Taxpayer Advocate Service – Your Voice at the IRS


The Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS) is your voice at the IRS. Our job is to ensure that every taxpayer is treated fairly, and that you know and understand your rights. We offer free help to guide you through the often-confusing process of resolving tax problems that you haven’t been able to solve on your own. Remember, the worst thing you can do is nothing at all!

TAS can help if you can’t resolve your problem with the IRS and:

  • Your problem is causing financial difficulties for you, your family, or your business
  • You face (or your business is facing) an immediate threat of adverse action
  • You have tried repeatedly to contact the IRS but no one has responded, or the IRS has not responded to you by the date promised

If you qualify for our help, we’ll do everything we can to get your problem resolved. You will be assigned to one advocate who will be with you at every turn. We have offices in every state, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Although TAS is independent within the IRS, our advocates know how to work with the IRS to get your problems resolved. And our services are always free.

As a taxpayer, you have rights that the IRS must abide by in its dealings with you. Our tax information and education website athttp://www.taxpayeradvocate.irs.gov/ can help you understand these rights.

If you think TAS might be able to help you, call your local advocate, whose number is in your phone book and on our website athttp://www.irs.gov/uac/Contact-a-Local-Taxpayer-Advocate. You can also call our toll-free number at 877-777-4778. Or you can file IRS Form 911 (PDF), Request for Taxpayer Advocate Service Assistance (And Application for Taxpayer Assistance Order) with TAS, or ask an IRS employee (in person or over the phone) to complete the form on your behalf.

TAS also handles large-scale or systemic problems that affect many taxpayers. If you know of one of these broad issues, please report it to us through our Systemic Advocacy Management System at http://www.irs.gov/uac/Systemic-Advocacy-Management-System-(SAMS).

Source: Internal Revenue Service
Last reviewed: September 21, 2013