IRS Picks New Taxpayer Advocate

The IRS named Nina E. Olson as National Taxpayer Advocate to succeed W. Val Oveson, who left last fall to return to the private sector. The advocate’s office, now the Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS), acts as a voice for taxpayers who, after having used all normal channels, still have matters they have been unable to resolve with the IRS.

The IRS also has expanded the office’s authority to resolve taxpayer cases without having to refer them to other divisions. TAS personnel now can take the same actions as IRS customer service representatives, including making adjustments and handling other account-related interactions with taxpayers. The TAS expects these changes to reduce the time it takes to resolve cases.