On Monday, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced that it would discontinue the majority of unannounced in-person visits to taxpayers.
According to the agency, the decision aims to enhance safety for both taxpayers and employees and to minimize public confusion.
Effective immediately, the agency said, unannounced visits will end “except in a few unique circumstances.”
Moving forward, affected taxpayers will now be notified through mail letters to schedule appointments, replacing the previous practice of unannounced visits.
“We are taking a fresh look at how the IRS operates to better serve taxpayers and the nation, and making this change is a common-sense step,” IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel said in a statement. “Changing this long-standing procedure will increase confidence in our tax administration work and improve overall safety for taxpayers and IRS employees.”
Werfel highlighted growing security concerns due to scam artists posing as IRS agents, causing confusion for taxpayers and local law enforcement about home visits by IRS revenue officers.
He acknowledged that the unannounced visits made by IRS revenue officers to homes and businesses also posed difficulties.
“These visits created extra anxiety for taxpayers already wary of potential scam artists,” Werfel said. “At the same time, the uncertainty around what IRS employees faced when visiting these homes created stress for them as well. This is the right thing to do and the right time to end it.”
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