Each and every taxpayer has rights they should be aware of when dealing with the IRS. That’s why the Internal Revenue Service adopted the Taxpayer Bill of Rights.
The Taxpayer Bill of Rights provides you with a better understanding of your rights. While these rights always existed, they are now grouped into 10 broad categories, making them more visible and easier to find on IRS.gov.
“The Taxpayer Bill of Rights contains fundamental information to help taxpayers,” said IRS Commissioner John A. Koskinen. “These are core concepts about which taxpayers should be aware. Respecting taxpayer rights continues to be a top priority for IRS employees, and the new Taxpayer Bill of Rights summarizes these important protections in a clearer, more understandable format than ever before.”
The tax code already includes numerous taxpayer rights, but they are scattered throughout the code, making it difficult for people to track and understand. Similar to the U.S. Constitution’s Bill of Rights, the Taxpayer Bill of Rights contains 10 provisions:
• 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
These rights are incorporated into a redesigned version of Publication 1, Your Rights as a Taxpayer, a document routinely included in IRS correspondence with taxpayers. Millions of these mailings go out each year. The rights are also posted on IRS.gov, and print copies will be included in IRS correspondence in the near future.
“This information is critically important for taxpayers to read and understand,” Koskinen said. “We encourage people to take a moment to read the Taxpayer Bill of Rights, especially when they are interacting with the IRS. While these rights have always been there for taxpayers, we think the time is right to highlight and showcase these rights for people to plainly see.”
Tax On Wheels, LLC is available to assist you with any interaction with the IRS or state taxing authority. Please contact us at 803 732-4288 if we can be of assistance to you.
To learn more about the Taxpayer Bill of Rights, visit IRS.gov.