National Problem Solving Day Set for June 16,
Saturday Session Expands Service for Taxpayers

WASHINGTON - In the continuing effort to raise its standard of service to taxpayers, the Internal Revenue Service will hold a National Problem Solving Day on Saturday, June 16.

At 56 locations nationwide, people can get one-on-one tax help from IRS experts. The IRS will offer at least one Problem Solving Day location in each state.

“Although our doors are regularly open Monday through Friday for taxpayers who need tax help, we will also offer assistance on Saturday,” said IRS Wage and Investment Division Commissioner John Dalrymple. “By being available on Saturday, we hope to make it more convenient for taxpayers who work Monday through Friday.”

At each of the June 16 sessions, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. local time, individual taxpayers can sit down and discuss tax problems with IRS experts. IRS decision-makers will be at each location to help iron out taxpayer problems.

Taxpayers can make appointments to attend a Problem Solving Day by calling the IRS toll-free number – 1-800-829-1040. Taxpayers can also visit the Saturday session without an appointment.

Many taxpayers can resolve their questions or problems by calling the IRS toll-free number without even visiting a Problem Solving Day session. The IRS is working to make the spirit of Problem Solving Day a part of its day-to-day effort to help taxpayers.

“Offering assistance everyday plus this special Saturday reflects our commitment to top-quality, taxpayer-centered service,” said Jerry Heschel, IRS Director of Field Assistance. “It´s a direct result of the reorganization of the Internal Revenue Service.”

In November 1997, the IRS held the first Problem Solving Day. What emerged was an innovative approach of opening IRS doors to help taxpayers with long-standing problems, such as not receiving credit for a payment or not receiving a refund.

Since then almost 60,000 taxpayers have had their cases resolved at Problem Solving Days. Seven issues account for half of the case work: audit reconsideration, 13 percent; Offers In Compromise, 10 percent; requests for technical or procedural explanations, 7 percent; Installment Agreements, 7 percent; penalty issues, 6 percent; account notice inquiries, 6 percent; inability to pay, 5 percent. The remaining 46 percent are miscellaneous issues that either cross over many issues or other topics.

A list of the Problem Solving Day locations can be found by visiting www.irs.gov.

Problem Solving Day Event Locations,
June 16, 2001

Anchorage, AK	              Jacksonville, FL
Atlanta, GA	              Kansas City, MO
Augusta, ME	              Las Vegas, NV
Baltimore, MD	              Little Rock, AR
Bloomington, MN	              Los Angeles, CA
Birmingham, AL	              Louisville, KY
Boise, ID	              Manhattan, NY
Boston, MA	              Milwaukee, WI
Brooklyn, NY	              Nashville, TN
Buffalo, NY	              New Orleans, LA
Burlington, VT	              Oakland, CA
Charleston, WV	              Oklahoma City, OK
Cheyenne, WY	              Omaha, NE
Chicago, IL	              Philadelphia, PA
Cincinnati, OH	              Phoenix, AZ
Columbia, SC	              Portland, OR
Denver, CO	              Portsmouth, NH
Des Moines, IA	              Providence, RI
Detroit, MI	              Richmond, VA
Edison, NJ	              Salt Lake City, UT
Farmers Branch, TX	      San Antonio, TX
Ft. Lauderdale, FL	      Santa Ana, CA
Grand Forks, ND	              Santa Fe, NM
Greensboro, NC	              Seattle, WA
Hartford, CT	              Sioux Falls, SD
Helena, MT	              Wichita, KS
Honolulu, HI	              Wilmington, DE
Indianapolis, IN	
Jackson, MS

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