Understanding Your Rights as a Taxpayer
By law, every taxpayer has basic rights when dealing with the IRS, and every taxpayer should know and understand what those rights are. The Taxpayer Bill of Rights lists ten different kinds of rights. Here is a brief summary:
- The right to know what’s going on. Taxpayers should be able to find out what they need to do to follow the tax laws.
- The right to service that is good. Taxpayers have the right to get help from the IRS that is prompt, polite, and professional, and they can talk to a supervisor if they don’t get good service.
- The right to pay no more in taxes than what is right. Taxpayers have the right to pay only the amount of tax that is legally due, including interest and penalties, and to have the IRS use all tax payments correctly.
- The right to disagree with what the IRS says and be heard. Taxpayers have the right to object to official IRS actions or proposed actions, and they can back up their reasons with more paperwork.
- The right to appeal a decision made by the IRS in a separate place. Most IRS decisions, including some penalties, can be appealed through an administrative process that is fair and unbiased.
- The right to have things end. Taxpayers have the right to know how long they have to argue against an IRS decision and how long the IRS has to audit a certain tax year or collect a tax debt.
- The right to be left alone. Taxpayers have the right to expect that any IRS inquiry, examination, or enforcement action will follow the law and not be more intrusive than necessary.
- The right to be kept secret. Taxpayers are allowed to think that their tax information will stay private.
- The right to hire an attorney. Taxpayers have the right to hire an authorized representative of their choice to talk with the IRS on their behalf.
- The right to a tax system that is fair and just. Taxpayers have a right to expect that the tax system will be fair. This means taking into account all facts and situations that could affect their obligations and their ability to pay or give information on time.
Questions or worries about the rights you have as a taxpayer? You can get help by calling us at (713)-855-8035 or email us at admin@fas-accountingsolutions.com.
