IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman Talks Taxes at National Press Club on April 5

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Mar 28, 2012, 01:00 ET

--Tax Chief Looks Ahead to Future of Nation's Tax System as April Deadline Nears --

WASHINGTON, March 28, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Doug Shulman, the 47th Commissioner of the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, will speak at a National Press Club Luncheon on Thursday, April 5. Now in his final year of a five-year term, Shulman will provide his perspective as the nation's tax deadline approaches in a speech titled "Looking Back and Looking Forward for the Nation's Tax System."

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Shulman, whose agency collects $2.4 trillion in tax revenue, has emphasized the necessity of maintaining a balance between taxpayer service and tax enforcement. His stated goals for the IRS are improving service to make voluntary compliance easier for taxpayers while at the same time enforcing the law to ensure everyone meets their obligation to pay the taxes they owe.

So far in 2012, the IRS announced a major expansion of its "Fresh Start" initiative to help struggling taxpayers by providing new penalty relief to the unemployed and making installment agreements available to more people. Under the new provisions, some taxpayers who have been unemployed for 30 days or longer will be able to avoid failure-to-pay penalties. In addition, the IRS is doubling the dollar threshold for taxpayers eligible for installment agreements to help more people qualify for the program.

"We have an obligation to work with taxpayers who are struggling to make ends meet," said Shulman said in February. "This new approach makes sense for taxpayers and for the nation's tax system, and it's part of a wider effort we have underway to help struggling taxpayers."

The April 5 Press Club luncheon will begin promptly at 12:30 p.m. Remarks by Commissioner Shulman will begin at 1:00 p.m., followed by a question-and-answer session. Advance reservations should be made through 202-662-7501 or by emailing [email protected]. Cost of luncheon admission is $19 for National Press Club members, $30 for their guests, and $37 for the general public. Tickets must be purchased at time of reservation.

National Press Club Luncheons are web-cast live on press.org. Follow the conversation on Twitter using the hashtag #NPCLunch, or on Facebook at (facebook.com/PressClubDC) and Twitter (@PressClubDC).

Submit questions for speakers in advance and during the live event by sending them to @QNPCLunch on Twitter. Or email a question in advance, type SHULMAN in the subject line and send to [email protected] before 10 a.m. on April 5.

The Press Club is on the 13th floor, 529 14th Street, NW, Washington, D.C. Credentialed press may cover this event.

About the National Press Club: The National Press Club is the world's leading professional organization for journalists with more than 3,400 members worldwide representing every major news organization. More than 250,000 people visit the Club each year to attend more than 2,000 events. The Club was founded in 1908 and is on the web at press.org.

SOURCE National Press Club