Bill · S. 3931· Senate(119-S-3931)
TAS Act
- Introduced
- 2/26/2026
- Last activity
- 2/26/2026 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
- Sponsored by
- Mike Crapo
- Cosponsors
- - 0 - 1
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The "Taxpayer Assistance and Service Act" aims to improve the services provided to taxpayers by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). It creates new transparency requirements, including a real-time public dashboard for phone wait times and backlogs. The legislation expands electronic access for taxpayers to view their accounts, returns, and notices. It also establishes protections and assistance programs for low-income individuals, small businesses, taxpayers abroad, and wrongfully detained individuals. Additionally, the bill provides structural changes to the Tax Court and the IRS Office of Appeals to give everyday people fairer independent reviews.
Yes· 3 of 14
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?+3
The bill increases funding flexibility for low-income taxpayer clinics and eliminates installment agreement fees for low-sincome earners.
Would business owners be better off under this?+3
The bill offers penalty safe harbors and streamlines tax administration processes.
Does this cut taxes for small businesses?+3
The bill establishes a safe harbor from failure-to-pay penalties for small businesses meeting specific criteria.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Real-time IRS Wait Time Information: Section 102 requires the IRS to publish a real-time public website dashboard showing phone wait times, call numbers, and system backlogs. This helps everyday citizens know when to call and what delays to expect.
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Elimination of Certain Installment Fees: Section 107 eliminates fees for setting up tax installment agreements for individuals earning under 250 percent of the applicable poverty level, or for those who set up payments online using a debit instrument. This protects lower-income taxpayers from extra financial burdens.
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Expanded Access to Tax Court Disputes: Section 313 raises the threshold for small tax disputes in the Tax Court from $50,000 to $100,000, making it cheaper and easier for regular people to challenge tax decisions without expensive legal representation.
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Better Protections for Wrongfully Detained Individuals: Sections 801 and 802 postpone tax deadlines, abate penalties, and set up a refund program for hostages and United States nationals wrongfully detained abroad, ensuring they are not penalized while away.
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Extension of the Mailbox Rule: Section 903 extends the "mailbox rule" to electronic submissions and payments received within three business days of the deadline, giving people extra breathing room for digital filings.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Stricter Oversight and Penalties for Tax Preparers: Sections 501, 502, and 504 increase penalties and add background check, educational, and suitability requirements for paid tax return preparers. While meant to stop bad actors, these rules might lead to higher costs or fewer available tax preparation options for everyday filers in local communities.
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Quarterly Delinquency Notices: Section 109 requires the IRS to send notices to certain taxpayers with tax delinquencies quarterly rather than annually. Receiving these warning notices four times a year could create unnecessary stress or administrative confusion for struggling citizens.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Business Owners+3Good For Low Income Households+3Good For Middle Class Households+2Good For People With Disabilities+1Good For Students+1
- Economy And Finance
- Reduces Small Business Taxes+3Improves Small Business Support+2Reduces Middle Class Taxes+2Improves Economic Growth+1
- Governance And Ideology
- Improves Due Process+3Improves Government Transparency+3Improves Privacy Rights+2
- Social Issues And Justice
- Improves Poverty Reduction+2
- Education And Technology
- Improves Student Loan Relief+1
- 2/26/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in Senate
21 bills Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
- 119-HR-1868: Stop Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act of 2025
- 119-HR-6323: Taxpayer Protection and Preparer Proficiency Act
- 119-HR-7959: IRS Whistleblower Program Improvement Act
- 119-HR-7971: Taxpayer Experience Improvement Act
- 119-HR-8208: Taxpayer Advocate Continuity Act
- 119-HR-9496: End Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act
- 119-S-655: Stop Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act of 2025
- 119-S-4302: Improving IRS Customer Service Act
- 119-S-4639: IRS Whistleblower Program Improvement Act
- 119-S-4759: Tax Relief for Innocent Spouses Act
- 119-S-4761: Tax Court Parity Act
- 119-S-4881: Unlocking Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic Funding Act
- 119-S-5072: Taxpayer Transparency and Notice Act
- 119-S-5073: Tax Complexity and Fraud Prevention Review Act
- 119-S-5078: Small Tax Case Threshold Modernization Act
- 119-S-5141: A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to improve the notice and review procedure with respect to multi-year bans on claiming credits.
- 119-S-5142: A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to improve the process for providing refunds to taxpayers.
- 119-S-5143: A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to modify procedural requirements for penalties and disallowance periods.
- 119-S-5144: A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to eliminate installment agreement fees for certain individuals.
- 119-S-5162: Strengthening Taxpayer Advocacy Act
- 119-S-5441: TAS Act
Ron WydenDemocrat · Oregon