Top 10 Taxpayer Bill of Rights: #1 The Right to Be Informed
Today is the last post in my taxpayer bill of rights series. Hopefully, by now you have learned the difference between informed and opinionated. Screaming that you hate the IRS will get you nowhere. However, being an informed taxpayer makes you very powerful. Use your rights to your advantage. The last taxpayer's right is the right to be be informed. You are entitled to clear explanation regarding your tax situation. Don't be intimidated by the scary IRS letters. There are multiple ways to contact the IRS directly to explain your letter. Also, don't be scared to seek professional help. Below comes straight from the IRS website regarding this right.
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.
What you can expect:
- Certain notices must include the amount (if any) of the tax, interest, and certain penalties you owe and must explain why you owe these amounts.
- When the IRS fully or partially disallows your claim for refund, it must explain the specific reasons why.
- Help with Understanding Your IRS Notice or Letter is available online at IRS.gov.
- If the IRS proposes to assess tax against you, it must provide you in its initial letter, which allows for review by an independent Office of Appeals, an explanation of the entire process from examination (audit) through collection, and explain that the Taxpayer Advocate Service may be able to assist you.
- If you enter into a payment plan, known as an installment agreement, the IRS must send you an annual statement that provides how much you owe at the beginning of the year, how much you paid during the year, and how much you still owe at the end of the year.
- You can access current and prior year IRS forms and publications at IRS.gov or have hard copies mailed by calling toll-free 800-829-3676.
- IRS also uses several social media tools that provide helpful tax information to a broad audience, including Twitter, YouTube, Tumblr and the IRS2Go free mobile app.
To find out more about the TBOR and what it means to you visit:http://www.taxpayeradvocate.irs.gov
In addition to the Taxpayers Bill of Rights, the IRS is committed to ensuring that your civil rights are also protected. Taxpayers are not subjected to discrimination based on race, color, national origin, reprisal, disability, age, sex (including sexual orientation and pregnancy discrimination), religion, or parental status in programs or services conducted by the IRS or on its behalf. If a taxpayer believes he or she has been discriminated against, a written complaint can be emailed toedi.civil.rights.division@irs.gov or mailed to the IRS Civil Rights Division.
The IRS also has a robust source of tax information available to Spanish-speaking taxpayers online at IRS.gov/espanol. Versions of Publication 1, Your Rights as a Taxpayer, are also posted online at IRS.gov in English, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Russian and Vietnamese. By making this important publication available in multiple languages, the IRS hopes to increase the number of Americans who know and understand their rights under the tax law. Additionally, the IRS has programs in place to assist taxpayers with limited English proficiency and to provide reasonable accommodations for taxpayers with disabilities.
IRS Publication 1, Your Rights as a Taxpayer
Additional IRS Resources
- Taxpayer Bill of Rights
- What the Taxpayer Bill of Rights Means for You
- Taxpayer Advocate Service
- Publication 556, Examination of Returns, Appeal Rights, and Claims for Refund
- Forms and Publications About Your Appeal Rights
- Publication 594, The IRS Collection Process
- IRS Freedom of Information
Until next time…..Jay-Z once said “I move forward – the only direction. Can’t be scared to fail – search and perfection.”
Name: Jamaal Solomon
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