Deadlines could change. So could options.
Needless to say, 2020 has been an especially challenging year. In addition to the myriad ways the IRS could stand a little improvement, the events of the first semester have complicated matters exponentially.
The Top 9 TAS Objectives for 2021
- Work with the IRS to relieve taxpayer burden by developing procedures to address the COVID-19 crisis and future crises. Success here will depend on how well the IRS can build flexibility into new compliance initiatives.
- Encourage the IRS to prioritize extended use of electronic communication into all functions – email, conference calls, digital signatures, etc.
- Encourage the IRS to extend the term of streamlined Installment Agreements to 84 months, precluding the need to submit new financials for extensions later and generally speeding up the application process.
- Encourage the IRS Office of Appeals to resume in-person conferences as soon as safe.
- Encourage the Office of the Chief Counsel to issue more formal guidance for COVID-related issues by making FAQs authoritative even if obsolete later.
- Encourage the OCC to toll (delay) judicial filing deadlines to the fullest extent possible.
- Encourage the OCC to be flexible with taxpayers who no longer have a prepayment forum because they missed a deadline.
- Work with IRS to alleviate taxpayer confusion caused by the backlog of time-sensitive notices.
