IRS Seeks Volunteers to be the Voice of the Taxpayer on the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel; Application Deadline is March 30

WASHINGTON, March 19, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is seeking civic-minded volunteers to serve on the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel (TAP). The TAP is a federal advisory committee that listens to taxpayers, identifies major taxpayer concerns, and makes recommendations for improving IRS service and customer satisfaction. Taxpayers interested in serving on the panel may apply through March 30. "To meet the needs of the taxpaying public, it is critical that the IRS listen to taxpayers to hear what their needs and preferences are," said Bridget T. Roberts, the Acting National Taxpayer Advocate. "The citizen volunteers who serve on the TAP hear from taxpayers and then bring their collective voice and recommendations to the IRS."

Learn more about the TAP and how you can contribute to this dynamic group of volunteers. Take time to view the video on TAP membership posted on the TAP website. The TAP is seeking members and alternates in the following locations: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

To the extent possible, the TAP includes members from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and one member representing international taxpayers. Each member is appointed to represent the interests of taxpayers in their geographic location as well as taxpayers overall. For the TAP, "international taxpayers" are broadly defined to include U.S. citizens working, living, or doing business abroad or in U.S. territories.

To be a member of the TAP, a person must be a U.S. citizen, be current with their federal tax obligations, be able to commit 200 to 300 volunteer hours during the year, and pass a Federal Bureau of Investigation criminal background check. Members cannot be federally registered lobbyists or current Department of the Treasury or IRS employees. Former TAP members must have a three-year separation from their service to be considered for appointment.

New TAP members will serve a three-year term starting in December 2020. Applicants chosen as alternate members will be considered to fill any vacancies that open in their areas during the next three years.

Federal advisory committees are required to have a balanced membership in terms of points of view represented. As such, applicants from under-represented groups, such as non-tax professionals and Native Americans, are particularly encouraged to apply. All timely applications, however, will be given consideration, so long as the applicant is from one of the geographic locations specified above.

The TAP reports annually to the Secretary of the Treasury, the IRS Commissioner and the National Taxpayer Advocate. The Office of the Taxpayer Advocate is an independent organization within the IRS that provides support for and oversight of the TAP.

For additional information about the TAP and a full list of geographic locations in which the IRS is seeking applicants, visit http://www.improveirs.org or call 888-912-1227 (a toll-free call) and select prompt number five. Callers outside the U.S. may call 214-413-6523 (not a toll-free call) or email the TAP staff at taxpayeradvocacypanel@irs.gov.

SOURCE Taxpayer Advocate Service