Tag Archives: Taxpayer Bill of Rights

Understanding taxpayer rights: The right to finality

Taxpayers interacting with the IRS have the right to finality. This right comes into play for taxpayers who are going through an audit. These taxpayers have the right to know when the IRS has finished the audit. This is one of ten basic rights — known collectively as the Taxpayer Bill of Rights.

Here’s what taxpayers in the process of an audit, should know about their right to finality:

  • Taxpayers have the right to know:
    • The maximum amount of time they have to challenge the IRS’s position.
    • The maximum amount of time the IRS has to audit a particular tax year or collect a tax debt. 
    • When the IRS has finished an audit.  


Federal Excise Tax eFiling

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All taxpayers have the right to appeal an IRS decision in an independent forum

Taxpayers have the right to appeal an IRS decision in an independent forum. This is one of ten basic rights — known collectively as the Taxpayer Bill of Rights — that all taxpayers have when dealing with the IRS.

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