The Taxpayer Advocate’s Annual Report

WASHINGTON –On Wednesday, April 15^th, the House Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on Government Operations will hold a hearing titled “The Taxpayer Advocate Annual Report.” The hearing will examine the “Most Serious Problems” put forth by the Taxpayer Advocate’s report.  In addition, the hearing will address the legislative and administrative changes recommended by the National Taxpayer Advocate.

HEARING BACKGROUND:

• The National Taxpayer Advocate is an independent office within the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).  The advocate, appointed by the Secretary of the Treasury, was established to help taxpayers handle issues with the IRS, identify problem areas for taxpayers, propose changes that the IRS can make to address those problems, and identify legislative actions to help resolve identified challenges.  As part of the National Taxpayer’s mandate, it must provide two annual reports to Congress.  Wednesday’s hearing will focus on the 2014 Annual Report to Congress which details the most serious problems encountered by taxpayers as well as various recommendations for the IRS and Congress.

• Nina Olson, the National Taxpayer Advocate, has made numerous recommendations to the IRS and Congress since she started in the position in 2001.  Historically, two of her biggest recommendations are for Congress to enact a Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TBOR) and for a simpler tax code.  The current tax code causes Americans to spend billions of hours and hundreds of billions of dollars complying with the tax code each year.  As an independent voice for the taxpayer, the National Taxpayer Advocate has worked to put forth legislative and administrative changes that help ease this costly burden born U.S. taxpayers.