Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

Washington DC- Today, in advance of next week’s Senate Finance Committee oversight hearing, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) released a letter calling on Treasury Secretary Jack Lew to immediately begin implementing the Inspector General’s recommendations that have come in the wake of admitted political targeting by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and to make the timeline to implement those recommendations public. In his letter, Casey demanded swift reforms to IRS procedures and accountability for those involved in the targeting of conservative political groups. “The American people should expect impartiality and fairness from their government. In his instance the IRS fell far short of that standard,” Senator Casey said. “The Treasury Department owes the public a timetable for the implementation of the Inspector General’s recommendations. And the Administration must move swiftly to ensure all responsible parties are held fully accountable.” The news leader of the Twin Tiers...

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service seeks civic-minded volunteers to serve on the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel (TAP), a federal advisory committee that listens to taxpayers, identifies key issues, and makes recommendations for improving IRS service. “TAP members give the IRS insights from every corner of our nation, helping the agency in its continuous effort to improve tax administration,” said IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman. The TAP provides a forum for taxpayers from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico to raise concerns about IRS service and offer suggestions for improvement. The TAP reports annually to the Secretary of the Treasury, the IRS Commissioner and the National Taxpayer Advocate. The Office of the Taxpayer Advocate, an independent organization within the IRS, provides oversight of the TAP. “In trying to comply with an increasingly complex tax system, taxpayers may find they need different services than the IRS is currently providing,” said Nina E. Olso...

WASHINGTON –– The Internal Revenue Service today issued its annual “Dirty Dozen” ranking of tax scams, reminding taxpayers to use caution during tax season to protect themselves against a wide range of schemes ranging from identity theft to return preparer fraud. The Dirty Dozen listing, compiled by the IRS each year, lists a variety of common scams taxpayers can encounter at any point during the year. But many of these schemes peak during filing season as people prepare their tax returns. “Taxpayers should be careful and avoid falling into a trap with the Dirty Dozen,” said IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman. “Scam artists will tempt people in-person, on-line and by e-mail with misleading promises about lost refunds and free money. Don’t be fooled by these scams.” Illegal scams can lead to significant penalties and interest and possible criminal prosecution. The IRS Criminal Investigation Division works closely with the Department of Justice to shutdown scams and prosecute the criminals be...