WASHINGTON ― The Internal Revenue Service today released a new YouTube video encouraging taxpayers to learn about the Taxpayer Bill of Rights.
The video, featuring IRS Commissioner John Koskinen, provides information to taxpayers about their rights under the nation’s tax laws.
“I’m pleased that we now have a Taxpayer Bill of Rights, which lays out in plain language 10 fundamental rights included in our tax code,” Koskinen tells viewers in the video, now posted on the IRS YouTube channel.
These rights include the right to: be informed, quality service, pay no more than the correct amount of tax, challenge the IRS’s position and be heard, appeal an IRS decision in an independent forum, finality, privacy, confidentiality, retain representation and a fair and just tax system.
“These are important rights for you to understand, and they are important to all of us at the IRS,” Koskinen adds.
The video is part of a longer-term effort by the IRS to help provide information to taxpayers about their rights. The IRS has also created a special section of IRS.gov to highlight the Taxpayer Bill of Rights. The site features recently revised Publication 1, “Your Rights as a Taxpayer,” which now includes the 10 rights. The website will continue to be updated with information as it becomes available.
The IRS YouTube channel offers taxpayers a unique way to learn more about their rights, benefits and responsibilities under the tax code. Available in English, Spanish and American Sign Language (ASL), these short informative videos cover a wide range of topics, including such taxpayer rights issues as appealing a tax dispute, filing back returns, offers in compromise, online payment agreements, avoiding identity theft and understanding IRS bills and notices. The channel has received nearly 8 million views since it was launched in 2009.