The IRS created a Taxpayers Bill of Rights in 2004. The press release of what and where it is can be found on the IRS's website at http://ow.ly/yj098 and in Publication 1, "Your Rights as a Taxpayer". It covers 10 areas where you, as a taxpayer, have rights when dealing with the IRS. The 10 areas that are covered by this Bill of Rights are: The Right to Be Informed, The Right to Quality Service, The Right to Pay No More than the Correct Amount of Tax, The Right to Challenge the IRS’s Position and Be Heard, The Right to Appeal an IRS Decision in an Independent Forum, The Right to Finality, The Right to Privacy, The Right to Confidentiality, The Right to Retain Representation, and The Right to a Fair and Just Tax System. I'm not going to go into each area but I will say that this is a great step by an agency that most Americans don't like or don't understand.
I recommend that everyone who pays taxes, complains about the IRS, or just wants to know more about our current tax system to check out this document. We all have to pay taxes every year and we all grumble about it. I complain myself and I'm a tax preparer! Learning more about our tax system just might make tax season a little easier.