Are you feeling overwhelmed and ignored by the IRS?
Ralph:Do you feel like your tax problems are just being swept under the rug
Ralph:with no clear path to resolution?
Ralph:Well, today we're gonna discuss how the taxpayer's advocate
Ralph:service, or TAS, or TAs, as they're called, can be your lifeline.
Ralph:In these challenging times, we're gonna explore what the TAs is, how it can help
Ralph:you, and why understanding this service can alleviate your financial stress.
Ralph:So if you're in need of a helping hand with your taxes.
Ralph:Stay tuned today because this show is for you.
Ralph:The question we're going to be answering is what is the taxpayer's advocate
Ralph:service and how can they help me?
Ralph:Welcome to the show.
Ralph:I'm Ralph, your financial evangelist, and I am so glad you joined me today.
Ralph:I appreciate you taking the time to be here.
Ralph:And I promise today's topic is going to make a real impact on your financial life.
Ralph:It's going to be a very practical discussion.
Ralph:Our theme here is always about helping you escape that cycle of financial shame.
Ralph:We want you to escape that with confidence.
Ralph:So today we're going to focus on a crucial resources that can help you
Ralph:navigate the complex world of taxes with greater ease and understanding.
Ralph:So listen, if you've ever felt lost or overwhelmed by tax
Ralph:issues, today's show is for you.
Ralph:We're going to be discussing the Taxpayer's Advocate Service.
Ralph:That's a powerful ally within the IRS that can help you resolve your tax
Ralph:problems and truly ensure fair treatment.
Ralph:And here's my promise for you.
Ralph:By the end of the show, you're going to have a clear understanding of how to
Ralph:access this service and the steps you can take to alleviate your tax related stress.
Ralph:So stay engaged.
Ralph:Thanks.
Ralph:Bye bye.
Ralph:And let's get into some key takeaways that will help you move beyond
Ralph:your current financial challenges.
Ralph:Yesterday we talked about how to maintain your faith during
Ralph:difficult economic times.
Ralph:So if you missed it, we discussed the importance of trusting in God's plan and
Ralph:finding strength in prayer and community.
Ralph:You can catch up on that and all of our episodes at AskRalph.
Ralph:com Now today we've got a listener question that hits really
Ralph:close to home for many of us.
Ralph:So here it is.
Ralph:Dear Ralph, I've been struggling with my taxes for months now.
Ralph:I've tried contacting the IRS multiple times, but I feel
Ralph:like I'm not getting anywhere.
Ralph:I've submitted all their required documents, followed their procedures,
Ralph:and even tried to speak with different departments, but it seems
Ralph:like the IRS just doesn't care.
Ralph:I'm starting to feel overwhelmed and I'm starting to feel hopeless.
Ralph:I'm losing sleep over this and it's affecting my daily life.
Ralph:Is there any service or resource that can help me navigate
Ralph:this maze and get some relief?
Ralph:Please help.
Ralph:And that was signed by Joyce in Ohio.
Ralph:Well, Joyce, let me start by saying thank you so much for reaching out.
Ralph:I can't imagine how frustrating and overwhelming it must feel
Ralph:like when you're stuck in this never ending loop with the IRS.
Ralph:Sounds like you've tried to resolve the issues, but it
Ralph:seems like it's getting nowhere.
Ralph:It seems like nothing's working.
Ralph:Well, first thing I want you to know is you're not alone in this struggle.
Ralph:Many people face these similar challenges and it truly is easy to feel overwhelmed.
Ralph:It's easy to feel hopeless, but today I want to give you hope and
Ralph:I'm going to give you some concrete steps to help you navigate this
Ralph:situation because here's a truth.
Ralph:I've been in your shoes.
Ralph:I've been there both personally and with many clients, and I've seen firsthand
Ralph:how these tax issues can cause immense stress and immense financial strain.
Ralph:But let me tell you right now, there is a way out and that's where the taxpayers
Ralph:advocate service can come in and help you.
Ralph:This service is designed to help taxpayers just like you find
Ralph:relief and find a resolution.
Ralph:So let's move into what the TAS is and how it can help you today.
Ralph:Before we drill down into the details, let's turn to the Bible for some
Ralph:guidance in the book of Philippians chapter four, verses six to seven.
Ralph:It says this, and I love to use this one on the show, probably
Ralph:use it at least once a week.
Ralph:do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation by prayer
Ralph:and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God and the
Ralph:peace of God, which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts
Ralph:and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Ralph:What a beautiful verse.
Ralph:And you see this verse reminds us that even in the midst of our struggles, even
Ralph:in the midst of those difficult, those trying times, we can find peace and
Ralph:comfort when we simply turn to God, when we face financial or tax related issues.
Ralph:It's easy to become anxious.
Ralph:It's easy to become overwhelmed.
Ralph:Joyce, I know that's what you're feeling right now.
Ralph:I've worked with clients in the exact same situation you're in, but by
Ralph:trusting God and seeking his guidance, we can find strength and clarity.
Ralph:We need to navigate those challenges.
Ralph:And I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to help people
Ralph:like you, Joyce, help people find relief from their tax burdens.
Ralph:The Lord has blessed me with experience and.
Ralph:Understanding to assist others in overcoming these financial
Ralph:challenges from a place of faith.
Ralph:And I am thankful, and it might sound a little silly, but I'm thankful
Ralph:for the taxpayers advocate service because it provides a valuable
Ralph:resource that really seeks to ensure fairness and support for taxpayers.
Ralph:It's a reminder that we are never alone in our struggles and that help is
Ralph:available when you know where to look.
Ralph:And that's exactly what we're going to talk about on today's show.
Ralph:Well, now let's get to the meat of today's topic and that's
Ralph:the taxpayers advocate service.
Ralph:Let's talk exactly what they are They're an independent
Ralph:organization within the IRS.
Ralph:They are actually a part of the IRS They sort of sit on the sidelines of
Ralph:the IRS and they are designed to act as a dedicated voice for taxpayers
Ralph:Their mission is pretty simple.
Ralph:It says it's to ensure that Every taxpayer is treated fairly and understands their
Ralph:rights as outlined in the tax law.
Ralph:Now that in practice, that might be a little difficult to come by.
Ralph:And this service has become invaluable for those who have diligently tried to resolve
Ralph:their problems through standard IRS channels, but have encountered roadblocks.
Ralph:And I just want to start by parking right here for a second.
Ralph:The TAS or the Taxpayers Advocate Service is not designed to be
Ralph:your first point of contact.
Ralph:If you try to do that, they are going to deny you from opening a case with them.
Ralph:These people are there to help you once you've tried to work
Ralph:through the normal channels.
Ralph:And I just want to park here for a second to explain that because a lot
Ralph:of people hear this, Oh, taxpayers advocate, this is where I can go
Ralph:and get all my tax issues resolved.
Ralph:Yes, but not until you've exhausted those other things.
Ralph:So Joyce, I want to share a personal story with you that can illustrate
Ralph:just how powerful this TAS group is.
Ralph:A few years ago, I worked with a client, and we'll call him Damien.
Ralph:Now Damien was this hard working, he's a small business owner, and he found
Ralph:himself in a tax dispute with the IRS.
Ralph:I don't even remember the specifics of it, but he had tried
Ralph:Everything to resolve this issue.
Ralph:He submitted letters, he submitted documents, he made phone calls, but he
Ralph:felt like he was spinning his wheels.
Ralph:He just wasn't getting anywhere and the stress of that situation was taking a toll
Ralph:on his personal health and it was taking a toll on his business because he was
Ralph:so distracted by this and their threats of levy and their, their threats of tax
Ralph:liens that he just threw his hands up.
Ralph:And eventually reached out to me.
Ralph:And one day he came to me and he was in tears.
Ralph:I mean, he was feeling completely hopeless at this point.
Ralph:He had received yet another notice and these notices were so confusing to him.
Ralph:This one from the IRS.
Ralph:And he really didn't know what to do.
Ralph:And I listened to his story and I could, I could feel his pain and his frustration.
Ralph:He told me about all the things he had tried in the letters.
Ralph:He brought in a file had to be four inches thick of Ralph.
Ralph:I started with this notice and then I respond to that and they sent me this one.
Ralph:And then I responded to it and it seemed like I wasn't getting anywhere.
Ralph:So then I called them and I talked to this person and this was the person's name.
Ralph:And this was their ID number.
Ralph:He said, but Ralph, I just keep going deeper.
Ralph:And deeper.
Ralph:And I just sat back and I said, you know what, Damien,
Ralph:let me see if I can help you.
Ralph:Cause I knew that he needed more than just my advice.
Ralph:Now he needed an advocate.
Ralph:I could help him, but the problem was his issue was really, he needed
Ralph:somebody at the IRS to move on it.
Ralph:I looked at his paperwork and he was absolutely right in the things he
Ralph:was trying to convince them of, but they just weren't moving forward.
Ralph:So what I do, I introduced him to the taxpayer's advocate service.
Ralph:We contacted Taz and immediately they stepped in to help.
Ralph:They clarified the nature of the issue.
Ralph:They explained what the required actions would be.
Ralph:And they guided Damien through the next steps.
Ralph:And this is what TAS does.
Ralph:They act as a liaison.
Ralph:They act as a liaison between the client and the IRS or the taxpayer and the IRS,
Ralph:in this case, between Damien and the IRS.
Ralph:And they are there to make sure that his voice was heard and
Ralph:that his rights were protected.
Ralph:Now, didn't happen overnight.
Ralph:I'll be very clear about that.
Ralph:Most people think, Oh, I'm going to contact these people and tomorrow
Ralph:I'm going to have a resolution.
Ralph:Usually it doesn't play out like that, but within a few months, which, Hey,
Ralph:listen, Damien had been in this mix for like two years, but within a few
Ralph:months, Damien's tax issue was resolved.
Ralph:It was finally resolved.
Ralph:Some of the tasks took the handle and they ran with it.
Ralph:They got it up through the channels at the IRS and Damien was finally able to
Ralph:focus on his growing business again.
Ralph:And let me just tell you.
Ralph:I saw this transformation in Damien's life.
Ralph:And it was incredible.
Ralph:He actually became a monthly client from us.
Ralph:And he went from feeling overwhelmed and feeling hopeless.
Ralph:And then all of a sudden he felt empowered and he felt like he was
Ralph:in control of his financial future.
Ralph:And my friends, that's the power of the taxpayer's advocate service.
Ralph:It provides a crucial pathway for taxpayers who might be feeling
Ralph:otherwise lost or overwhelmed or, or just feel like they're not being heard.
Ralph:They help you navigate the complexities of the tax situation.
Ralph:Or the tax system.
Ralph:So if you're in a similar situation, here's the first thing I'm gonna
Ralph:tell you, just like you wrote today, Joyce, don't lose hope.
Ralph:The TAS is there to help you.
Ralph:the TAS is there to help you.
Ralph:And I'm going to give you some concrete action steps to help you get started.
Ralph:So let's talk about the common issues that TAS helps resolve, because like
Ralph:I said at the beginning, you need to understand what their role is.
Ralph:TAS can assist you with various tax issues, including some of these things.
Ralph:I'm just going to highlight a bunch of them today on the show.
Ralph:Number one thing, complex IRS communications, just like Damien, I
Ralph:got taxpayers often receive notices and letters from the IRS that are confusing.
Ralph:They're difficult to understand.
Ralph:Many times they're overlapping.
Ralph:I love this one.
Ralph:I love when you get a letter from the IRS.
Ralph:It says, yes, we got your notice, but it's going to take
Ralph:us some more time to resolve it.
Ralph:And then maybe the next day you'll get a notice.
Ralph:It looks like it totally contradicts that.
Ralph:Well, that's one of the things that TAS can do.
Ralph:The TAS can help you clarify the nature of the issue you're facing.
Ralph:They can explain the required actions and guide you on the
Ralph:next steps you need to take.
Ralph:So that is really their first role.
Ralph:If you've got a confusing situation, you've got a confusing notice.
Ralph:They can help you navigate through that and help you get
Ralph:to the resolution you need.
Ralph:The second thing TAS will do is.
Ralph:Help with payment challenges.
Ralph:Sometimes individuals and families are struggling to meet their tax obligations.
Ralph:Hey, it happens.
Ralph:I'm going to be talking about that later in the show.
Ralph:You like, what do you do if you can't afford to pay your taxes?
Ralph:And TAS can help you.
Ralph:If you're having this situation where you're struggling or you've
Ralph:got some financial hardships, TAS can help explore some potential options.
Ralph:They can help you with an installment agreement or.
Ralph:Help you do an offering compromise.
Ralph:They can provide guidance on how to approach these situations and
Ralph:work towards a resolution that fits your financial circumstances.
Ralph:Now I'm going to be honest, this is not for where you start this process.
Ralph:The IRS has channels for doing payment plans for installment agreements.
Ralph:And for those, uh, when we're trying to reduce that tax debt.
Ralph:Now, if you're hitting a brick wall, if the.
Ralph:Iris isn't responding to you.
Ralph:That's when you can go to TAS.
Ralph:And I'm going to talk a little bit later in the show about
Ralph:how exactly that you do that.
Ralph:But once you've exhausted those areas, once you've tried to what they call work
Ralph:through the normal Iris channels, because when you ask for help from TAS, that's
Ralph:the first thing you're going to say to you is like, what have you done so far?
Ralph:Let's see the correspondence that you've already used to get to this thing.
Ralph:Let's look at number three and that's tax return errors.
Ralph:The truth is mistakes on tax returns happen.
Ralph:And they need to be resolved.
Ralph:So one of the things that TAS can do is they can help you in
Ralph:assisting and resolving those errors.
Ralph:It can help you address those general tax related questions
Ralph:that haven't been resolved through the standard IRS processes.
Ralph:I've seen this happen from time to time when a taxpayer made an error, then they
Ralph:submitted an amended return, but it's like the IRS doesn't, isn't listening.
Ralph:They're not.
Ralph:Processing this.
Ralph:So we reached out to TAS after we had tried letter upon letter
Ralph:and call after call, and they can help you resolve those areas.
Ralph:They will tell you, okay, we need to talk to this division in the IRS.
Ralph:Let me send a letter for them, or let me send a letter to them.
Ralph:Let me tell you, here's a follow up.
Ralph:That's one thing that's great about TAS, and I'll just mention that here.
Ralph:They're very good at giving you follow up dates.
Ralph:They'll say to you, okay, Ralph, we're going to do this,
Ralph:and I'm going to 30 days.
Ralph:I'm going to respond back to you in 15 days.
Ralph:It really depends.
Ralph:On the situation and the importance of that particular situation.
Ralph:Now, another thing TAS can do is they can help you with tax refund delays,
Ralph:because sometimes people get delayed in receiving their tax refunds.
Ralph:I don't know about you, but a lot of people are waiting for that money.
Ralph:So sometimes TAS can step in and help track the status of a
Ralph:tax refund and understand what could potentially holding it up.
Ralph:Again, this is not the where's my refund starting point.
Ralph:This is if you've done that and maybe it's been months or it's, Hey, I hate to say
Ralph:this, but maybe it's been years and the IRS just isn't issuing you your refund.
Ralph:You've provided them with correspondence.
Ralph:You provided them with what they're asking for, but you're
Ralph:just not getting a resolution.
Ralph:That's where TAS can step in and help you get to that resolution.
Ralph:One of the things I see Taz doing a lot of is small business tax issues, because
Ralph:just like Damien, small businesses often face unique and complex tax issues.
Ralph:Sometimes those things are a little bit more complicated.
Ralph:There may be a payroll related issues.
Ralph:There may be payroll taxes and all that sort of thing.
Ralph:And if the iris isn't responding to you, if they're not being proactive and
Ralph:actually trying to help you, Taz can offer some specialized support that are
Ralph:tailored to the needs of small businesses.
Ralph:Maybe it helps you like I talked about with understanding employment taxes,
Ralph:or maybe there's an issue with some business deductions that the IRS is
Ralph:disallowing, but you're saying, wait a minute, the IRS code says I can do this.
Ralph:And that's where TAS can help you step in and resolve some specific
Ralph:tax problems that are impacting the operations of your business.
Ralph:Or maybe the IRS is threatening to levy your accounts or somehow
Ralph:come after you with a tax lien.
Ralph:Another thing that TAS can do is help with international tax issues.
Ralph:I'm not going to spend a lot of time talking about that, but taxpayers with
Ralph:international tax obligations sometimes run into some other issues when they're
Ralph:working abroad or living abroad.
Ralph:And Taz can step in and help you with some dedicated resources and
Ralph:some guidance to navigate these.
Ralph:And these things aren't simple.
Ralph:So these are an area where if you've tried to work through normal Iris channels and
Ralph:the person at the other end of the Iris just isn't understanding the, the degrad,
Ralph:the, you know, How big an issue this is from an international perspective.
Ralph:And I've seen clients that had to do that.
Ralph:They had a very interesting, like maybe they're living overseas
Ralph:or they're working overseas.
Ralph:That's where TAS can step in and help.
Ralph:Another great thing that TAS does is they can help in disaster relief issues.
Ralph:Sometimes you have tax related issues arising from federally declared disasters.
Ralph:You know, maybe you've got an extension on the amount of time, or
Ralph:you can't get to your paperwork, or maybe your paperwork was destroyed.
Ralph:And you've tried to explain this to the, the normal channels at the IRS,
Ralph:but they're just not listening to you.
Ralph:Well, TAS can step in and offer some specific tax related guidance
Ralph:and support to help those who are affected by natural disasters.
Ralph:Individuals and businesses.
Ralph:And they also are cleanly aware of some disaster relief tax provisions,
Ralph:and they can give you assistance in navigating these and filing
Ralph:claims related to disaster losses.
Ralph:And if you've ever been through one of those, I haven't personally been
Ralph:through one of those, but I've had some clients that have been through those.
Ralph:Those can be really difficult situations to get through.
Ralph:Now, another thing that TAS does is they'll help low income taxpayers,
Ralph:many low income taxpayers and individuals over the age of 60.
Ralph:They need help with their taxes.
Ralph:Well, TAS actually offers some volunteer tax assistance programs
Ralph:for those people who need free tax preparations and assistance.
Ralph:Again, I'm not going to spend a lot of time talking about it,
Ralph:But the TAS people can connect you with qualifying individuals.
Ralph:Maybe they, they offer free tax preparation, or maybe there's
Ralph:some assistance programs.
Ralph:Maybe you've gotten yourself into tax debt, but you just can't
Ralph:afford to pay somebody to help you.
Ralph:They can help you and ensure that those who might be struggling to
Ralph:afford professional tax help will still have access to accurate and
Ralph:reliable tax preparation services.
Ralph:Really one of the big takeaways that I get from working with TAS
Ralph:and I've worked with them, I think I've been doing this for 30 years.
Ralph:This is something I've, and I've worked with them many times and
Ralph:most of the time, they're great.
Ralph:They'll give you resources.
Ralph:They really try to help people navigate situations, which
Ralph:leads me to the next thing.
Ralph:They can help you with tax disputes and representation, because
Ralph:listen, this is going to happen.
Ralph:Sometimes disagreements or disputes happen with the IRS.
Ralph:And in that case, you know, maybe you've worked through the channels,
Ralph:you provided everything the IRS said that you needed to provide, but
Ralph:they're just not listening to you.
Ralph:You're not getting anywhere.
Ralph:Well, TAS can provide you assistance in helping you navigate these
Ralph:situations and help work to a mutual beneficial resolutions.
Ralph:One of the things that they mentioned here, when I did my research for the
Ralph:show, they, they offer, uh, taxpayers, low income taxpayer clinics, where they
Ralph:help people who are struggling with income issues with the tax situation.
Ralph:Maybe they offer some low cost or, or free legal representation
Ralph:in these tax disputes, because sometimes people are going through
Ralph:tax issues, don't have the resources.
Ralph:Maybe.
Ralph:They've been disabled.
Ralph:Maybe they're in a situation where they just, you know, they're not working.
Ralph:They've lost their job.
Ralph:Maybe they've had a major disaster and they can't go out
Ralph:and afford to pay somebody.
Ralph:And they've, they've tried, they've called the IRS number.
Ralph:They've sat on hold for hour upon hour.
Ralph:They've sent in all the information that they need.
Ralph:And now the final thing, and I love this about TAS, TAS will
Ralph:help with systemic tax problems.
Ralph:In other words, they'll look at things that are issues with the system,
Ralph:with the IRS system in general.
Ralph:I have had many TAS representatives say to me, Hey, you know what I can see
Ralph:where this is affecting many people.
Ralph:It's having an impact on many people.
Ralph:And that's where actually I believe that TAS kind of likes these even better.
Ralph:They'll, deal with the individual situations, but they love to analyze
Ralph:patterns with taxpayer problems.
Ralph:And that's the great part of this.
Ralph:They can recommend changes to both the IRS And to Congress,
Ralph:you'll see annually, the taxpayers advocate will go meet with Congress.
Ralph:They'll testify before Congress, and they'll start to give Congress some ideas
Ralph:of how to improve the tax situation so that people are being treated fairly.
Ralph:Nothing that Taz does.
Ralph:Is they are taxpayer right advocates.
Ralph:They ensure that taxpayers rights are protected and upheld.
Ralph:One of the champions of this is TAS.
Ralph:They act as a champion for taxpayers.
Ralph:They're working, like I said, a few minutes ago, they're working to
Ralph:ensure that you've got fair treatment.
Ralph:They're working to make sure that the IRS is doing what they
Ralph:say they're supposed to do.
Ralph:They're, they're meeting your fundamental rights throughout
Ralph:that tax administration process.
Ralph:So now I feel like you've got a really good idea, Joyce, of what TAS does.
Ralph:Well, let's talk about specifically, how do you get TAS to come to bat for you?
Ralph:Well, the first thing you want to do is you want to gather all your
Ralph:information before you contact TAS, gather all the relevant information
Ralph:and documents, because once you get on the phone with them, or once they
Ralph:reach out to you, you're going to want to have your information in
Ralph:order related to that tax issue.
Ralph:Now, again, Remember, they are not your, for your first level of, of assistance.
Ralph:This is after you've gone through IRS channels.
Ralph:So one of the things you want to be aware of is keep track of all your phone calls.
Ralph:Keep track of every letter you've spent.
Ralph:Keep track of every piece of correspondence you receive from the IRS.
Ralph:Make sure you have that well laid out, have copies of those notices.
Ralph:And here, this is the thing you're going to understand.
Ralph:When you ask TAS for help, you want to give them a clear explanation of
Ralph:the problems you're facing and the steps, and this is important because
Ralph:you need to lay it out for them.
Ralph:You need to lay out the steps you've already taken to try to resolve it.
Ralph:You know, I called the IRS on this date.
Ralph:I sent the IRS this notice on this date.
Ralph:I sent them this letter.
Ralph:I provided this information.
Ralph:Here's their follow up.
Ralph:Here's their lack of follow up.
Ralph:The second thing.
Ralph:So once you've assembled all that information, you're going
Ralph:to submit a request online.
Ralph:That's the best way to do it.
Ralph:It's the most convenient way to do it.
Ralph:You can go online through the TAS website and I'll put some links in
Ralph:the show notes to how to get to that.
Ralph:But basically they have their own taxpayer advocate site and there's
Ralph:a, there's a request form that you can submit a request from.
Ralph:It's actually a form nine 11.
Ralph:So you can also fill that out.
Ralph:You can download that directly from the IRS website, fill it out and send it in.
Ralph:But here's the thing you need to make sure of, make sure you include
Ralph:all of your contact information.
Ralph:Make sure you include the nature of your problem.
Ralph:And the form really kind of walks you through this.
Ralph:It'll say, what steps have you taken?
Ralph:What was the result of those steps?
Ralph:And I like this on the phone.
Ralph:It's sort of cut to the chase.
Ralph:They say, what is it that you want the TAS group to do?
Ralph:So once you send that, if you don't get a response, you can actually
Ralph:contact their local TAs office.
Ralph:You can be more, you know, direct on this.
Ralph:You can contact them.
Ralph:There's a list of phone numbers on their website.
Ralph:You can find the local office and then call.
Ralph:You can actually go and visit them.
Ralph:I'm not sure, since Covid, whether you can actually go and visit them.
Ralph:You might be able to set up an appointment, but you can discuss
Ralph:their issue with an advocate.
Ralph:They've also got an 800 number.
Ralph:You can contact them.
Ralph:I'm gonna give that number and it's a bunch of seven, so get ready.
Ralph:It's 1 8, 7, 7.
Ralph:8, but I'm going to put that in the show notes and you can actually speak
Ralph:to a representative right there.
Ralph:But again, be prepared, be prepared to explain your issue, be prepared to
Ralph:discuss what you've already done and provide them with all the necessary
Ralph:details about your tax problem.
Ralph:Because if you're not prepared, what you're going to hear is they're
Ralph:going to say, that sounds good.
Ralph:We'd love to help you, but you need to go and get your homework done first.
Ralph:Taz isn't going to help you try to figure out.
Ralph:What, you know, what happened in the past, they will help you move forward,
Ralph:but you've got to do the due diligence.
Ralph:You've got to do the legwork to get started.
Ralph:So Joyce, you might be saying, well, what can I expect after I file a complaint?
Ralph:Well, the way that it works with TAS is there's, it starts with a case assignment.
Ralph:So once your case is accepted by TAS, and again, you have to get past that hurdle
Ralph:of, are they going to take your case?
Ralph:Have you tried to work through the normal channels?
Ralph:Once that happens, you're going to be assigned a dedicated advocate
Ralph:and that person's going to serve as your point or your primary point
Ralph:of contact throughout the entire process of resolving your tax issue.
Ralph:They're going to contact you.
Ralph:They're going to discuss your case in detail.
Ralph:They're going to walk through all the information.
Ralph:They're going to gather any additional information that you need, and
Ralph:they're going to give you a realistic timeline, which I think is great.
Ralph:They're going to say to you, okay, Ralph, here's what you can expect.
Ralph:Or let's say Joyce, Joyce, here's what you can expect.
Ralph:We received your case.
Ralph:Here's your case number.
Ralph:Here's the issue you're telling us.
Ralph:Here's the things you've already done, and here's what you want us to do.
Ralph:So once they give you that information to give you follow up dates, then
Ralph:they're going to start working on assistance and resolution.
Ralph:They're going to work with you to understand the issue.
Ralph:They're going to help you.
Ralph:So that TAS does.
Ralph:It's a tool that you can use to help you navigate through the different
Ralph:departments in the IRS that can help you get to where you need to get to.
Ralph:One of the things I think is great about TAS is they will help keep
Ralph:you informed about the progress of your case and they'll tell you what
Ralph:steps are being taken to resolve it.
Ralph:So that is really, uh, in a nutshell, what TAS does.
Ralph:Taz does.
Ralph:We talked about why you do it.
Ralph:So if you are in that situation, I'm going to talk in a few minutes about
Ralph:some, some key takeaways from today.
Ralph:But if you're in that situation, Taz is really a great group to help you.
Ralph:But before I finish today, I want to encourage you to
Ralph:subscribe to our newsletter.
Ralph:You know, I talk about on this show, how to do different things and how to
Ralph:be engaged in this Christian finance.
Ralph:But one of the things I want to really encourage people to do is to
Ralph:subscribe to our newsletter, because by joining our community, you're going
Ralph:to gain access to exclusive content.
Ralph:That's going to help you stay fine.
Ralph:I always end the show and say this, stay financially savvy and informed.
Ralph:Well, our newsletter does that.
Ralph:Our newsletter is designed to keep you empowered.
Ralph:It's going to give you valuable insight.
Ralph:It's going to give you.
Ralph:And when you subscribe, you're going to receive regular updates on the
Ralph:latest financial trends and strategies.
Ralph:What I'm talking about on the show that can help you make
Ralph:better decisions about your money.
Ralph:You're also going to get special access to special offers and
Ralph:promotions that can save you money.
Ralph:And improve your wellbeing.
Ralph:So I'm going to encourage you don't miss out on this opportunity, stay connected
Ralph:and grow in your financial journey by joining me at ask Ralph podcast.
Ralph:com slash newsletter.
Ralph:It's real simple.
Ralph:When you hit that webpage, it's going to ask you for your
Ralph:name and your email address.
Ralph:And it's really that simple.
Ralph:And you'll be joining a community of like minded individuals who are committed to
Ralph:helping you achieve financial success.
Ralph:And don't forget.
Ralph:I also write a daily blog post.
Ralph:I do this every day when I, when I record the show, I go back and I write a blog
Ralph:post based on the content of the show.
Ralph:So in today's blog, I'm going to go even deeper into the details of
Ralph:the taxpayer's advocate service.
Ralph:I'm going to give you those numbers.
Ralph:We talked about, I'll give you their website.
Ralph:I'm going to talk about some additional resources you can use,
Ralph:and I'm going to talk to you.
Ralph:How about I created this show, all the additional resources that were
Ralph:used and how I was able to uncover the different components to the show.
Ralph:And you'll find all of those things.
Ralph:At ask Ralph podcast.
Ralph:com slash blog.
Ralph:Well now Joyce, let's get to our reflection questions.
Ralph:Cause I want to leave you with some reflection questions to help you meditate
Ralph:on the key topics we discussed today.
Ralph:And the first one's this, and this may not affect you today.
Ralph:Today's show might be one of those.
Ralph:You're like Ralph, I'm not having tax issues, but here's what I'm
Ralph:going to encourage you to do.
Ralph:You might know somebody who's having tax issues or you might
Ralph:have these taxes in the future.
Ralph:So share the show with somebody bookmark the show, but somebody might be going
Ralph:through tax issues with the IRS and you could be a huge encouragement with them
Ralph:if you just share the show with them.
Ralph:So let's start with our first reflection question.
Ralph:That is what specific tax issues are causing you the most
Ralph:stress and anxiety right now?
Ralph:What are those things that You're, you're bothered by, you know, what
Ralph:are the things that you're trying to work through the normal IRS channels,
Ralph:but you're not getting anywhere.
Ralph:My second reflection question kind of follows along with that.
Ralph:And how can the taxpayer's advocate service help alleviate some of that stress
Ralph:and provide you with the support you need?
Ralph:And number three, if you find yourself in this situation.
Ralph:You know what I say on the show, it's all about action.
Ralph:So what action steps will you take today to reach out to TAS and
Ralph:start resolving your tax problems?
Ralph:Well, now, Joyce, let's talk about the key takeaways from today's show.
Ralph:I was like to sort of recap this at the end, in case you missed it.
Ralph:The Taxpayers Advocate Service is an independent organization within the IRS.
Ralph:And I know that sounds kind of contradictory, but they sort
Ralph:of ride alongside the IRS.
Ralph:Their main thing, the main goal of them is they.
Ralph:Advocate for taxpayers.
Ralph:They ensure fair treatment and help taxpayers understand their rights.
Ralph:TAS can help assist with various tax issues, as we talked about, including
Ralph:deciphering complex communications.
Ralph:Those notices can sometimes be like, you feel like you got to have a
Ralph:rocket science degree to, to figure them out, but they can help you
Ralph:decipher those complex communications.
Ralph:They can help with resolving tax errors and addressing payment challenges.
Ralph:We talked about how to reach them.
Ralph:You can submit a request online.
Ralph:Like I said, that is really the best way to do it.
Ralph:You can contact their local office or you can call their toll free helpline.
Ralph:Again, that will be in the show notes.
Ralph:Taz also addresses systemic problems.
Ralph:And like we talked about, that's one of the things that I think
Ralph:they really do a great job of.
Ralph:They, they address systemic problems within the tax system.
Ralph:So if you know an issue, maybe it's something that you're
Ralph:like, why did the IRS do this?
Ralph:I don't understand this.
Ralph:You can reach out to Taz and say, Hey, The next time you go, uh, to go, you know,
Ralph:go meet with the Congressman or go meet with, with, with people in the know there,
Ralph:Hey, why don't you think about this?
Ralph:And that can help contribute to potential improvements for all taxpayers.
Ralph:So again, I want to remind you one more time, join our newsletter so that
Ralph:you can stay up to date with the show.
Ralph:That's at askroutpodcast.
Ralph:com slash newsletter.
Ralph:Now, tomorrow we're going to be discussing another fascinating
Ralph:topic, and I'd love this one.
Ralph:When I, when I started thinking about the show for tomorrow, I said, you
Ralph:know what, one of the things that my grandfather said, always used
Ralph:to say is you get what you pay for.
Ralph:So tomorrow's show is going to be, is cheap advice really worth the price?
Ralph:That's a nice rhyme there, but that's what we're talking about.
Ralph:Is cheap advice really worth the price?
Ralph:We're going to explore the value of professional advice.
Ralph:And why investing in quality guidance can make a significant
Ralph:difference in your financial life.
Ralph:So don't miss out on that important conversation.
Ralph:So Joyce and everyone else, thank you so much for joining to me today.
Ralph:I'm grateful for your time and your support of the show.
Ralph:Remember my passion is to help you achieve financial success.
Ralph:I want to see you live out your dreams and I want to see you grow in your faith.
Ralph:And together we can master your finances from a Christian perspective.
Ralph:So as always in this show, stay financially savvy out there and
Ralph:may God bless you abundantly.