Tax Agents No Longer Come To Your Door & Here’s Why

Effective immediately, IRS agents will no longer be stopping by taxpayers’ homes unannounced, citing safety concerns, stress, and anxiety for both their employees and taxpayers. This announcement is a key part of a larger re-branding of the IRS through the IRS Strategic Operating Plan. Thanks to 10 years of funding from the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, the IRS has been working to transform their image while improving taxpayer service, modernizing their technology, and increasing tax compliance efforts for specific groups.

Long Standing Home Visit Policy Change

IRS agents have been visiting taxpayers in their homes for decades. The unarmed agents fulfilled multiple responsibilities at home visits, including attempting to collect unpaid taxes on delinquent accounts and following up on unfiled tax returns. IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel indicated in this week’s press release that IRS agent home visits “created extra anxiety for taxpayers already wary of potential scam artists” and that IRS agents faced “uncertainty” and “stress” in the course of their duty. There have been multiple cases of confusion for taxpayers and law enforcement officers when scam artists posed as IRS agents collecting taxes. The agency believes that the only party who loses out with the end of most IRS home visits is the scam artists themselves.

Werfel added, “This is the right thing to do and the right time to end it.” Taxpayers who were wary of scams and uncomfortable with IRS agents in their home will find tremendous relief in this policy change. There are only a few rare circumstances in which IRS agents may visit a taxpayer’s home unannounced, including summons, subpoenas, or seizure of asset enforcement. However, these visits make up only a very small percentage of the many thousands of visits that took place each year under the old policy.

How Will The IRS Contact Taxpayers Moving Forward?

Although IRS agents will no longer be knocking on your door except for rare circumstances, they will still be sending out collection notices and making phone calls to taxpayers. If you receive communication from the IRS, contact your Arizona tax attorney for guidance, legal advice, and representation.

When an IRS agent wishes to schedule a meeting with you, you’ll receive an appointment letter in the mail and be asked to schedule a follow up meeting. The agency hopes that the new procedure will enable taxpayers to resolve their delinquent tax issues more quickly with fewer meetings because they will have time to prepare documentation and information for their meeting.

IRS Believes New Policy Will Benefit Taxpayers

In the last several months, the IRS has been making significant changes to their procedures as they work to improve public opinion and improve their taxpayer service. Werfel further stated, “Changing this long-standing procedure will increase confidence in our tax administration work and improve overall safety for taxpayers and IRS employees.”

Have You Been Contacted By The IRS?

If you’ve received communication from the IRS through the mail or by phone, you need legal advice and representation from a trusted tax lawyer. The attorneys at Silver Law, PLC, have extensive experience working with all types of tax controversies and are ready to provide guidance on how to handle your meeting with the IRS. As former IRS agents, we understand both sides of tax challenges and will use our knowledge and experience to fight aggressively for your rights and interests. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you through your tax controversy.

Email: lchapman@silverlawplc.com
Website: taxcontroversy.com

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