The IRS is a huge agency and the staff is divided into a number of different areas as you would see in most companies. The revenue officers form a certain roll that has become legendary because these are the people that taxpayers fear - but should they?
A revenue officer is sort of a kin to the swat team in a police department. They are called in on significant cases and expected to produce results. It is currently believed there are a little over 6,000 of these individuals in the Agency. The are assigned to various groups within the IRS to maximize there effect. Undoubtedly, more than a few have been assigned to the new wealth squads that are looking at people with millions in earnings.
Revenue officers are the IRS boggy man, but should they be? The answer is often yes. Revenue officers are scary because they have a lot of power. They are considered the elite by the IRS and thus are given a lot of autonomy. They can make pretty much all the decisions in a case regarding how to collect a tax. This means they have the authority to issue liens, wage garnishments, court actions, subpoenas and so on. They can make a taxpayer's life a living hell if they wish to.
Ah, but there is another side to the revenue officer. One of the major frustrations in dealing with the IRS is you tend to get transferred around to different people. Having just one part to communicate and negotiate with can often be key to resolving a dispute. A revenue officer is such a person. They can settle tax disputes, withdraw punitive collection tools like garnishments or liens and agree to extended repayment schedules. This means their involvement in a case is often ultimately a positive event.
What should you do if a revenue officer is assigned to your tax dispute? Well, the first step is to get professional representation. The appearance of one of these individuals means the IRS is giving priority to your issue and that usually means it is going to be very aggressive in the collection effort. That is not a good thing for you, so it is vital you take steps to protect yourself.
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