Congressman Sander Levin

Assistance with the IRS

If you are having a problem with an issue relating to the IRS, my office may be able to help.

Some examples of problems my office may be able to help resolve are: tax disputes, clarification hardship issues.

In order for my office to make an inquiry with the IRS, you must first fill out the privacy release form authorizing myself or my staff to receive information on your behalf. You can access a privacy release form online, or by contacting my district office, if you would like it mailed to you. Once you have filled out the privacy release form, you can mail, fax, or drop it off to my district office in Roseville:

Frequently Asked Questions

• How do I contact the IRS by telephone?
• How do I find out where my tax refund is?
• Where can I get IRS tax forms?
• Where are the new tax provisions I am hearing about in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009?
• I recently purchased a home, how do I take advantage of the first-time homebuyer's tax credits?
• Can your office help me with my State of Michigan, county or city taxes?
• Does the IRS communicate with taxpayer’s by e-mail?
  
  

Q. How do I contact the IRS by telephone?

A. Here is a list of the IRS telephone assistance numbers. Additionally, you can contact the local Taxpayer Advocate’s office in Detroit to set-up an appointment for assistance.

Q. How do I find out where my tax refund is?

A. You can visit the IRS website, and by entering some basic information, you will be able to find out your refund status.

Q. Where can I get IRS tax forms?

A. The IRS has out together a comprehensive forms and publications page on their website. You can search for forms and print them directly from the website for no charge. You can also view and print publications that are helpful in understanding various tax topics.

Q. Where are the new tax provisions I am hearing about in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009?

A. Some of the key tax provision highlights in the Recovery Act (link) are the Making Work Pay tax credit which means more take-home pay for many Americans, receiving the first $2,400 in Unemployment Benefits Tax Free in 2009, and tax credits for energy-efficient improvements to existing homes.

Q. I recently purchased a home, how do I take advantage of the first-time homebuyer's tax credits?

A. Please visit the first-time homebuyers section of the IRS website for detailed information.

Q. Can your office help me with my State of Michigan, county or city taxes?

A. No. Your state taxes are collected by the State of Michigan-Department of Treasury and are not under the jurisdiction of the federal government or the IRS. Your county or city taxes are collected by the county or city in which you reside and are also not under the jurisdiction of the federal government or the IRS.

Q. Does the IRS communicate with taxpayer’s by e-mail?

A. No, the IRS does not initiate taxpayer communications through e-mail. There are several phishing and e-mail scams that the IRS is aware of and you should be as well. They have set-up a phishing and e-mail scams page where you can learn about how to detect, avoid and report potential scams. Many of these scams improperly misuse the IRS name, logo and forms, so it is important to pay close attention if you receive what you feel is a suspicious email.

(Updated June 20, 2009)