IR-2015-43, March 10, 2015                                                                          
WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service seeks civic-minded volunteers to serve on the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel, a federal advisory committee that listens to taxpayers, identifies major taxpayer concerns and makes recommendations for improving IRS service.
The TAP provides a forum for taxpayers to raise concerns about IRS service and offer suggestions for improvement. The TAP reports annually to the Secretary of the Treasury, IRS Commissioner and National Taxpayer Advocate. The Office of the Taxpayer Advocate is an independent organization within the IRS that provides support for and oversight of the TAP.
“In trying to comply with an increasingly complex tax system, taxpayers may find they need different services than the IRS is currently providing,” said Nina E. Olson, the National Taxpayer Advocate. “The TAP is vital because it provides the IRS with the taxpayers’ perspective as well as recommendations for improvement. This helps the IRS deliver the best possible service to assist taxpayers in meeting their tax obligations.”  
The TAP includes members from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, in addition to one member abroad representing international taxpayers. Each member is appointed to represent the interests of taxpayers in his or her geographic location as well as taxpayers as a whole.
To be a member of the TAP, a person must be a U.S. citizen, be current with your federal tax obligations, be able to commit 200 to 300 volunteer hours during the year, and pass a Federal Bureau of Investigation criminal background check. New TAP members will serve a three-year term starting in December 2015. Applicants chosen as alternate members will be considered to fill any vacancies that open in their areas during the next three years.
The TAP is seeking members in the following locations:  Alabama, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Kentucky, Maine, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin.
The panel needs alternates in the following locations:  Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Kentucky, Maine, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
Federal advisory committees are required to have a fairly balanced membership in terms of the points of view represented. As such, candidates from underrepresented groups, Native Americans and nontax professionals, are encouraged to apply. All timely applications, however, will be given consideration.
Applications for the TAP will be accepted through April 20, 2015. You may apply online at www.usajobs.gov. For additional information about the TAP or the application process, you may visit www.improveirs.org or call 888-912-1227 (a toll-free call) and select prompt number five. You may also contact the TAP staff at taxpayeradvocacypanel@irs.gov for assistance.
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