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Published: March 19, 2018   |   Last Updated: September 23, 2020

TAS Helps Taxpayer Victimized by a Return Preparer

Every year, the Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS) helps thousands of people with tax problems. This story is only one of many examples of how TAS helps resolve taxpayer’s tax issues. All personal details are removed to protect the taxpayer’s privacy.

 

A TAS case advocate worked diligently on a preparer fraud case to get a taxpayer his refund due. When the taxpayer had his return prepared, he agreed to have the preparation fees deducted from his refund. The taxpayer waited, but never received his refund. When the case advocate started researching the taxpayer’s account, she recognized the signs of return preparer fraud. She worked with the taxpayer to complete the necessary documentation to support the issue and advocate on his behalf with the IRS. Even though the refund had already been issued to the preparer, TAS advocated for the taxpayer to receive his rightful share. Good research and great advocacy paid off for the taxpayer.

If you need information on a specific tax topic, visit the TAS Get Help resource. It offers a step-by step guide on what you can do to settle some IRS issues on your own, what your taxpayer rights are and other options available to help you get resolution. Most issues can be resolved directly by working with the IRS. However, if you have tried, but are still unable to resolve an IRS issue, learn more about whether TAS can help you: TAS eligibility.

When working with the Taxpayer Advocate Service, each individual or business taxpayer is assigned to an advocate who listens to the problem and helps the taxpayer understand what needs to be done to resolve their tax issue. TAS advocates will do everything they can to help taxpayers and work with them every step of the way. Occasionally we feature stories of taxpayers and advocates who work together to resolve complex tax issues. Read more TAS success stories.