Knowing Your Taxpayer Rights Can Save Your @#$%&!

Knowing Your Taxpayer Rights Can Save Your @#$%&!

By Dave Horwedel, EA, the founder of Torchlight Tax

The IRS can seem like an overwhelming Goliath to the American taxpayer.

What many taxpayers do not know is they have rights. These rights keep the power of IRS Goliath in check–if they are known and insisted on–either by the taxpayer or his representative.

At Torchlight Tax we routinely protect our clients’ rights. We have them sign an IRS Power of Attorney form 2848, and we ensure their rights are not violated. We are tax experts and make sure our clients get every legal break they are entitled to. The IRS Bill of Rights is a key tool we use to protect our clients. We recommend you read the IRS article below on the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights.

However, some people do not want to read any IRS article. If you wish, you can skip reading the article and contact Torchlight Tax for a free consultation.

Contact Torchlight Tax at 877-758-7797 or email us at info@TorchlightTax.com for a free consultation. You can also read articles on our blog at Torchlighttax.com or visit our Torchlight Tax YouTube Channel for more tax data.

Also, feel free to like, comment on, and share this article.

Below is the article from the IRS website verbatim.

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Taxpayer Bill of Rights

Each and every taxpayer has a set of fundamental rights they should be aware of when dealing with the IRS. Explore your rights and our obligations to protect them.

The Right to Be Informed
The Right to Quality Service
The Right to Pay No More than the Correct Amount of Tax
The Right to Challenge the IRS’s Position and Be Heard
The Right to Appeal an IRS Decision in an Independent Forum
The Right to Finality
The Right to Privacy
The Right to Confidentiality
The Right to Retain Representation
The Right to a Fair and Just Tax System

The Right to Be Informed

Taxpayers have the right to know what they need to do to comply with the tax laws. They are entitled to clear explanations of the laws and IRS procedures in all tax forms, instructions, publications, notices, and correspondence. They have the right to be informed of IRS decisions about their tax accounts and to receive clear explanations of the outcomes.

Learn more about your right to be informed.

The Right to Quality Service

Taxpayers have the right to receive prompt, courteous, and professional assistance in their dealings with the IRS, to be spoken to in a way they can easily understand, to receive clear and easily understandable communications from the IRS, and to speak to a supervisor about inadequate service.

Learn more about your right to quality service.

The Right to Pay No More than the Correct Amount of Tax

Taxpayers have the right to pay only the amount of tax legally due, including interest and penalties, and to have the IRS apply all tax payments properly.

Learn more about your right to pay no more than the correct amount of tax.

The Right to Challenge the IRS’s Position and Be Heard

Taxpayers have the right to raise objections and provide additional documentation in response to formal IRS actions or proposed actions, to expect that the IRS will consider their timely objections and documentation promptly and fairly, and to receive a response if the IRS does not agree with their position.

Learn more about your right to challenge the IRS’s position and be heard.

The Right to Appeal an IRS Decision in an Independent Forum

Taxpayers are entitled to a fair and impartial administrative appeal of most IRS decisions, including many penalties, and have the right to receive a written response regarding the Office of Appeals’ decision. Taxpayers generally have the right to take their cases to court.

Learn more about your right to appeal an IRS decision in an independent forum.

The Right to Finality

Taxpayers have the right to know the maximum amount of time they have to challenge the IRS’s position as well as the maximum amount of time the IRS has to audit a particular tax year or collect a tax debt. Taxpayers have the right to know when the IRS has finished an audit.

Learn more about your right to finality.

The Right to Privacy

Taxpayers have the right to expect that any IRS inquiry, examination, or enforcement action will comply with the law and be no more intrusive than necessary, and will respect all due process rights, including search and seizure protections and will provide, where applicable, a collection due process hearing.

Learn more about your right to privacy.

The Right to Confidentiality

Taxpayers have the right to expect that any information they provide to the IRS will not be disclosed unless authorized by the taxpayer or by law. Taxpayers have the right to expect appropriate action will be taken against employees, return preparers, and others who wrongfully use or disclose taxpayer return information.

Learn more about your right to confidentiality.

The Right to Retain Representation

Taxpayers have the right to retain an authorized representative of their choice to represent them in their dealings with the IRS. Taxpayers have the right to seek assistance from a Low Income Taxpayer Clinic if they cannot afford representation.

Learn more about your right to retain representation.

The Right to a Fair and Just Tax System

Taxpayers have the right to expect the tax system to consider facts and circumstances that might affect their underlying liabilities, ability to pay, or ability to provide information timely. Taxpayers have the right to receive assistance from the Taxpayer Advocate Service if they are experiencing financial difficulty or if the IRS has not resolved their tax issues properly and timely through its normal channels.

Learn more about your right to a fair and just tax system.

Contact Torchlight Tax at 877-758-7797 or info@torchlighttax.com for a free consultation.

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