxes now, one person at the IRS continually examines the tax code for ways to simplify and improve compliance. The Taxpayer Advocate Service is an independent IRS program that works to assure that tax problems, which have not been resolved through normal channels, are promptly and fairly handled. By compiling the most frequent complaints that the Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS) hears, a report is then issued to Congress each year on ways to improve tax code compliance and reduce unnecessary burdens on the tax payer. In her annual report to Congress this year, chief Advocate Nina Olson identified the complexity of the Internal Revenue Code as the most serious problem facing taxpayers and the IRS. “Without a doubt, the largest source of compliance burdens for taxpayers and the IRS alike is the overwhelming complexity of the tax code, and without a doubt, the only meaningful way to reduce these compliance burdens is to simplify the tax code enormously,” Olson reported earlier in January. The report cites the alternative minimum tax (AMT), the earned income tax credit (EITC), and the large number of provisions designed to encourage taxpayers to save for education and for retirement as key illustrations of the problems of complexity wrought by the 1.4 million-plus word tax code. There is at least one Local Taxpayer Advocate in each state to help resolve problems promptly and fairly. The Taxpayer Advocate Service can help if taxpayers are facing: An economic hardship or significant cost, A more than 30-day delay to resolve the issue, or An action, response or resolution deadline that was promised by the IRS but has not been met. Qualified taxpayers will receive personalized service from an individual Advocate. He or she will listen to the individual's situation, help them understand what needs to be done to resolve it, and stay with them every step of the way until the problem is resolved to the fullest extent permitted by law. Taxpayers can gain quick access to the Taxpayer Advocate Service by calling their toll–free number 1–877–777–4778, TTY/TTD 1-800-829-4059. Taxpayers can call or write to the local Taxpayer Advocate, whose address and phone number are listed in local telephone directories and in Publication 1546, How to Get Help With Unresolved Tax Problems. For more information on the Taxpayer Advocate’s report to Congress, visit http://www.irs.gov/advocate.

Presidential Inauguration

President George W. Bush takes the oath of office for his second term this week in Washington, D.C. The town is abuzz with events, security precautions and parties. The NASE encourages members to pay particular attention to President Bush’s inaugural address on Thursday, January 20, where he is expected to lay out several of the initiatives he will work on for the next four years. For more information on the inauguration, visit http://www.inaugural05.com.

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