Kelly Phillips Erb, Contributor
Forbes

Over the years, I’ve represented a lot of clients before the IRS. I’ve listened to hours and hours of IRS hold music. And I’ve had a lot of conversations with IRS reps and agents. But last week something happened that truly shocked me: the IRS hung up on me. On purpose.

The details aren’t all that important. Basically, I called the IRS to discuss a client’s tax matter. While it’s my job to zealously protect the rights of my clients, I am very aware that the person on the end of the line is also doing their job, and as such, I am professional when I speak to the IRS. On this day, I did exactly that. I didn’t raise my voice. I wasn’t nasty. I merely tried to explain that there appeared to have been a cross in communications when the agent cut in abruptly with a brusque “This is how we do it” and then, Click.

I was actually rendered speechless. If you’ve met me, you’ll understand that’s quite the feat.

I called back, only to find that there is no way to speak to a supervisor without putting in a special request. I did exactly that – and I’m still waiting.

It was the first of a number of incidents that I would have previously considered to be out of character for IRS. Shocked by what appeared to be a change of direction from the “kinder, gentler IRS” in the 90s, I asked my colleagues on twitter whether they had noticed a difference in the IRS treatment of taxpayers:

The answer was…to continue reading click on IRS Gone Bad

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