IRS Invites Taxpayers to Apply for Taxpayer Panel

The IRS ^ | 4/142005

[technochick99]

IR-2005-41, April 1, 2005

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service is inviting civic-minded individuals to help improve the nation’s tax agency by applying to be members of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel. The panel provides a forum for citizens from each state to make suggestions regarding IRS decision making.

Taxpayer Advocacy Panel (TAP) members:

Provide opportunities for citizen input and make recommendations to the IRS and Treasury on customer-service issues.
Identify and prioritize taxpayer issues.
Report annually to Treasury, the IRS and the National Taxpayer Advocate.
Participate in meetings where taxpayers are invited to raise issues about their experiences with the IRS.
Refer taxpayers who contact the panels to the IRS offices best able to address their issues.
“We are committed to working with taxpayers to improve the customer-service focus of the IRS,” said Nina Olson, IRS National Taxpayer Advocate. “Working with taxpayers directly helps us identify issues that may not be on the IRS radar screen. We can also hear their concerns about issues the IRS is already addressing.”

To qualify as a TAP member, applicants must be U.S. citizens and be able to commit 300 to 500 hours during the year to the panel. In addition, they must be current with their tax obligations and pass a criminal background check.

The application is available at www.improveirs.org. You can apply online or download the form and mail it to:

Milwaukee TAP Office
Stop 1006MIL
310 West Wisconsin Avenue
Milwaukee, WI 53203-2221

If you do not have access to a computer, call 1-888-912-1227 for an application form.

Applications must be received by the TAP Office by April 29, 2005.

[Bigun]

I'm interested in putting the IRS where it properly belongs, on the ash heap of history, not improving it!

[JLS]

I gave it a shot.

[dufekin]

You've got that right. I once attempted to read the tax code, but after a few minutes, I was so confused that I simply accepted defeat. The Internal Revenue Service publications are so much more sensible. On the other hand, I am an idiot who shouldn't have graduated from high school, which teaches children the intricacies of taxation law so that they may succeed in this free society.