Paul Caron alerts us to a TIGTA report titled A Statistical Portrayal of the Taxpayer Advocate Service for Fiscal Years 2005 Through 2009 which states that taxpayer identity theft cases have increased nearly fivefold over the the last three years (emphasis is mine):
Rising case receipts are presenting challenges for the Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS) to timely resolve taxpayer problems. … Yet despite the challenges, the TAS … is reporting high overall quality (88%) and customer satisfaction (84%) ratings. …
Many internal and external factors have affected the TAS’s ability to timely assist taxpayers. Specifically, the economy, the IRS’s increased emphasis on enforcement actions, and legislative changes have led to more taxpayers asking for the TAS’s help.
For example, the number of TAS cases involving identity theft increased from 2,486 in FY 2006 to 14,023 in FY 2009 (an increase of more than 460%). Overall, TAS has experienced a 38% increase in case receipts since Fiscal Year 2005. These factors have impaired the TAS’s ability to timely resolve taxpayer problems. … [I]n Fiscal Year 2009, cases were open an average of 80 calendar days, an increase of 14 calendar days (22%) since Fiscal Year 2005.
Advice to Tax Professionals: Invest in a quality shredder and be sure to shred all documents and papers containing your clients’ social security numbers and other personal information.
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1 Taxpayer Identity Theft Cases Continue to Rise at Taxes // Sep 5, 2010 at 7:42 am
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