Increased Case Load Challenges US Taxpayer Advocate

by Leroy Baker, Tax-News.com, New York

07 September 2010

A rising number of cases is presenting challenges for the US Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS) to resolve taxpayer problems in good time, according to a study released by the United States Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA).

However, the TIGTA said that, despite the challenges, the TAS, which is an independent organization within the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), is reporting high overall quality (88%) and customer satisfaction (84%) ratings.

"The TAS plays an important role in tax administration by helping taxpayers who have tried, unsuccessfully, to resolve their tax problems using normal IRS channels," said J. Russell George, the TIGTA. "However, I believe many of the issues identified in our review will continue to present challenges for this problem-solving organization."

According to the report, many internal and external factors have affected the TAS's ability to assist taxpayers in a timely fashion. Specifically, the economy, the IRS's increased emphasis on enforcement actions, and legislative changes have led to more taxpayers asking for the TAS's help. For example, the number of TAS cases involving identity theft increased from just under 2,500 in 2006 to 14,000 in 2009 (an increase of more than 460%).

Overall, the TAS has experienced a 38% increase in case receipts since 2005. The TIGTA found that, in 2009, cases were open an average of 80 calendar days, an increase of 14 calendar days (22%) since 2005.

The report made no recommendations, but TAS’s management agreed overall with the facts and conclusions of the report.

Recommended