Theย Internal Revenue Serviceย announced that it will stop a majority of unannounced visits by agents to taxpayers' homes.
The IRS announced the news on Monday, saying the change was part of an effort to address โpublic confusion and enhance overall safety measures for taxpayers and employees.โ
According to Fox Business, the change to the decades-long practice is effective immediately except in some rare cases.
โWe are taking a fresh look at how the IRS operates to better serveย taxpayersย and the nation, and making this change is a common-sense step,โ IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel said. โChanging this long-standing procedure will increase confidence in our tax administration work and improve overall safety for taxpayers and IRS employees.โ
โThe growth in scam artists bombarding taxpayers has increased confusion about home visits by IRS revenue officers,โ it added. โSometimes scam artists appear at the door posing as IRS agents, creating confusion for not just the taxpayers living there but local law-enforcement.โ
The IRS also said its agents โroutinely faced hazards and uncertaintyโ in making the unannounced visits.
โWe have the tools we need to successfully collect revenue without adding stress with unannounced visits,โ Werfel said in a statement. โThe only losers with this change in policy are scammers posing as the IRS.โ
The agency says the โrare instancesโ in which such visits will continue are for โservice of summonses and subpoenas; and also sensitive enforcement activities involving the seizure of assets. The agency estimated it handles less than a few hundred such cases each year.
Instead of the unannounced visits, taxpayers will now receive appointment letters known as 725-Bs and will be able to schedule face-to-face meetings at later dates, according to the IRS.
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