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S 3355 112th Congress Senate

Taxpayer Bill of Rights Act of 2012

Official title: A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide taxpayer protection and assistance, and for other purposes.

Introduced: June 28, 2012 See on congress.gov
Taxation Accounting and auditingAdministrative law and regulatory proceduresAdministrative remediesBank accounts, deposits, capital
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Congressional oversightConsumer affairsConsumer creditDepartment of the TreasuryFinancial literacyFinancial services and investmentsFraud offenses and financial crimesGovernment information and archivesGovernment studies and investigationsInsurance industry and regulationInternal Revenue Service (IRS)Judicial review and appealsPoverty and welfare assistanceSocial work, volunteer service, charitable organizationsTax administration and collection, taxpayers
This bill died when the 112th Congress ended
It never became law before the 112th Congress (2011–2012) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 2 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Jun 28, 2012
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Jun 28, 2012
Introduced in Senate
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 Latest action June 28, 2012

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Taxpayer Bill of Rights Act of 2012 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to require the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the National Taxpayer Advocate, to publish a summary statement of taxpayer rights and obligations.

Authorizes the Secretary to make grants to develop, expand, or continue volunteer income tax assistance programs to assist low-income taxpayers. Allows tax preparation program grant recipients to use grant funds to provide services related to financial literacy, asset development, and the establishment of savings accounts.

Increases the grant funding for low-income taxpayer clinics.

Requires the Secretary to: (1) prescribe regulations for the regulation of tax return preparers not otherwise regulated and to regulate the conduct of enrolled agents in their practice before the Internal Revenue Service (IRS); (2) require the annual registration of refund delivery product facilitators; and (3) furnish to the public the identity of any person who is an enrolled agent, attorney, or certified public accountant on file with the IRS, who is a tax return preparer, or who is registered as a refund delivery product facilitator.

Applies the penalty for understatements of taxpayer liability by tax return preparers to tax submissions other than tax returns or claims for refunds.

Prohibits the Secretary from filing a notice of lien with respect to any taxpayer unless: (1) the lien attaches to distrainable property, (2) the Secretary determines that the benefit to the government of filing outweighs the harm to the taxpayer and that the filing will not jeopardize the taxpayer's ability to comply with the internal revenue laws and to continue to secure funding to maintain business operations, (3) the Secretary notifies the taxpayer that the Secretary has determined to file such notice, and (4) the taxpayer is afforded an opportunity to appeal that determination. Requires the Secretary to consider specified factors in making such determination, including the amount due, the value of the taxpayer's equity in or rights to property, the taxpayer's compliance history, and the effect of the lien filing on the taxpayer's ability to obtain financing, generate future income, and pay current and future tax liabilities.

Prohibits persons licensed to practice before the Department of the Treasury from directly or indirectly offering or providing audit insurance.

Authorizes the National Taxpayer Advocate to issue Taxpayer Advocate directives for granting relief to taxpayers.

Expresses the sense of Congress that the IRS should take specified steps within two years to improve service to taxpayers.

Authorizes the Secretary to: (1) award demonstration project grants to provide accounts in federally insured depository institutions to taxpayers who do not currently have an account with a financial institution; (2) study the feasibility of, and establish a pilot program on, delivering tax refunds on debit cards or other electronic means for taxpayers who do not have access to financial accounts or institutions; (3) identify legislative and administrative changes that would enable the IRS to receive and process information reporting documents before it processes tax returns; and (4) assess the effectiveness of collection alternatives, especially offers in compromise, on long-term tax compliance.

Requires de novo review in U.S. Tax Court of any determination by the IRS with respect to a claim for equitable innocent spouse relief.

 Related & companion bills 1
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 3355: Taxpayer Bill of Rights Act of 2012. 112th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/112-S-3355/
MLA
"S. 3355: Taxpayer Bill of Rights Act of 2012." 112th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/112-S-3355/.
Bluebook (legal)
S. 3355, 112th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/112-S-3355/.
Markdown link
[S. 3355: Taxpayer Bill of Rights Act of 2012](https://openamerica.io/bill/112-S-3355/)
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