The Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS) is an independent organization within the IRS that helps taxpayers who are experiencing unresolved federal tax problems. Here are 10 things every taxpayer should know about TAS:
1. The Taxpayer Advocate Service is your voice at the IRS.
2. You may be eligible for our help if you’ve tried to resolve your tax problem through normal IRS channels and have gotten nowhere, or you believe an IRS procedure just isn’t working as it should.
3. We help taxpayers whose problems are causing financial difficulty. This includes businesses, organizations and individuals.
4. We’ll do everything we can to resolve your problem. And our service is always free.
5. If you qualify for our help, you’ll be assigned to one advocate who will be with you at every turn.
6. We have at least one local taxpayer advocate office in every state, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. To find your advocate:
• Visit www.irs.gov/advocate
• Call us toll-free at 1-877-777-4778
• Check your local directory
• Look at Pub. 1546, Taxpayer Advocate Service – Your Voice at the IRS, which lists our offices nationwide
7. Our tax toolkit at www.TaxpayerAdvocate.irs.gov has basic tax information, details about tax credits, and more.
8. TAS also handles broader problems that affect many taxpayers. If you know of one of these systemic issues, please report it to us at www.irs.gov/sams.
9. You can get updates at:
• www.facebook.com/YourVoiceAtIRS
• Twitter.com/YourVoiceatIRS
• www.youtube.com/TASNTA
10. TAS is here to help you because when you’re dealing with a tax problem, the worst thing you can do is to do nothing at all!