Summary of NATP Comments on Draft The Taxpayer First Act

On behalf of the members of the NATP, we are submitting this letter to provide feedback on the draft legislation, The Taxpayers First Act.

We applaud the Committee for taking on the long overdue challenge of reforming the IRS so that it is better equipped to serve the taxpayer. In many ways, we believe that the draft language takes steps in the right direction to do just that. However, there is still a gap that exists between the current draft and where we believe the bill should be to effectively address the needs of the 79 million taxpayers who choose to use the services of a professional tax preparer.

We hope that the final language will make clear that these taxpayers are afforded the same support and protection that is proposed in the bill as for those who do not. They need their tax preparer to be provided quality customer support from the IRS, so that their issues are resolved effectively and efficiently.

In summary, we offer the following feedback and recommendations:

• Any comprehensive customer service strategy must consider the unique needs of the tax professional in serving taxpayers,
• We fully support a robust effort to improve cyber security and identity protection,
• We urge that tax professionals have a voice in relevant advisory committees as they are the ones interacting with taxpayers daily,
• We believe that modernization must be comprehensive, not only rethinking how services are provided but also how the IRS is structured,
• Congress must consider the need to provide oversight of all forms of tax preparation services, ensuring taxpayers are receiving qualified service, and
• Overall, we believe that a properly executed, comprehensive reform of the IRS will increase efficiency while also saving taxpayer money in the long run.

Review the complete letter submitted