IRS’s Appeals Function To Offer Online Consultations

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From: Tax-News.com, Washington
The Internal Revenue Service Office of Appeals will soon pilot a new web-based virtual conference option for taxpayers and their representatives.

Each year, the Office of Appeals hears the appeals of more than 100,000 taxpayers attempting to resolve their tax disputes without going to court. Currently, taxpayers involved in the appeals process can meet with an Appeals Officer by phone, in person, or virtually through videoconference technology available only at a limited number of IRS offices.

The new pilot program will use a secure, web-based screen-sharing platform to connect with taxpayers face-to-face from anywhere they have internet access.

“Taxpayers who choose the web-based option will be able to get face-to-face service remotely,” said IRS Chief, Appeals, Donna Hansberry. “In the future, the technology may give taxpayers greater options in engaging with Appeals and could allow us the flexibility to serve taxpayers virtually from any location using mobile devices or computers.”

“We hope this is one more option to enable IRS employees to provide timely, efficient and effective service to taxpayers,” said Hansberry.

Appeals plans to start the pilot on August 1, 2017, and will assess the results, including taxpayer satisfaction with the technology.