 internal revenue service IRS tax news every taxpayer has the right to retain representation when working with the IRS well that's great IRS however rather than the right to retain representation could I instead just retain my money but first an attempt at a joke at my last IRS audit the IRS agent told me that a leopard can't change its spots guess a leopard can't change his spots I don't know that much about leopards and I was like what what are we talking about who are you to tell a leopard what to do with their spots who you to judge me the leopard can do whatever it wants with its body dang it this mr. mr. giraffe leopards body leopards choice that's what I'm talking about who lets little boys grind on his rump dang fascist leopard oppressors die you fascist bastard I mean now I can see why leopard sometimes have to rise up and eat people rise up you are a mighty warrior rise up like a phoenix I'm it be like if the IRS tried to tell me that I had to cut my hair a close family member now worse my barber and it hit me pretty hard to whom I'm gonna get to cut my hair I'd be like well hey I'm cut my hair when I'm good and ready and not a second before you dang controlling sons bitch sir don't you think you've had enough I tell you when I've had enough what's that not cutting your hair may mean the state considers you to be transgender requiring the government to perform mandated castration hold on hold on a second here I thought we only did that kind of thing these days to young children please I only did that so I could stop the kids during school hour that crap doesn't apply to me I've been grandfathered in under the old rules gardens installed before August 1988 are grandfathered in and therefore permitted under HOA by laws I've been grandfathered in citrus was planted in 87 but you already knew that didn't you turns out I was just a pawn in your little game what's that you got my parents approval wait wait a second they would never actually that's not all that's surprising it's not surprising I'm afraid I am not a very popular among the Tlaxian people but still that doesn't matter I'm an adult date I've been grandfathered in under the old rules honestly kids are in trouble these days I'm telling you you kids are nothing but trouble cost me kills have I messed trouble I are as tax dip 2022-143 September 19th 2022 taxpayers have the right to retain and authorized representative of their choice to represent them when they are dealing with the IRS they also have the right to seek assistance from a low-income taxpayer clinic if they cannot afford representation there's a link to that here this is one of the 10 fundamental rights of all taxpayers as outlined in the taxpayer bill of rights there's a link to that here what the right to retain representation means for taxpayers taxpayers have the right to retain and authorized representative of their choice to represent them in their dealings with the IRS taxpayers who are heading to an interview with the IRS may select someone to represent them so in a similar way as you might have dealt with a court case or something like that you might have a lot of kind of things that need to be happening with regards to go into court and that kind of thing possibly being able to hire someone to act as your agent to represent you in some of those cases similar kind of process possibly with IRS representation having someone in essence act on your behalf basically acting as your agent taxpayers who retain representation don't have to attend with their representative unless the IRS formally summons them to appear so one of the great things if you're able to have representation if you can afford representation as they can go to some of the mandated kind of things that will be taking place and and represents you there so that'll save you a little bit of time at least if not hopefully saving you money as well as they act in your interest in most situations the IRS must suspend an interview at the taxpayer requests to consult with a representative such as an attorney certified public accountant or enrolled agent so if you're dealing with an IRS agent you're saying okay hold on a sec I think this might have gone over my head maybe I need to get some representation you should be allowed the time to do so in general any attorney CPA enrolled agent enrolled actuary or other person permitted to represent a taxpayer before the IRS who's not disbarred or suspended from practice before the IRS may submit a written power of attorney to represent a taxpayer before the IRS so this is a similar kind of process you're going to be hiring someone and giving them a power of attorney that's giving them some limited in scope generally capacities to be acting in your interest possibly dealing with the IRS agent and having some leeway in terms of the decisions that can be made on your behalf so taxpayers have the right to seek assistance from an LITC if they can't afford representation they can find an LITC near them by visiting the low-income taxpayer clinic page there's a link to that here or by calling the IRS toll-free at 800-829-3676 I won't repeat that a hundred times because it'll be in the link if you want to look at it in more detail the LITCs are independent from the IRS in the taxpayer Advocate Service there's a link that here these clinics represent individuals whose income is below a certain level and who need to resolve tax problems with the IRS LITCs can represent taxpayers in audits appeals and tax collection disputes before the IRS and in court in addition LITCs can provide information about taxpayer rights and rep and responsibilities in different languages for individuals who speak English as a second language services are offered for free or a small fee more information below you got Publication 4134 low-income taxpayer clinic list you got Publication 4134 low-income taxpayer clinics that's in Spanish version if you want to read it in Espanyo as well there'll be links to that here they'll be links to this in the description