Of 76 different phone lines at the regional offices of the Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS), only two were answered by a human, and 18 had full mailboxes or no reception at all, the Finance Ministry’s Inspector General for Tax Administration said in a report last month.

Setting up different lines for each office is a fragmented approach to a coordinated, consolidated effort. Taxpayers may need the help of a local attorney, but don’t necessarily need to contact a local number first. The potential infrastructure burden outweighs any benefits of a familiar area code.

Unifying TAS communications into a central phone line and voicemail inbox could improve efficiency and service delivery. TAS already doesn’t meet the expectation that callers will reach a live agent when they dial their local number, so it wouldn’t hurt to move to a voicemail-first system.

By implementing a system that transcribes voicemails and automatically routes issues to the appropriate local agent, TAS could reduce regional disparities and enable requests via SMS, helping to ensure taxpayers’ issues are addressed promptly and consistently.

Such an approach would also facilitate the implementation of nationwide information campaigns and make it easier for taxpayers to seek advice by introducing a single contact number for all enquiries.

As the IRS offers more and more services to taxpayers, customer service is becoming a core competency. Taxpayers need to be able to utilize support systems and receive timely assistance. A central point of contact that uses technology to efficiently route requests would help taxpayers make the right decisions quickly.

It is important to reduce bottlenecks such as outdated, obsolete and overburdened local TAS contact numbers. Instead of searching a phone directory or website directory for their local TAS contact, taxpayers should have it as simple as, “Have questions? Call 1-800-IRS-ADVO today.”

—Andrew Leahey

Welcome to the week in Insights for the latest analysis and news commentary from Bloomberg Tax. This week, experts analyzed the IRS’s final rules on “Killer B” transactions, the vacant Assistant Attorney General position at the Justice Department, the U.S. corporate tax rate and more.

The exchange—Great ideas about taxes and accounting come together here.

—Curated by Daniel Xu

Insights

King & Spalding’s Rod Rosenstein calls for a new Assistant Attorney General for Tax Affairs in the Department of Justice, saying the long-vacant position has had a detrimental impact on taxpayers.

Columbia University Joseph Stiglitzand the American University Ignacio Gonzalez And Juan Montecino, say that raising the corporate tax rate to 28% could raise $1.35 trillion over 10 years.

Forvis Mazars’ Jason Sullivan and Buchanan’s Philip Hirschfeld Review of a new IRS rule for foreign companies, noting that ambiguous wording regarding foreign subsidiaries requires further clarification.

Kramer Levins Michael Dell, Daniel KetaniAnd Samantha Alman examine the effects of SEC v. Jarkesy to the PCAOB, which states that new restrictions on corporate arbitration could also apply to board meetings.

Vinson and Elkins’ Sean Moran, Lauren CollinsAnd Jorge Medina Review the Treasury Department’s new guidelines on the use of bonus energy credits, as many questions remain about the qualifications of manufacturers and suppliers.

Cannabis Accounting Experts Abraham Finberg And Simon Menkes say that companies may be able to challenge some IRS interpretations of tax law section 471(c), which Loper Bright Decision.

Crowe’s Sivakumar Saravan looks at Singapore’s expanded new transfer pricing measures and explains that good compliance record-keeping is essential to avoid penalties.

Columnist Corner

“Technically Speaking,” design by Jonathan Hurtarte/Bloomberg Tax

A proposed voluntary audit program for retailers “would promote a cooperative and less confrontational relationship between tax authorities and businesses”, but to maximise its effectiveness, more states would need to join the initiative, Andrew Leahey says in his latest column “Technically Speaking.”

Providing a voluntary verification and certification process for point-of-sale software systems and highlighting successful results in participating states would encourage other states to join, Andrew writes. Read more

News overview

IRS and Treasury Department propose dual rules for loss consolidation

The IRS has issued proposed regulations that address how rules preventing U.S. companies from double-booking their losses will impact the 15% global minimum tax. Read more

Australia appeals royalty tax case against PepsiCo in Supreme Court

Australia has appealed to the country’s Supreme Court against a lower court ruling in favor of PepsiCo Inc. in a high-stakes royalty tax dispute. Read more

Vice Presidential candidate Tim Walz has passed progressive tax reforms in Minnesota

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is not generally considered an expert on tax policy, but tax analysts and politicians say Vice President Kamala Harris’s new running mate has implemented the most dramatic shift toward progressive tax policy of any state in the country. Read more

Wave of hiring at the IRS causes headaches for state tax authorities

As they try to fill the growing number of accountant positions, state tax agencies face another challenge: The IRS continues to poach talent. Read more

Tax Management International Journal

Patrick Beattie provides an overview of the Dutch tax system, the taxation of non-resident companies and the economic activities of Dutch companies in the United States (by state).

Tax Management Memorandum

A looming 50% decline in tax-free transferable assets has created urgency among wealthy families to transfer valuable assets – including shares in private companies – to heirs by the end of 2025, according to Hanson Bridgetts Eric Clarke says.

When a client asks how much a particular estate plan might cost or save, and a reliable estimate would require some complex calculations, you don’t have to say, “Let me get back to you on that,” Milbanks Amy Albert And Austin Bramwell say.

Career steps

Mir Masud-Elias joined Arnold & Porter’s tax and tax exemption practice as a consultant and lived in Washington.

Alex Farr joined Paul Hastings as global tax partner in Dallas.

Kenneth Cohen joined Bressler, Amery & Ross as principal of the Tax and Trust & Estate practice groups.

Steven Feenstra joined Nixon Peabody as a consultant in the Community Development Finance practice in Washington.

If you are changing jobs or getting promoted, send your application by email to [email protected] for examination.