Who we are

The Taxpayer’s Rights Advocate Office helps taxpayers who cannot resolve problems through normal channels.  We aim to protect your rights and ensure your tax problems are handled promptly and fairly.  

Taxpayer Rights Advocate Office staff are independent of Virginia Tax program staff.  

How we can help

Ensure fair and consistent application of Virginia tax law and policies
Solve problems and suggest options for taxpayer dilemmas
Advocate for individual taxpayer concerns
Promote taxpayer issues and concerns to department policymakers and state legislators

What we can't do

  • Change the application of Virginia tax law for individual or business situations
  • Intercede in an audit, handle a protest, waive taxes, penalties, or interest, or answer technical questions 
  • Act as a substitute in formal or informal protest procedures
  • Reduce tax liability through an offer in compromise when taxes are legally due 
  • Grant or set payment plans
  • Change time limits for filings, payments, or refunds
  • Act as legal counsel for individual situations
  • Help you with your federal income tax and taxes you pay to other states or Virginia localities

 

When to contact the Taxpayer Rights Advocate Office

Contact us if:

  • You will lose or be unable to maintain your house, purchase groceries, pay your utilities, or maintain your transportation to work. 
  • You will incur significant costs, such as fees for obtaining representation to help with relief.
  • You will suffer adverse impacts such as significant loss of income, damage to your credit report, or damage that cannot be restored to its previous status. 
  • There's been a delay of more than ** days after regular processing time to resolve a tax-related problem.  This includes contact with Virginia Tax, in which Virginia Tax requests additional time to process your request. 
  • Virginia Tax was supposed to respond to you or resolve your request by a specific date, but you have yet to hear from them. 
  • A Virginia Tax system or procedure has failed to operate as intended or could not resolve your problem or dispute.
     

Contact us

Taxpayer Rights Advocate
Virginia Department of Taxation
PO Box 546
Richmond, Virginia 23218-0546 

Phone: 804.***.****
Email:  ***@tax.virginia.gov
FAX:    804.367.0539