Taxpayer Advocacy Panel

Joint Committee Report
All of the names of the prospective new members have been approved and sent forward to the Commissioner. Hopefully he should sign off on the list by the end of September for elevation to Treasury.

The Publication 1796 proposal was approved by the Joint Committee with some minor corrections. There was another issue that was mentioned about time zone problems with the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System.

The upcoming Election for TAP Chair/Vice Chair has an open period until September 19th. Members can nominate themselves or anyone else. Any nominations can be sent to Jenkins or the other two individuals listed TAP Director, Shawn Collins and Member, Joe Shields. Each candidate will have a chance to post a Bio and a short Campaign statement on TapSpace. The election will take place via email 10/20/2008 – 11/04/2008. The Chair/Vice Chair will be announced by 11/12/2008.

DFO Report
None

LTA Outreach Report
Wirth informed the members about the issue taxpayers are experiencing getting amended returns through the IRS processing pipeline. Injured spouse is another issue. Anything with normal Forms processing is an issue that has been affected by the Economic Stimulus Program that the IRS has administered from the past several months. Taxpayer identification numbers has turned into identity theft.

Fuentes agrees with Wirth about the 1040X and the Injured Spouse Forms. Fuentes feels something needs to be done with correspondence audits. Jenkins asked Fuentes to join in on a subcommittee call as a subject matter expert to provide the members with information.

Subcommittee Report-Out
Subcommittee 1
Whiteside informed members that the committee discussed the W4 issue. This issue will go forward to the Joint Committee

Yandow informed the members that the IRS has a plan in place to address the issue on Identity Theft. The IRS is creating a centralized unit and developing a manual that will deal with specific procedural activities dealing with identity theft, a standardized reporting form and publicized phone number so individuals may self report.

Greene informed the members that the Consumer Protection Board is also working on Identity Theft.

Barry has brought the idea to TAP of having an Identity Theft Issue committee in 2009.

Subcommittee 2
Hom informed the members that the committee discussed Processing of Paper Tax Returns. As long as there is a cost for filing individual tax returns electronically, some taxpayers will continue to file paper returns because of the cost. The committee proposes to reduce the cost for processing paper tax returns and improve taxpayer satisfaction through faster processing. This issue will go forward to the Joint Committee.

Hom suggests that retired members maintain access to TapSpace up until a year after retiring to keep track of issues.

The Taxpayer Advocacy Panel has a disk out and TAP would like to be included on this disk for people that have systemic issues. This issue will go forward to the Joint Committee.

Review Issue Inventory

The 3rd party designee on the 1040X – Parking Lot
3rd party of reporting credit card receipts – This will be discussed in the October meeting.
5017 Processing of Paper Tax Returns – Approved Proposal elevated to the JC
Correspondence Audits – Subcommittee 1-Leggett also received this issue during a recent outreach.
Late File 1099 – Still Active
Estimated tax payments – Subcommittee 1
Withholding review – Approved, Proposal elevated to JC
Identity Theft – Approved, Proposal elevated to the JC
4619 Salary guidelines – Subcommittee 2 - Zgoda is working this issue
4621 Tax customer service – waiting for an update
Innocent spouse – Subcommittee 1 – Julie Jason has written up issue and will be sent to full committee.
4623 Offer in compromise – will be discussed at the October meeting
Highway use taxes – parking lot
4792 Increase in enforced compliance – Subcommittee 1
4795 Education on failure to file penalty – parking lot
4796 Period for claiming a refund – Subcommittee 1
4798 Check box for Form 1040 – parking lot

Public Participation
None

Round Robin/Outreach
Margulies sent an email to the State of Builders Affairs providing them with information on TAP.

Zgoda did outreach at the NYC Tax Forum, did outreach at a fundraiser in Buffalo, NY, and in Seattle, WA to a real estate group.

Jason did outreach on Bridgeport Radio, Bridgeport Rotary Club and the Norwalk Rotary Club.

Barry did some one on ones and outreach at the NYC tax Forum.

Yandow did outreach at his grandson’s soccer game and with a Bond Rating Analyst.

Boston 1 Day Meeting
Information on this meeting will be provided shortly.

Yandow has been working with members on the Annual Meeting Agenda.

Closing Remarks
Next Meeting – October 21, 2008