We welcome guest blogger Caleb Smith who runs the tax clinic at University of Minnesota and who regularly blogs with us on designated orders. Recently, Caleb headed up a comment project for the ABA Tax Section on Rev. Proc. 99-21. In the almost 20 years after the passage of section 6511(h), the IRS has not issued regulations concerning that subparagraph and to my knowledge had not previously called for comments. The opportunity to comment on this provision is a very positive development and the group headed by the Caleb did an excellent job in their comments on this provision and how the IRS could change some of the rules it applies in administering the provision to follow more closely the purpose of the statute and to make it easier for taxpayers to comply without making it more difficult for the IRS to administer. The IRS is rightfully concerned that it does not want to open a floodgate of requests for relief that it would have to manage and concerned that it would not receive appropriate information to allow it to make the proper decision concerning relief to allow someone to claim a refund after, and sometimes long after, the statute of limitations had expired.
Because I was aware that the ABA Tax Section was making these comments and because I wanted to highlight the specific issue of who can appropriately provide information to the IRS regarding someone’s disability, I also sent in comments on this issue on the narrow issue of who the IRS should listen to in making this decision. I am hopeful that a fresh look at this issue after 20 years of administration and litigation will allow the IRS the opportunity to improve upon the original procedures making it easier for it and taxpayers to appropriately determine and obtain relief. Keith
With all the focus on Graev, it can sometimes be easy to lose sight of the other, important issues that Procedurally Taxing has consistently blogged about. One such issue that, absent PT’s coverage, may not have been at the forefront of practitioner’s consciousness are the problems with Rev. Proc. 99-21 in determining “financial disability.” Much like supervisory approval in Graev, financial disability is a product of the 1998 IRS Restructuring and Reform Act that may not have been given quite its due in the decades after its enactment. Since the ABA Tax Section recently submitted comments to the IRS about concerns it has with the Rev. Proc. now seems a good time to get reacquainted with the issue.
The Crux of Rev. Proc. 99-21: Showing “Financial Disability”
The phrase “Financial Disability” probably doesn’t mean a lot to most tax practitioners (or doctors, or anyone else, for that matter). But for tax purposes, the concept is somewhat simple: under IRC 6511(h), financial disability of a taxpayer tolls the statute of limitations for claiming a refund. Thus, financial disability allows for refunds that would otherwise be time-barred. There aren’t a lot of exceptions to the mechanical (and mind-boggling) statutory provisions governing refund claims, so this provision may come as both a surprise and relief to many. The problem is largely in proving that one is financially disabled. And this, in turn, is problematic at least in part because of the IRS procedures for showing financial disability in Rev. Proc. 99-21.
Along with Christina Thompson of Michigan State and Eliezer Mishory of the IRS, I presented on this topic at the most recent Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic conference in Washington, D.C. On giving the presentation, I encountered two general reactions: (1) many practitioners expressed that they previously had no idea what “financial disability” was (some expected our presentation to be about collection issues, probably “financial hardship”) and (2) practitioners that did know what financial disability was shared very similar frustrations with how to prove it. Those frustrations almost all dealt with Rev. Proc. 99-21.
Procedurally Taxing has covered this issue numerous times. Early posts note the near-futility of taxpayers challenging the IRS in court on financial disability grounds. The trend, however, has shifted in taxpayer’s favor (posts here and here). Courts progressed from questioning Rev. Proc. 99-21 in Kurko v. Commissioner to outright holding for the taxpayer when the IRS failed to provide rationale for rules within Rev. Proc. 99-21 in Stauffer v. IRS.
IRS Request for Comments and the ABA Tax Section Submission
My hope is that, in the aftermath of Kurko and Stauffer, the IRS will be more receptive to changes to Rev. Proc. 99-21 because there is little reason to stick with a sinking ship. The general criticisms in the ABA comments could be summarized as:
(1) Rev. Proc. 99-21 is not faithful to the intent of the enabling statute, stemming largely from the Congressional override of the Supreme Court in Brockamp;
(2) Changes are needed to ensure that vulnerable taxpayers are protected and any such change should, at the minimum, make it likely that the taxpayer in Brockamp would be found “financially disabled”; and
(3) Rev. Proc. 99-21’s disallowance of psychologists as a professional that can attest to a mental impairment is poorly reasoned, poorly drafted, and vulnerable to challenge in Court.
The suggestions provided to remedy these issues were sensitive to IRS worries that changes to Rev. Proc. 99-21 may open floodgates for late refund claims that cannot be quickly resolved, or that may allow the simply negligent to cash-in. The four recommendations are meant to balance legitimate IRS concerns while also protecting taxpayer rights and getting to the correct outcome. Some of the recommendations work towards administrative ease (publishing a list of prima facie section 6511(h) applicable medical conditions), while others focus on the realities that “financially disabled” (often low-income) taxpayers face (like poor medical records and greater involvement with psychologists and social workers than medical doctors).
I encourage readers to take a look at the submitted comments and to keep financial disability on their radar in the future. It can mean quite a lot to the more vulnerable individuals in society.