Taxpayers have the right to appeal an IRS decision in an independent forum.

The Office of Appeals that handles a taxpayer’s case must be separate from the IRS office that initially reviewed the case. Generally, Appeals will not discuss a case with the IRS to the extent that those communications appear to compromise the independence of Appeals.

Points to remember about the right to appeal:

  • Statutory notice of deficiency is an IRS letter proposing additional tax. Taxpayers who receive this notice and who then timely file a petition with the United States Tax Court may dispute the proposed adjustment before they must pay the tax.
  • Taxpayers are entitled to a fair and impartial appeal of most IRS decisions, including many penalties.
  • Taxpayers have the right to receive a written response regarding a decision.
  • Generally, taxpayers may file a refund suit in a United States district court or the United States Court of Federal Claims if:
  • They have fully paid the tax and the IRS has denied their tax refund claim.
  • NO action is taken on the refund claim within six months.
  • It’s been less than two years since the IRS mailed them a notice denying the refund.