TL/DR –
The IRS has introduced a new “corporate group mailbox” to simplify communication between large business taxpayers and the Independent Office of Appeals. Available until March 31, 2025, the platform facilitates secure communication and records sharing among large business taxpayers with multiple representatives. Despite the benefits, taxpayer representative teams should adopt group procedures to ensure coordinated and strategic messaging, to avoid undermining their appeals efforts, and to control the flow of information.
IRS Introduces Corporate Group Mailbox to Streamline Communication with Large Businesses
The IRS’s new “corporate group mailbox” is a move towards more efficient communication between large businesses and the Independent Office of Appeals. While this tool enhances the efficiency of appeals processes, taxpayers’ representative teams need to strategize their responses to the IRS.
The group mailboxes offer large taxpayers with multiple representatives a secure platform for communication and record sharing during the appeals process. This is available now until March 31, 2025, as part of IRS’s initiative to upgrade technology infrastructure, funded by the Inflation Reduction Act. It also answers calls from the Treasury Inspector General For Tax Administration for greater use of digital communication tools.
Secure messaging has been slowly implemented due to the IRS’s obligation to safeguard taxpayer privacy. This started with a pilot secure messaging tool in 2016 under the Taxpayer Digital Communication program, which then expanded to other IRS divisions, including the Independent Office of Appeals Secure Messaging in June 2021.
Until now, IRS has mainly conducted secure messaging through individual authorized representatives and shared files through the secure object repository mailbox. This new system could prevent representative teams from missing crucial communications.
The corporate group mailbox will allow real-time communication with the Appeals office, but requires careful management. All authorized representatives, including those from the taxpayer’s internal tax office, could potentially interact with Appeals. Without proper planning, inconsistent messaging could inadvertently hinder their appeals efforts.
Teams can prevent potential issues by adopting group procedures for communicating with Appeals. Representatives opting into the corporate group mailbox should coordinate responses to control information flow and ensure consistent messaging.
The corporate group mailbox enhances communication with the IRS without compromising privacy – a significant advantage for taxpayers and their representatives, especially for complex cases. Its permanence is unclear, but it’s a welcomed improvement.
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