Taxpayer Advocate Services: How They Can Help with an EDD Issue
I work with many San Francisco business owners and taxpayers who are either having issues with the Employment Development Department (EDD) or facing an EDD audit. If you receive an Inquiry Regarding Records notice from the EDD, your business has been selected for an audit. In addition, the EDD will send your business a Pre-audit Questionnaire that must be completed prior to scheduling the initial audit meeting.
Business owners and taxpayers often ask whether they need to work with an experienced San Francisco tax attorney or if the Taxpayer Advocate Service can help them with an EDD issue. The answer is: it depends. Let’s look at what the Taxpayer Advocate Service is and how it can help you navigate tax issues with the EDD.
The Office of the Taxpayer Rights Advocate is responsible for protecting the rights of California taxpayers during all phases of the payroll tax administration, assessment and collection process. If you are unable to resolve an employment tax problem with your assigned EDD representative, supervisor and office manager, you may contact the Taxpayer Advocate Office for help. A representative from that office will review the issues and surrounding facts to make sure they have properly protected the rights of the taxpayer while also protecting the interests of the State of California.
If the Taxpayer Advocate Services finds that there is an EDD tax issue that needs resolving, they may recommend you explore the Settlements Program. This allows an employer the opportunity to enter into a settlement agreement to avoid the cost of prolonged litigation associated with resolving a disputed employment tax matter.
Dealing with the EDD can be difficult and EDD audits confusing. And while the Taxpayer Advocate Service is there to help you navigate EDD issues, the best thing you can do to protect your business and prevent a possible audit is to speak to a San Francisco tax attorney with experience in EDD audits.
Allison Soares is a partner and tax attorney at Vanst Law LLP. It doesn’t matter the issue: audits, collections, appeals, international disclosures, grumpy people— Allison enjoys fixing problems. In addition to her legal work, she has worked in accounting and utilizes that knowledge to her advantage while handling cases involving EDD audits from San Francisco to San Diego.
