Senate approves taxpayer-focused reforms backed by AICPA

The Senate unanimously approved the Taxpayer Assistance and Service (TAS) Act on Wednesday, advancing a bipartisan package of taxpayer-focused reforms that the AICPA called a “significant achievement” for taxpayers and tax professionals.

The legislation, which contains 65 provisions designed to modernize the IRS, strengthen taxpayer rights, and improve the agency’s ability to administer the tax code, now goes to the House. The chamber is in recess and not expected to return until November.

AICPA president and CEO Mark Koziel, CPA, CGMA, said the bill reflects years of congressional work “to address persistent challenges that taxpayers and practitioners encounter when interacting with the IRS and to advance practical reforms that make the system more efficient, transparent, and responsive.”

The Senate passage of the TAS Act is “a significant achievement for taxpayers, tax professionals, and the integrity of our tax administration system,” Koziel said in a news release.

The AICPA has long supported many of the bill’s provisions, including measures to expand electronic access to taxpayer information, digitize correspondence and returns, improve online account functionality, increase callback technology, and provide greater visibility into IRS processing backlogs.

Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, said the legislation is intended to improve service and protect taxpayer rights.

“Taxpayers deserve a tax system that is competent, responsive, and works for them,” Crapo said in a news release. “The Taxpayer Assistance and Service Act is designed to provide taxpayers with top-quality service and ensure their rights are protected.”

Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., the Finance Committee’s ranking member, said the bill would improve taxpayer services while addressing abusive practices in the tax preparation industry.

“This bill will help improve services for hardworking taxpayers while cracking down on predatory tax prep scammers that are taking advantage of low-income families to turn a quick profit,” Wyden said.

The legislation previously advanced out of the Finance Committee with bipartisan support and has been endorsed by National Taxpayer Advocate Erin Collins, among others.

— To comment on this article or to suggest an idea for another article, contact Martha Waggoner at Martha.Waggoner@aicpa-cima.com.