Taxpayer Advocate's call to action

Get private tax-debt collectors off the streets and out of taxpayers' hair.

Repeal the alternative minimum tax provisions.

Eliminate or at least simplify income phase-out rules that apply to numerous tax breaks.

Improve services and tax laws that affect military personnel.

Do the same for spouses facing tax problems because of a partner's or ex's actions.

Those are just a few of the recommendations Taxpayer Advocate Nina Olson has for the IRS and lawmakers in her annual report to Congress.

I'm tied up this morning on other projects, but later today I'll look at and comment on these and other items in Olson's report. I did, though, want to give you a heads-up that the document was out there,
just in case you wanted to peruse it over your lunch break.

Links to the very lengthy full report can be found here. Or you can check out this 14-page executive summary for the highlights.

Comments

[dimes]

I believe that ALL active duty military personnel should be excepted from filing a state income tax return based on military income. A lot of states waive it, and enough personnel change their residency to a state where they don't owe taxes. For the rest of them, it creates a tremendous and unnecessary hassle. If they work part time at McD's or if they're reservists who normally work and were called up to active duty, make them pay taxes on that income, and tax pensions on the state level but for full-time personnel? Lay off already!

*This rant was brought to you by the bedraggled wife of a Pennsylvania sailor who has to file blank returns with orders stapled to them "just because." Absolutely ridiculous.