IRS to hold Saturday open house in Edison

EDISON — The Internal Revenue Service will host a special open house on Sept. 25 to help taxpayers, especially veterans and people with disabilities, solve tax problems and respond to IRS notices.

One hundred IRS offices in the U.S., including its office at 100 Dey Place in Edison, will be open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. IRS staff will be available on-site or by phone to help taxpayers work through issues, said Gregg Semanick, New Jersey’s IRS spokesperson.

In many locations, the IRS will partner with organizations that serve veterans and the disabled to offer additional help and information. Partner organizations include the National Disability Institute (NDI), Vets First, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the National Council on Independent Living and the American Legion.

“Taxpayers have tremendous success solving their tax issues at our open houses,” IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman said. “I want to encourage veterans and people with disabilities to come in on Sept. 25. Just like we reached out earlier this year to small businesses and victims of the Gulf oil spill, we want to help other taxpayers put their toughest problems behind them.”

Semanick said the IRS locations will be equipped to handle issues involving notices and payments, return preparation, audits and a variety of other issues.

At an IRS open house on June 5, more than 6,700 taxpayers nationwide sought assistance, and 96 percent had their issues resolved the same day, Semanick said.

At the Sept. 25 open house, anyone who has a tax question or has received a notice can speak with an IRS employee to get an answer or an explanation of what is necessary to satisfy the request, according to the IRS. A taxpayer who cannot pay a balance due can find out whether an installment agreement is appropriate and, if so, fill out the paperwork then and there. Assistance with offers-in-compromise — an agreement between a taxpayer and the IRS that settles the taxpayer’s debt for less than the full amount owed — will also be available.

Likewise, a taxpayer struggling to complete a certain IRS form or schedule can work directly with IRS staff to get the job done.

Taxpayers requiring special services, such as interpretation for the deaf or hard of hearing, should call the local Taxpayer Assistance Center ahead of time to schedule an appointment.

The open house on Sept. 25 is the third of three events scheduled after this year’s tax season. Plans are under way for similar events next year.