New Taxpayer Advocate Starts Early to Aid in Covid-19 Response

New National Taxpayer Advocate Erin Collins will start her role Monday, earlier than planned, to help guide her office’s response to the new coronavirus pandemic.

Collins, a former KPMG LLP director, was appointed advocate in February. In her new role she’ll lead the independent IRS office tasked with helping taxpayers to resolve their disputes with the agency.

• “I can’t imagine a more critical time to lead the Taxpayer Advocate Service and to help the nation’s taxpayers during this time,” Collins said in a statement Friday about her new start date. She had been expected to begin in early April.
• The Taxpayer Advocate Service, like other parts of the IRS, has been significantly impacted by Covid-19—suspending walk-in services and its centralized toll-free phone line.
• Collins succeeds Nina Olson, who left the position in July 2019 after leading the office for more than 18 years.