Two distinguished publications have named National Taxpayer Advocate Erin M. Collins as an influential leader in accounting and American finance.
The honors for Ms. Collins include the selection by Money Magazine as a Changemaker in their round up of the 50 Innovators Shaping Americans’ Finances, and recognition by Accounting Today as one of the 100 Most Influential People in Accounting for 2022.
In Money’s Changemakers, Ms. Collins is highlighted for her work at the Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS) in advocating for “changing the IRS” to better serve the taxpaying public. The Changemaker series is a part of Money’s 50th anniversary celebration and includes a roster of well-known figures across entertainment, education, politics, philanthropy, finance, art, and more, who are shaping the policies and culture impacting Americans’ pocketbooks.
“It is a huge honor, not only for me but also the Taxpayer Advocate Service, to be recognized as an implement of change for the taxpayers,” Ms. Collins says in reaction to Money Magazine designating her as a changemaker in the industry. “The Taxpayer Advocate Service and the National Taxpayer Advocate are uniquely positioned to implement change – it provides me the opportunity to leverage my past 35 years of experience and to direct my passion into making things better for individuals, families, and businesses. It is a uniquely rewarding experience. The IRS touches more individuals and businesses than any other government agency. They have had so many struggles over the past decade – I am honored to play a role, along with my team at TAS, to help the IRS get taxpayer services right, improve tax administration, and defend taxpayer rights.”
In making the top 100 list, Accounting Today had this to say about Ms. Collins’s role as the National Taxpayer Advocate:
“Collins plays a crucial role in independently scrutinizing the tax system on behalf of the taxpaying public — as, for instance, earlier this year, when she reported a much larger backlog of unprocessed returns than the IRS was acknowledging.”
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, and IRS’s Wage and Investment Commissioner and Chief Taxpayer Experience Officer, Ken Corbin, are also among the movers and shakers selected for the Accounting Today list. In a special section dedicated to the top people in accounting, as voted on by the candidates who made the top 100 list, Accounting Today also recognized the leadership of former IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig during the turbulent years of the pandemic.
You can read Ms. Collins profile as a Changemaker in Money’s 50th anniversary edition, and learn more about this year’s 100 Most Influential People in Accounting in the December edition of Accounting Today Magazine.