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Published:   |   Last Updated: October 18, 2024

Evaluate how the IRS is protecting the taxpayer’s right to confidentiality, and preventing unlawful uses and disclosures of their tax return information and advocate to ensure waivers follow IRS rules and regulations; are clear, concise, and written in plain language; and provide taxpayers an avenue by which they can hold parties accountable if their return information is disclosed to a third party without their consent

Objective 16

Background

This objective carried over from Fiscal Year 2024.

Highlights

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1.

Status

2
2.

Expected Completion Date

09/30/2025

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3.

Activities

Activity 1: Create a team to review any existing IRS processes for ensuring that return preparers and tax return preparation software companies are in full compliance with the rules and regulations governing taxpayer consent for using and disclosing tax return information; if appropriate, TAS will make recommendations as to how the IRS can strengthen this review process.

Activity 2: Explore what options are available to taxpayers to hold return preparers and tax return preparation software companies accountable for unauthorized uses or disclosures of their information and research any potential legislative changes that may be necessary to protect tax return information; if appropriate, TAS will make legislative recommendations to Congress in the National Taxpayer Advocate’s Annual Report to Congress.

Activity 3: Review tax return preparation software companies’ consents to share tax return information and recommend changes to the consent statements to better protect taxpayer rights.

Activity 4: Review and consider the need for legislation, similar to the California Privacy Rights Act, which added the right to correct inaccurate personal information and the right to limit the use and disclosure of sensitive personal information.

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4.

Actions Completed

1st Quarter

Quarterly update on the identified activities

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5.

Next Steps

Projected next actions