WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) today announced the selection of 26 new members to serve on the nationwide Taxpayer Advocacy Panel (TAP). The TAP is a federal advisory committee charged with providing taxpayer suggestions to improve IRS customer service.

The new TAP members will join 51 returning members to round out the panel of 77 volunteers for 2013. The new members were selected from almost 400 interested individuals from across the country who applied during an open recruitment period last spring or the pool of alternate members who applied in prior years.

“TAP members provide an important voice for taxpayers and provide valuable insights to help run the nation’s tax administration system,” said IRS Acting Commissioner Steven T. Miller.

The TAP listens to taxpayers, identifies issues and makes suggestions for improving IRS service and customer satisfaction. Oversight and program support for the TAP are provided by the Taxpayer Advocate Service, an independent organization within the IRS that helps resolve taxpayer problems and makes recommendations to avoid future problems.

“It is critical that the IRS listen to the needs and preferences of America’s taxpayers,” said Nina E. Olson, National Taxpayer Advocate. “The vital work of these citizen volunteers helps the IRS provide all taxpayers with the top-quality service they deserve.”

TAP members work with IRS executives on priority topics, primarily those involving the Wage & Investment and Small Business/Self-Employed operating divisions. Members also serve as a conduit for bringing grassroots concerns raised by the taxpaying public to the attention of the IRS.

TAP members are U.S. citizens who volunteer to serve a three-year appointment and are expected to devote 200 to 300 hours per year to panel activities. TAP members are demographically and geographically diverse, providing balanced representation from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

Taxpayers can contact the TAP representative for their geographic area by calling 888-912-1227 (a toll-free call) or via the Internet at www.improveirs.org. Taxpayers can also send written correspondence to the TAP at the following address:

Taxpayer Advocacy Panel (TAP)

TA: TAP, Room 1509

1111 Constitution Avenue, NW

Washington, D.C.  20224

Individuals interested in volunteering to serve on the TAP for 2014 may submit an application via the website www.improveirs.org during the next open recruiting period, which will begin in late Februray 2013.

A list of the new TAP members by location is included below.

Direct deposit is the fast, easy and safe way to receive your tax refund. Whether you file electronically or on paper, direct deposit gives you access to your refund faster than a paper check.

Here are four reasons more than 80 million taxpayers chose direct deposit in 2012:

1. Security.  Every year the U.S. Postal Service returns thousands of paper checks to the IRS as undeliverable. Direct deposit eliminates the possibility of a lost, stolen or undeliverable refund check.
2. Convenience.  With direct deposit, the money goes directly into your bank account. You will not have to make a special trip to the bank to deposit the money yourself.
3. Ease.  It’s easy to choose direct deposit. When you are preparing your tax return, simply follow the instructions on the tax return or in the tax software. Make sure you enter the correct bank account and bank routing transit numbers.
4. Options.  You can deposit your refund into more than one account. With the split refund option, taxpayers can divide their refunds among as many as three checking or savings accounts and up to three different U.S. financial institutions. Use IRS Form 8888, Allocation of Refund (Including Savings Bond Purchases), to divide your refund. If you are designating part of your refund to pay your tax preparer, you should not use Form 8888. You should only deposit your refund directly into accounts that are in your own name, your spouse’s name or both if it’s a joint account.

Some banks require both spouses’ names on the account to deposit a tax refund from a joint return. Check with your bank for their direct deposit requirements.

Check the instructions in your tax form for more information about direct deposit and the split refund option. Helpful tips on both are also available in IRS Publication 17, Your Federal Income Tax. Publication 17 and IRS Form 8888 are available on IRS.gov or by calling the IRS at 1-800-TAX-FORM (1-800-829-3676).

Additional IRS Resources:

• Form 8888, Allocation of Refund (including Savings Bonds Purchases)
• Publication 17, Your Federal Income Tax
• What to Expect for Refunds in 2013