IRS Resources for Tax Pros: Advocacy, Outreach, and Client Support

As tax preparers, we often focus on the IRS as auditors checking up on our work and pointing out errors. However several offices within the IRS are dedicated to helping tax preparers with a variety of client issues.

Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS)

TAS is an independent organization within the IRS tasked with resolving various taxpayer tax issues. Specifically, TAS investigates issues regarding financial hardships, IRS-system matters, and fair and equitable treatment. The services they provide are always free.

For more information on TAS, visit www.taxpayeradvocate.irs.gov

Stakeholder Partnerships, Education and Communication (SPEC)

SPEC is widely known for oversight of the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program and Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE), which offer free tax return preparation to low to moderate-income taxpayers, senior citizens, persons with disabilities, those with limited English proficiency, and Native Americans. Taxpayer education programs, collectively referred to as outreach, include the delivery of key messages that educate or inform individual taxpayers about meeting their tax obligations. SPEC supports outreach to its taxpayers primarily in tax law compliance, financial education, and asset building. SPEC uses a leveraged approach to taxpayer service by emphasizing partner involvement and relationship management as key elements in achieving its objectives. Relationship managers provide oversight and guidance to partners and volunteers engaged in free tax preparation and outreach programs at sites nationwide. SPEC delivers this taxpayer assistance through a 3-pronged business model of income tax return preparation, educational outreach, financial education, and asset-building information offered to taxpayers. SPEC provides leveraged benefits to millions of taxpayers through national and local partners who deliver most of the programs and services.

For more information on SPEC, visit www.irs.gov/individuals/become-an-irs-partner-to-help-in-your-community

Taxpayer Advocacy Panel (TAP)

TAP, a Federal Advisory Committee to the IRS, helps identify tax issues of importance to taxpayers and provides a taxpayer perspective to the IRS on key programs, products, and services. It also serves as a focus group that makes recommendations to the IRS and the National Taxpayer Advocate.

TAP is a group of 75 citizen volunteers who conduct outreach to solicit suggestions or ideas from citizens and serve on project committees working with IRS program owners on topics important to taxpayers and the IRS. The members participate in meetings and focus groups and develop and submit recommendations to improve the IRS.

For more information on TAP, visit www.irs.gov/advocate/taxpayer-advocacy-panel

Stakeholder Liaison

Stakeholder liaisons establish relationships with practitioners and industry organizations as well as other organizations that support taxpayers. They provide information about the policies, practices, and procedures the IRS uses to ensure compliance with the tax laws. They also elevate issues that affect tax administration. It’s important to note that the stakeholder liaison is who we as tax preparers reach out to in the event of a data breach.

For more information on stakeholder liaisons, visit www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/stakeholder-liaison-local-contacts

IRS at Fall Tax School

To stress the importance of working together with the IRS, the University of Illinois Tax School has partnered with representatives from several of these IRS organizations. For those of you who are registered for in-person Fall Tax School, you have the opportunity to meet with representatives from the IRS and TAS. Representatives will have a table with flyers explaining how you can volunteer with the VITA program and get resolutions on tax matters through TAS.

Important note: if you have a client-specific question, please bring a valid Power of Attorney (POA), and representatives will research your account issues on-site.

If registered for online Fall Tax School, the IRS is hosting several virtual events on Zoom in November and December. These virtual events will feature brief 3–5-minute presentations from IRS personnel, followed by a Q&A session.

If you have individual case matters, you will have the opportunity to talk to someone and when necessary, have a case opened with TAS. Attendees seeking account information must have a valid POA on file or have one available to email the organizer. Account inquiries will be held through 1-on-1 calls to protect client confidentiality. Virtual event details will be shared during the online Fall Tax Schools.

By Kelly Golish,  CPA
University of Illinois Tax School
Assistant Director, Tax Materials