Designated Federal Official

• Fallacaro, Betsy - Boston, MA - LTA

Committee Members Present

• Barry, Shaun - Franklin Square, NY - Member
• Colombo, Paul - Colchester, VT - Member
• Epstein, Harvey - Lee, NH - Member
• Gadon, Harold - Cranston, RI - Member
• Hom, Gim - Acton, MA - Member
• Margulies, Howard - North Easton, MA - Member
• Whiteside, Deidra - Buffalo, NY - Member
• Zgoda, Bruce - Clarence, NY - Member

Committee Members Absent

• Chen, Betty - New York, NY - Member
• Havey, Dorothy - Lincolnville, ME - Chair
• Jason, Julie - Greenwich, CT - Vice Chair

TAP Staff

• Goldberg, Gloria - Brooklyn, NY - Acting Mgr
• Jenkins, Audrey - Brooklyn, NY - Analyst
• Knispel, Marisa - Brooklyn, NY - Analyst
• Odom, Meredith - Brooklyn, NY - Note Taker

Other Attendees

• Sharen Greene - Albany, NY - LTA

Welcome/Announcements/Review Agenda
Audrey Y. Jenkins welcomed the members, staff and visitors.

Roll Call
Quorum Met

Joint Committee Report

Audrey informed the committee that Dorothy was not able to join the August Joint Committee call last month. Dorothy would like for everyone to know the next JC meeting will be a face to face meeting in Chicago October 11 – 13, 2007.

Subcommittee Report-Out

Subcommittee 1

Harvey Epstein informed the committee that subcommittee 1 is still waiting for clarification from the IRS regarding whether the three day e-file rule applies only to volunteer organizations such as the AARP program or the E-Filers in general. Although Audrey was able to provide the committee with some information, the committee is still waiting on a subject matter expert concerning issues relating to intermediate service providers and disclosure. Audrey has also located a subject matter expert regarding the provision of paper materials for filing through banks, post offices and libraries who is willing to address the subcommittee if needed. Havey will work on a proposal for that relating to rural areas.  The issue from Deidra Whiteside regarding misuse of W4s was looked into by Audrey. The IRS has a program in place to identify this type of abuse. Another issue that was raised was the documentation of charitable deductions is a mandated law, so there is nothing the committee can do about them. Shaun Barry raised the issue about lack of continuity. For example; when you contact the IRS (collections) you speak with someone and explain your issue. If you have to call more then once, you have to explain your issue all over instead of the issue being documented from the first call being available for anyone who answers the phone can follow. When the IRS denies an installment agreement, the denial notice doesn’t clearly inform the taxpayer that the taxpayer can appeal and it must be in writing and within 21 days. There were some complaints about the Offer in Compromise changes which are legislative, and therefore nothing can be done about it.

Subcommittee 2

The 1040 third party designee has been sent forward to the Joint Committee for the October face to face meeting in Chicago. Bruce Zgoda had a conversation with Bob Erickson in reference to the Schedule D proposal from the committee which will not go forward. Bruce has committed to meet with Bob Erickson to review all of the forms that have carryovers to see if any of them could be eliminated. Gim Hom sent out changes to his proposal to the entire committee. If any additional changes need to be made, forward them on to Marisa Knispel. The discussion of the on going Required Distribution of retirement accounts at age 70 1/2 is still being worked on. The committee is still looking for some feedback from the IRS and something in writing as far as the proper procedure to know whether the government is going to wave or not wave a penalty. Gloria stated that the custodian must report to the IRS the distribution. Marisa has done research on the 1099 Matching Program at the Service Center level as to what is being reported by the custodian. This will take effect next year or the following year. Hal Gadon sent out an email to the committee in reference to the self select pin proposal. Hal stated the self select pin is being used by fraudulent paid practitioners. Marisa will contact someone from the Criminal Investigation Division in reference to the Self Select Pin. This proposal went forth to the JC for approval.

Outreach Report-out by Members

Shaun Barry – Participated in the IRS Tax Forum in New York

Paul Colombo – Did a presentation at an AARP Meeting

Harvey Epstein – Had some one on one conversations at a Taxpayer’s Regional Meeting

Hal Gadon – Has been working with the LTA on a problem someone presented to him.

Gim Hom – Had some one on one conversations about TAP

Deidra Whiteside – Did some outreach with her students

Bruce Zgoda – Had some one on one’s

Betsy Fallacaro – Distributed TAP information at an AARP Meeting

Issue Committee Update

Shaun Barry – Burden Reduction Committee, work is being done on Schedule B and C to reduce burden

Paul Colombo – Notices Committee, the committee finished evaluating the supporting documents for Head of Household Filing Status Instruction Sheet.

Harvey Epstein – Vita Committee has been supporting the IRS efforts to develop and refine this years training and testing materials.  Various IRS Publications have been revised with the help of the Committee

Gim Hom – Ad Hoc Committee reviewed some of the new Tax Year 2008 Forms and provided some feedback to Sue Sottile and Bob Erickson (program owner and subject matter expert)

Deidra Whiteside – Communications Committee reviewed the New and Returning Member Surveys

Bruce Zgoda – TAC Committee is working on finalizing a report on the Customer Survey and the Employee Survey

Other Comments/Questions

Gloria stated she will be attending the Chicago JC meeting in October to represent Area 1.

Sharen Greene, stated that she will be more that willing to get together with a TAP member in her local area to work on issues. Audrey will be forwarding Sharen’s contact information to the committee.