ICYMI: Practitioner Priority Service (PPS) and Automated Collection System (ACS) Changes to Help Provide Better Service

SB/SE’s Automated Collection System (ACS) will now exclusively resolve collection issues. This is a shift in procedure. Under this new division of duties, Practitioner Priority Service assistors will not be able to take any actions for collection activities, including installment agreements and short-term payment plans. The taxpayer, or their authorized representative, must contact ACS to resolve these account issues.

The IRS will update its notices to ensure it contains the appropriate phone number for the area that is best suited to assist with the customer/client issue. Please note that third parties authorized by Forms 8821 and 8655 cannot act on behalf of the taxpayer to resolve collection delinquencies.

With changes to call routing, some third-party callers may need to be transferred to the correct IRS office. In order to minimize any service disruptions, the IRS updated the PPS automated recording to say: “If your client's account is in Automated Collection System status, ACS, or you need to address balance due issues, press or say 4.”

PPS assistors will continue to work with Forms 2848, 8821 and 8655. They will assist practitioners with their clients’ tax issues by verbally providing certain information from transcripts. Examples would be allocating misapplied payments, correcting math error issues, account adjustments, balance due and missing returns, and such.

The IRS apologizes for any confusion or inconvenience by this shift in PPS procedure. Hopes are that these division of work changes will help provide better overall telephone service across the agency.