The Internal Revenue Service and the Treasury Department have named a new National Taxpayer Advocate to run the Taxpayer Advocate Service at the IRS, Erin M. Collins, who formerly worked at KPMG and the IRS.
Collins was managing director of KPMG’s Tax Controversy Services practice for the Western Area for 20 years, and prior to that, she was an attorney in the Office of Chief Counsel for the IRS for 15 years. She will be succeeding Bridget Roberts, who was named last year to fill the position on an interim basis following the retirement of longtime National Taxpayer Advocate Nina Olson. Two of the top Democrats on the tax-writing House Ways and Means Committee, chairman Richard Neal, D-Mass., and Oversight Subcommittee chair John Lewis, D-Ga., have urged Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin in January to appoint a permanent National Taxpayer Advocate, pointing to the crucial role that Olson played for 18 years in helping taxpayers and pointing out wider problems at the IRS and in tax administration. Collins is expected to play a similar role at the IRS.
“Erin Collins will be an outstanding voice for American taxpayers,” said Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin in a statement Thursday. “She has a wealth of experience representing a broad range of taxpayers before the IRS. She also developed valuable expertise during her years with the Office of Chief Counsel. Erin is the ideal candidate to help the IRS modernize and improve service for American families and businesses.”
While at KPMG, Collins represented individuals, partnerships and corporate taxpayers on technical and procedural tax matters involving the IRS, and has also helped some taxpayers with pro bono services.
“I am deeply honored to join the talented team at the IRS as the National Taxpayer Advocate and thank Secretary Mnuchin and Commissioner Rettig for the trust they have placed in me,” Collins said in a statement. “I will work every day to be a strong and effective representative of American taxpayers.”
As a volunteer, Collins has also joined with other professional women to work with teenage girls in underprivileged communities in after-school and weekend mentorship programs. She also devoted time to nonprofit boards to help communities where English is the second language spoken at home.
The National Taxpayer Advocate and the Taxpayer Advocate Service helps taxpayers resolve issues with the IRS and proposes changes to the administrative practices of the IRS. The NTA reports directly to the IRS commissioner, and regularly to Congress, on areas of the tax law that place significant burdens on taxpayers or the IRS, including recommending potential legislative changes.
“I look forward to working with Erin to improve the IRS for the benefit of all Americans and know that she will serve our nation with distinction,” said IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig in a statement. “I appreciate and respect the efforts of former NTA, Nina Olson and everyone within the Taxpayer Advocate Service . Our TAS employees are exemplary, and it’s clear they care deeply and passionately about serving taxpayers and our country. We are extremely thankful to Bridget Roberts for continuing the important work of the TAS organization during this period, which is a great testament to Bridget, the entire TAS team and the rest of the IRS who supported them.”