IRS Announces Additional Agreements
to Assist Disaster Victims

WASHINGTON - The Internal Revenue Service announced today that four additional tax professional organizations have agreed to partner with the agency to provide assistance to taxpayers at local disaster recovery centers established by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

The National Association of Tax Professionals (NATP), the American Bar Association (ABA) Section of Taxation, the National Society of Accountants (NSA) and the National Association of Black Accountants (NABA) are the latest organizations to join IRS employees in staffing disaster recovery centers and assisting taxpayers affected by recent hurricanes.

This adds to agreements signed earlier with the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), the National Association of Enrolled Agents (NAEA) and the American Association of Attorney-Certified Public Accountants (AAA-CPA).

When the President designates an area to receive federal disaster assistance, FEMA opens local disaster recovery centers where individuals and businesses may register for disaster aid. IRS assigns employees to staff these local centers to provide tax assistance to taxpayers. Currently, employees and volunteers are providing tax assistance in dozens of FEMA sites.

“These partnerships will provide important help to taxpayers who need assistance after disasters,” said IRS Commissioner Mark W. Everson.

Assistance includes aiding with the preparation of tax returns and claims, providing copies of transcripts and returns, distributing disaster relief kits and answering questions about casualty losses and other issues.

Speaking on behalf of the NATP, Paul Cinquemani, Director of Government Relations, said, “NATP is pleased to support relief efforts for disaster victims. Working jointly with the IRS has enabled NATP to focus referrals of volunteer help where it is most needed.”

Members of the National Association of Tax Professionals (NATP) assist taxpayers with tax preparation and planning. NATP is a nonprofit professional association founded in 1979 and provides professional education, tax research, and products to its members. NATP exists to serve professionals who work in all areas of tax practice and has more than 17,500 members nationwide. Members include individual tax preparers, enrolled agents, certified public accountants, accountants, attorneys and financial planners.

“The ABA Section of Taxation looks forward to providing this opportunity for its members to work with the IRS in assisting those individuals and businesses whose lives and livelihoods have been disrupted by Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Wilma and others. As tax season approaches, we know there will be a great need for assistance, and our members are standing by to help in whatever ways they can,” said Dennis B. Drapkin, Chair, American Bar Association Section of Taxation.

The American Bar Association Section of Taxation is the national voice of tax lawyers with approximately 19,000 lawyers nationwide. Its goals include helping taxpayers better understand their rights and obligations under the tax laws and working to make the tax system fairer, simpler and easier to administer.

The National Society of Accountants (NSA) is the preeminent organization for professionals who provide accounting, tax and related financial services to individuals and small businesses. The mission of the National Society of Accountants is to foster the free enterprise system and serve NSA members, and thereby the public, by providing members with information, resources and representation.

The National Association of Black Accountants (NABA) has been the leader in expanding the influence of minority professionals in the fields of accounting and finance. NABA seeks to promote and develop the professional skills of its members, encourage and assist minority students in entering the accounting profession, provide opportunities for members to fulfill their civic responsibility and to represent the interests of current and prospective minority accounting professionals.

More information regarding disaster tax relief may be found on the IRS’s Web site at irs.gov.

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