Area 4 Committee Meeting Minutes
March 18, 2008
Teleconference
Designated Federal Official
- Martin, Betty - Nashville, TN - LTA
Committee Members Present
- Adams-Dodds, Carolyn - Detroit, MI - Member
- Bryant, Patricia - Millington, TN - Member
- Buschmann, Ray - Lake Forest, IL - Member
- Kennedy, Jeff - Louisville, KY - Vice Chair
- Khan, Anne - Chicago, IL - Member
- Martyniuk, Lev - Cincinnati, OH - Member
- Meister, David - Franklin, WI - Member
- Monnier, David - Indianapolis, IN - Member
- Mull, Bob - Ann Arbor, MI - Member
- Spiotto, Ann - Lincolnwood, IL - Member
- Verwiel, John - Cottage Grove, WI - Member
- Wernz, Stanley - Cincinnati, OH - Chair
Committee Members Absent
- Blanchard, Greg - Cordova, TN - Member
- Hurr, Joe - Dayton, OH - Member
- Melchior, Jerome (Excused) - Vincennes, IN - Member
- Taylor, Rita (Excused) - Cincinnati, OH - Member
- White, Regina - Southfield, MI - Member
- Wingard, Kelly - Decatur, IL - Member
TAP Staff
- Trish DeTimmerman - Des Moines, IA - Acting Manager
- Delzer, Mary Ann - Milwaukee, WI - Analyst
- Patti Robb - Milwaukee, WI - Secretary
Welcome/Roll Call
Stan Wernz welcomed everyone to the call. He announced that he was adding the telephone excise tax issue to the agenda.
Quorum met
Area 4 Chair Report - Verwiel
The March Joint Committee (JC) call was fairly uneventful. No recommendations were elevated. Hank Mosler attended the Oversight Board meeting and gave a report. The report can be found on TAPSpace.
Telephone Excise Tax
John Verwiel talked about the telephone excise tax. He feels it has not been made visible enough to taxpayers. The rebate was extended for one year. It wasn’t very well received even though it was notated on the Form 1040. This mainly impacts low income people. The IRS does not seem to have a vehicle to get this information out. Wernz suggested finding out how many people did not take advantage of the right to claim the rebate. One of the things that has happened is that some low income people have not had to file returns the past few years and now in order to get the stimulus refund have to file this year in order to get the refund. Ray Buschmann said over 70% of the people eligible for the excise tax did receive it.
Delzer said the people on Social Security and Veteran Benefits will be getting notices about the stimulus soon.
Dave Monnier and Lev Martyniuk will work the excise tax issue with Verwiel.
Betty Martin said the only thing the IRS can do is to publicize what they offer.
Verwiel said the IRS has a voice and they need to use it to let people know about these issues. Wernz said part of this problem is caused by Congress, although he too, felt the IRS is not being proactive enough.
Springfield Town Hall
The Springfield Town Hall meeting was originally scheduled for May 1, but due to a scheduling conflict, National Taxpayer Advocate Nina Olson changed the date May 6. It will be held at the Trutter Center at Lincoln Land Community College. Olson will be there to speak and facilitate the meeting. There is a town hall conference call on Wednesday, March 19.
Public Input
None.
Issue Discussion
Currently Treasury is soliciting public comment on proposed Guidance Regarding Marketing of Refund Anticipation Loans and Certain Other Products in Connection with the Preparation of a Tax Return. More information can be found on the front page of TAPSpace. Please read the announcement for background information and further descriptions of the issues of concern around the sale of RAL products by tax practitioners. Page two of the announcement gives the instructions on how your comments can be sent for consideration by Treasury. Many TAP members have expressed concern about the proliferation of RAL products over the years. Please consider taking the time to make your voice be heard! You can fax your comments or you can add them to the website. You will be responding as an individual but you can say you are a TAP member. Please also say your response is your personal input and not representative of TAP. The due date for comments is April 7, 2008.
- Issue 4488 – CP 163, Notice 163 Business Reminder – Kennedy
Jeff Kennedy sent out another version of the recommendation to the whole Area 4 Committee. It was suggested that the line that says enter your EIN should be changed to say ‘EIN or SSN’ as it may be an individual as opposed to a business. Delzer needs to add the background information to the recommendation. Wernz suggested changing the font so it is all consistent.
Consensus to elevate with changes (Kennedy and Delzer will finalize the recommendation)
- Issue 3632 – Failure of Audit Reconsideration Processing - Delzer
This issue is number 19 of the Most Serious Problems in the National Taxpayer Advocate 2007 Annual Report to Congress. Please be prepared to discuss the issue at the April meeting.
- Issue 4243 – Notices of Deficiency - Bryant
Pat Bryant sent out the final copy of this recommendation. Consensus to elevate as submitted.
New Issue Review – Wernz
- # 4555 – Taxpayer Rights – Drop
- # 4562 – Penalty and Interest – Drop
- # 4563 – E-file – in NTA report – combine with # 4554
- # 4579 – Third Party Return Preparation – Mull will respond to practitioner to suggest using e-services.
Anne Khan, Jeff Kennedy, Lev Martyniuk and Pat Bryant will be the clearing house for all new issues to put them in priority order.
Action Items
Completed
Outreach
Khan said the outreach report was excellent this month.
January – 17 outreaches done by 8 members
February – 8 outreaches done by 3 members
Issue Committee Highlights
Khan – Communication Committee – the returning member surveys went out. Please return your survey as your input is valuable. The new member survey will be coming out on April 1.
Office Report
Acting Manager Trish DeTimmerman reported that Mary Ann Delzer was accepted in the front line manager training program. She will be attending training at a future date.
Recruitment is underway as of March 17. Please look for people in your area who may be interested in becoming a TAP member. We are looking for new members or alternates in Wisconsin, Indiana, and Ohio. We are only looking for alternates in some states; not members.
There were no applicants for the TAP Manger position in Milwaukee when it was announced. Bernie Coston will talk to Olson to decide what direction to pursue.
The junior analyst and secretary position are still open and we are working those issues.
Please be cognizant of costs as our budget has gotten very tight. Due to that, the location of the Area 4 meeting has changed from Memphis, TN, to Cincinnati, OH, on May 12-14 at the Garfield Suites. If you prefer to drive, let Patti Robb know. A cost comparison will have to be done and you will be reimbursed at the lower cost.
Closing/Assessment--Kennedy
The meeting satisfaction survey will be sent out via Survey Monkey.
Note: DeTimmerman’s contact information is on the new Area 4 roster.
Meeting adjourned
Next meeting April 15, 2008. |
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