 ww.irs.gov
- The Internal Revenue Service is the
United States federal government agency that collects taxes and
enforces the internal revenue laws. Tax
Lawyers help people solve their tax problems.
www.IRS.gov.com and IRS.GOV.COM redirect to a
private government directory.
Tax lawyers at the IRS
Most tax lawyers employed at the IRS are part of the Office of
Chief Counsel, either in the home office in Washington, D.C., or
in the field. Rulemaking occurs in the home office in various
divisions such as Passthroughs and Special Industries, Financial
Institutions, Large and Mid Size Business, Tax Exempt and others.
Litigators can be found in the field where the Service finds
taxpayers who have been given notice of deficiencies. IRS.CM
is an ad site
Outsourcing
collections
In September 2006, the IRS started to outsource the
collection of taxpayers debts to private debt collection
agencies. Opponents to this change note that the IRS will be
handing over personal information to these debt collection
agencies, who are being paid between twenty-two and
twenty-four percent of the amount collected. Opponents are
also worried about the agencies' being paid on percent
collected because it will encourage the collectors to use
pressure tactics to collect the maximum amount. IRS spokesman
Terry Lemons responds to these critics saying the new system
"is a sound, balanced program that respects taxpayers' rights
and taxpayer privacy." Other state and local agencies also use
private collection agencies.
Allegations of abuse
The IRS, and in particular the Criminal Investigation
Division (CID), has on more than one occasion been accused of
abusive behavior. Statements given in hearings before the
Senate Finance Committee criticize the IRS:
“ Does the IRS correct abuses when they become aware of them?
Oftentimes, they do. However, the more important question is,
does the IRS cover up occurrences of abuse? The answer is,
yes! If the true number of incidences of taxpayer abuse were
ever known, the public would be appalled. If the public also
ever knew the number of abuses "covered up" by the IRS, there
could be a tax revolt.”
Congress passed the Taxpayer Bill of Rights III on July 22,
1998, which shifted the burden of proof from the taxpayer to
the IRS in certain limited situations. The IRS retains the
legal authority to enforce liens and seize assets without
obtaining judgment in court.
IRS building on Constitution Avenue in Washington,
D.C..Allegations of insidious conduct by the IRS are found in
the movie America: From Freedom to Fascism (Watch Movie),
directed by Libertarian filmmaker Aaron Russo. The movie
alleges that the IRS is part of a plot to make the United
States a police state. See also Tax protester conspiracy
arguments and Milton William Cooper.
Attorney Michael Minns has asserted that the IRS often
destroys the lives of those it targets with no regard for
their personal lives or reputations, or that of their
families.[citation needed] Minns was the defense lawyer in a
case against the IRS on behalf of James and Pamela Moran after
an initial indictment and what Minns asserts was an IRS smear
campaign that virtually canvassed the taxpayers' own hometown
and surrounding area. The original indictment was associated
with the Morans' involvement with a tax shelter provider,
Anderson's Ark & Associates. The Morans were eventually
acquitted in the case.
Attorney Michael Minns asserted that the behavior of two IRS
attorneys, Kenneth McWade and William A. Sims, constituted
legal misconduct. Following an investigation, the law licenses
of the IRS attorneys were suspended for a two year period
after a federal court ruling that the two had defrauded the
courts in connection with 1,300 tax shelter cases. In 2003,
the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
concluded that the IRS lawyers had corruptly agreed with
certain taxpayers that no tax collection actions would be
taken against them - in return for testimony against other
taxpayers. The court also asked why the IRS had not punished
the two. |
