Learning how to use the IRS’s e‑Services tools can greatly improve practitioners efficiency. Looking back on the busy tax season that just ended, some practitioners are spending too much time on the phone with the IRS. They’re needlessly navigating the phone lines to find the right person to help with what is often a small matter. Fortunately, learning how to maximize the full range of the IRS’s e‑Services tools can greatly improve efficiency. The rate of e‑Services usage among practitioners is increasing as tax professionals learn more about the system. From 2011 to 2012, practitioners filed 17% more authorization forms and requested 33% more transcripts via e‑Services. The IRS has continually expanded e‑Services to enable practitioners to use three e‑Services products:
1. Disclosure Authorization (DA), which allows practitioners to file Form 2848, Power of Attorney and Declaration of Representative, and Form 8821, Tax Information Authorization.
2. Transcript Delivery System (TDS), which allows practitioners to obtain any of the five types of IRS transcripts.
3. Electronic Account Resolution (EAR), which allows practitioners to make inquiries and resolve client account‑related issues. EAR inquiries are answered by the same IRS customer service representatives who handle Practitioner Priority Service (PPS) calls, but without the wait times. EAR also offers the ability to work with one PPS representative to resolve a client account issue. However, you can’t use EAR to resolve compliance issues, such as audits, appeals, and collection matters.
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