|
October 26, 1999
IRS Declares Nov. 6 as National Problem Solving Day --
Agency to Help Taxpayers from Coast to Coast
WASHINGTON - The Internal Revenue Service will reach out across the nation Nov. 6 in a special Saturday effort to help taxpayers fix problems.
At 35 locations nationwide, people can get one-on-one tax help from IRS experts
at the national Problem Solving Day. The event marks the second anniversary of Problem
Solving Day, the special trouble-shooting program that has handled more than 57,000
taxpayer problems since November 1997.
This program symbolizes the new approach at the IRS," said Charles O.
Rossotti, IRS Commissioner. "We're reaching out to help taxpayers and focusing on
improving customer service."
At each of the Nov. 6 sessions, individual taxpayers can sit down and discuss
tax problems with IRS experts. Key IRS decision-makers will be at each location to help
iron out taxpayer problems. In some cases, issues that might take weeks to get sorted out
can be resolved in just one sit-down meeting.
"Problem Solving Day can really cut through the red tape," Rossotti
said. "This is an opportunity for our people to roll up their sleeves and fix
taxpayer problems."
Two years ago, the IRS launched Problem Solving Day following concerns about
taxpayer treatment. What emerged was an innovative approach of opening IRS doors on the
weekend and bringing agency workers together to brainstorm on solving taxpayer problems.
More than 6,200 taxpayers attended the first national Problem Solving Day in
November 1997, which was conducted simultaneously at locations across the country.
Subsequently, regular sessions started being held once a month, with days and locations
varying in each IRS District.
In all, the IRS has handled 57,450 cases during the program's first two years.
More than half the cases revolved around seven issues raised by taxpayers: audit
reconsiderations (6,667 cases), Offer in Compromise issues (6,330), requests for
technical/procedural explanations (4,124), Installment Agreements (4,083), account and
notice inquiries (3,393), various penalty issues (3,247) and inability to pay issues
(2,561).
Surveys show people attending Problem Solving Day like the program. A national
customer survey taken between April and June showed 93 percent of participants gave the
program's overall service a grade of six or seven – the highest scores possible. And
41 percent of participants said their problems were completely resolved during their
Problem Solving Day visit.
People interested in attending this year's national Problem Solving Day are
encouraged to make reservations by calling their local IRS office or the IRS toll-free
number at 1-800-829-1040.
Taxpayers can visit without an appointment, but a reservation will help ensure
the right IRS workers are available to address their situation. Sometimes, just making the
call to the IRS can clear up the problem – making a personal visit to Problem Solving
Day unnecessary.
"Problem Solving Day is a cornerstone of the IRS's continued emphasis on
serving taxpayers," Rossotti said. "Our goal is to make every day a problem
solving day at the IRS."
Problem Solving Day Cities
State / City / Telephone Number Alabama
- Birmingham (205) 912-5705
Arkansas
- Little Rock (405) 297-4745
California
- Los Angeles (213) 576-3442
- Laguna Niguel (949) 360-2178
Colorado
Connecticut
Florida
- Plantation (954) 423-7684
Georgia
Hawaii (Nov. 2)
- Lahaina, Maui (808) 984-8509
Illinois
Indiana
- Indianapolis (317) 226-5081
Kansas
Kentucky
- Louisville (615) 250-5423
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
- Brooklyn Center (651) 312-7999
Montana (Nov. 17)
- Great Falls (406) 452-0270
Nevada
New Jersey
- Parsippany (973) 921-4377
New York
North Carolina
- Greensboro (336) 378-2334
Ohio
Oklahoma
- Oklahoma City (405) 297-4745
Pennsylvania
- Philadelphia (215) 861-1100, Extension 154
Tennessee
Texas
- Farmers Branch (972) 308-7542
- Harker Heights (512) 499-5000
Virginia
Washington
Wisconsin
Previous | Next
1999 IRS News Releases | News Releases Main | Home
| 
