Your IRS Appeal Rights – A Brief Introduction

Are you in the middle of a disagreement with the IRS? One of the guaranteed rights for all taxpayers is the right to appeal. If you disagree with the IRS about the amount of your tax liability or proposed collection actions, you have the right to ask the IRS Appeals Office to review your case.

During their contact with taxpayers, IRS employees must explain and protect these taxpayer rights, including the right to appeal. The IRS appeals system is for people who disagree with the results of an examination of their tax returns or other adjustments to their tax liability. In addition to examinations, you can appeal many other things, including:

1. Collection actions such as liens, levies, seizures, installment agreement terminations, and rejected offers-in-compromise,

2. Penalties and interest, and

3. Employment tax adjustments and the trust fund recovery penalty.

Internal IRS Appeal conferences are informal meetings. The local Appeals Office, independent of the IRS office, can sometimes resolve an appeal by telephone or through correspondence.

The IRS also offers an option called Fast Track Mediation, during which an appeals or settlement officer attempts to help you and the IRS reach a mutually satisfactory solution. Most cases not docketed in court qualify for Fast Track Mediation. You may request Fast Track Mediation after an audit or collection determination before requesting a normal appeals hearing. Fast Track Mediation is meant to promote the early resolution of a dispute. It doesn’t eliminate or replace existing dispute resolution options, including your opportunity to request a conference with a manager or a hearing before Appeals. You may withdraw from the mediation process at any time.

When attending an informal meeting or pursuing mediation, you may represent yourself or be represented by an attorney, certified public accountant, or individual enrolled to practice before the IRS.

If you and the IRS appeals officer cannot reach an agreement, or if you prefer not to appeal within the IRS, in most cases, you may take your disagreement to federal court. Usually, it is worth going to mediation before committing to an expensive and time-consuming court process.