As an independent organization within the IRS, the Taxpayer Advocate Service helps taxpayers resolve problems and recommends changes to avoid them. It said that a return with my father's Social Security number had been filed, but that it wouldn't be processed unless he contacted the IRS and provided certain information. You can also call or write to your local taxpayer advocate, whose phone number and address are listed in your local telephone directory and in publication 1546, Taxpayer Advocate Service: Your Voice in the IRS. The speed surprised me, since the IRS had recently reopened most of its activities after being closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Apparently, the IRS was also unable to find a record of its own letter or of the statement on which the letter was based. My parents lived in assisted living and couldn't contact the IRS or provide them with information. TAS is an independent organization of the IRS whose employees help taxpayers who are suffering economic harm, who seek help resolving tax problems that have not been resolved through normal channels, or who believe that an IRS system or procedure is not working as it should. I filed an address change form with the IRS to notify the agency that my parents' registered address is the same as mine.
The Taxpayer Advocate Service is an independent organization within the IRS and is your voice in the IRS. After receiving answers from the IRS that they believe are wrong or that they don't have any answers, most taxpayers believe that they have only two options. But if you're having trouble resolving an issue with the IRS and you've done everything you can, TAS might be able to help. You can file form 911, request assistance from the Taxpayer Advocate Service (and request a taxpayer assistance order), or ask an IRS employee to complete it on your behalf.
I also asked my parents to sign an IRS power of attorney form, which allows me to act on their behalf in tax matters. Every state has at least one local taxpayer advocate who is independent of the local IRS office and reports directly to the National Taxpayer Advocate. Clinics for low-income taxpayers (LITC) represent low-income taxpayers before the Internal Revenue Service, help taxpayers with audits, appeals and collection disputes, and can help taxpayers respond to IRS notifications and correct problems with accounts. I never received an acknowledgment from the IRS of receipt of my letter or that I was their agent in tax matters.
I asked the IRS to process the return and include any income that it knew from the informational returns filed for the year.
