Ask the Advocate May 2021 Tax News

Our commitment to helping taxpayers remains strong

Returning to the Advocate's team, I'm discovering that while some things have changed, our commitment to help taxpayers who have been unable to resolve their tax problems through normal channels, to protect your and your clients' rights, and ensure that FTB handles your and your clients' tax problems promptly and fairly remains as strong as ever.

As the first part of the 2020 tax season wraps up, I would like to remind you that, during this busy time, the hours for the Tax Practitioner Hotline, (916) 845-7057, are extended. Beginning May 5 through May 17, our customer service representatives will be available to answer your questions from 8 AM to 6 PM, excluding weekends. For shorter wait times, Chat with us via your MyFTB Account during these extended hours. Please be sure to check the Wait Times dashboard for real-time information to help you determine the days of the week and times when it's best to call or Chat.

I also want to let you know that we have already started planning for our annual CSEA and CalCPA Liaison meetings, as well as our Executive Officer's Advisory Board meeting. Like last year, due to ongoing safety concerns from the pandemic, we will again be holding all three of these meetings virtually. I look forward to these meetings, and future events and conferences as a way to meet you, learn how this filing season went, hear your concerns, and solicit your ideas for improvements to the services we provide.

Finally, if you are planning an upcoming event and would like someone from our team to make a presentation about tax related issues, email us at EducationandOutreach@ftb.ca.gov. In your email, please include: name, phone number, organization, date and location, request topics, number of attendees, materials/biography deadlines, and any special requirements.

I hope that the next few weeks of this filing season go well for you, and your well-deserved time off afterwards will be very relaxing.