A repeated call for enumerated taxpayer rights
Since at least 2007, Olson has repeatedly recommended that Congress enact a comprehensive Taxpayer Bill of Rights to address some of these concerns. Although the existing tax laws already provide taxpayers with a wide range of rights, Olson points out that most taxpayers are unaware of those rights because they are not presented in any single, unified and accessible format.
Perhaps because taxpayer rights are enumerated in a scattered and inaccessible manner, fewer than half of taxpayers surveyed by the Taxpayer Advocate Service in 2012 said they knew they had any rights at all when interacting with the IRS. Meanwhile, just over one in ten taxpayers surveyed said they knew what those rights were.
In 2014, the IRS adopted an administrative version of the Taxpayer Bill of Rights that Olson has recommended to Congress. The rights enumerated there include, among others:
- The right to be informed
- The right to pay no more than the amount of tax owed
- The right to challenge an IRS decision
- The right to privacy
Olson has praised the measure and renewed her call for Congress to pass similar provisions at the legislative level.
Get legal help to protect your rights as a taxpayer
The U.S. tax code is notoriously long and complex, so it is important to get professional help if you have questions about your rights and obligations as a taxpayer. The legal and accounting professionals at Allen Barron, Inc. and Jonathan Allen, APC can answer your questions and provide you with the practical guidance you need to safeguard your interests in any tax-related matter. If you are a business owner, a corporation or an individual with foreign investments or substantial holdings and related tax complications call 866-631-3470 for a free consultation.
