Fun Fact

Join TAP


The Taxpayer Advocacy Panel’s (TAP) membership application period for this year closed on April 29, 2011. TAP would like to thank everyone who submitted an application to serve as a TAP volunteer.

During the open recruiting period, from March 14 through April 29, we received over 400 applications for panel membership. After a rigorous review of all applications, interviews with the top candidates were conducted in June. Recommendations for panel membership were then forwarded through the National Taxpayer Advocate and IRS to the Department of the Treasury for selection. On November 15, 2011, the Treasury Department approved the selection of 26 new members and 48 alternate members for the panel. The new TAP panel members will join 56 returning members to round out the panel of 82 volunteers for 2012. Thank you again to all those who volunteered to serve your country and help improve America's tax administration system by applying for TAP membership.

If you are interested in volunteering to serve on the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel but missed this year’s application period, please check this site in March of 2012 for information about the 2012 recruiting period. You may also sign up for an email alert when TAP member openings are available in your area.


Benefits

TAP offers its members a unique opportunity to participate in the improvement of both the American tax administration system and the organization of the IRS. TAP members make progress on local, pressing tax issues by working directly with the IRS. Members serve as listening posts to their community and provide local input on tax-related issues. TAP members have the unique opportunity to work directly with taxpayers and the IRS to help change the IRS.


Responsibilities

  • In partnership with the IRS, TAP members focus on ways to improve IRS responsiveness to taxpayer needs and the quality of taxpayer service.
  • TAP members volunteer 300 to 500 hours per year on panel activities and serve a minimum three-year term.
  • TAP members are expected to travel several times a year to the national conference, committee meetings and TAP outreach events, but the majority of communication is done via email and teleconference.
  • TAP members have at least one face-to-face meeting in their geographic area and hold monthly conference calls.

Member Selection

  • The number of TAP member representatives is based on taxpayer population in each state.
  • Interested individuals are encouraged to submit an application during open recruitment periods.
  • A notice will appear in the Federal Register and on this website to announce the open recruitment period dates each year. 
  • Current IRS and Treasury employees are not eligible for TAP membership.