My Favorite New Federal Agency: The New, Improved, Customer-Service-Oriented IRS

I just got back a short bit ago from the Internal Revenue Service's headquarters, 1111 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC.

That's where many obscure - yet announced - http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=off&q=irs+%221111+constitution%22+%22public+hearing%22+room">public hearings on a good many tax-related issues take place.

It's also where many precedential and non-precedential rulings emanate.

If you haven't contacted the IRS lately, you might be surprised at just how friendly and accommodating the personnel there truly are.

As we come into tax season, I especially recommend looking up http://www.irs.gov/localcontacts/">your local Taxpayer Assistance Center (TAC), especially if you're: (1) a small business owner; (2) a small non-profit executive; and/or (3) starting a 527 organization.

Best to all,

- Dave

But as a small businessperson, I'm checking it out.

... if you don't live near DC, http://www.irs.gov/foia/article/0,,id=110353,00.html">the IRS Electronic Reading Room is a very interesting and useful resource, too.

- Dave

... and as someone who meets all three criteria mentioned in the OP, their help is invaluable.

- Dave

As a small business owner they've been a great help to me.

Really. I'm not kidding.

... the TACs for the most prominent small businesses in each region (e.g., farming forms specialists in farming states, etc.).

- Dave

When I was first starting out they helped me to organize what I needed to keep my records and provided me with the all the proper forms.

They've been great.

I should probably add that I'm one of those weird people who doesn't generally mind paying taxes. I like the services I get in return.

"Taxes are the price we pay for a http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Oliver_Wendell_Holmes,_Jr.">civilized society."

on the IRS and how understaffed they were since Bush took office. Of course it was deliberate.

Wish I could remember where I saw it.

... is the process whereby "commercial activities" of Government agencies are "competitively bid" - forcing Federal employees to justify their continued existence, and prove that they can do the job more efficiently and cheaply than if it were bid out.

Inherently Governmental functions are *supposed* to be exempt from this http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=off&q=OMB+Circular+A-76">process.

Moreover, understaffed Federal agencies have a difficult time putting together as slick or polished of a proposal as the private contractors, leading to a vicious cycle.

- Dave

Have you tried your local TAC?

- Dave

We are talking less than $50.00.

Four years later they alerted me to the error,and with interest and penalties I now owed them about $150.00,which I paid immediately.

Had they notified me right after I filed I would have sent the check and avoided the extra charges.

The inefficiency of the place astonished me then,and I doubt much has changed.

This happened after paying taxes promptly,and in full,for about 40 years.

... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosaic_%28web_browser%29">Mosaic, the first popular web browser, was in development.

Like so many other institutions it's touched, the Internet has transformed the IRS.

- Dave

very helpful, call back when they say they will, etc. I was shocked I tell ya, shocked. I thought it might be dealing with the DMV, but no, really, the IRS are polite, helpful and give their branch of gov. a good name...

they do that job pretty damned good.

Thing is, if you are entitled to a tax break, they'll tell you. If you aren't, they'll tell you. All you have to do is ask, and if there is part of the code that allows you to pay less taxes, they will not keep that information from you.

That was very much my experience today.

- Dave

The DMV in Virginia is sublimely efficient.

: )

There's truly something about the heritage of Virginia that has been handed down.

By contrast, Massachusetts is like Dante's uttermost, lowermost ring of Hell.

- Dave

as opposed to wielding a big stick with average tax payers.

... made a http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=off&q=gore+rego+reinventing+government">world of difference for open government types.

- Dave

... like making the forms online field-fillable goes a long way for many.

- Dave

I had the necessity of contacting the IRS last year about something, and the gentleman who helped me could not have been more accommodating. It was a very pleasant surprise.

... they're also working on a major form streamline project, too.

- Dave

although the legal lobby will fight it hard.

... and remaining "big" audit firms.

- Dave

... can be found http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-utl/irs_strategic_plan.pdf">here.

An interesting read, surprisingly!

: )

- Dave