Pamara
Local Taxpayer Advocate, Taxpayer Advocate Service

I'm the Local Taxpayer Advocate for the State of Michigan. I work for the 
Taxpayer Advocate Service, which is an independent organization within the 
Internal Revenue Service, and we help taxpayers resolve problems with the 
Internal Revenue can't get resolved through normal channels. I started as a 
Revenue Officer. I became a Bankruptcy Manager. Then I became a Revenue 
Officer Group Manager. From the Revenue Officer Group Manager, I went to 
Problem Resolution as a Manager. And then from Problem Resolution, I 
became the Taxpayer Advocate for the State of Michigan. Have a sense of 
caring about taxpayers. Have empathy for taxpayers and want to assist 
taxpayers. Have good technical knowledge. Understand tax laws locally, as 
well as nationally. And if you know those things, you can be successful 
in this position. I came in as a Revenue Officer and I worked as a Revenue 
Officer. I have some technical background. I worked in bankruptcy. All of 
that prepared me for the position that I have now. But you could conceivably 
come in, even from Human Resources, and learn what you need to know.  We 
get some taxpayers who have hardship situations, such as can't meet 
their... have foreclosures or have instances where they can't meet their 
living expenses, and being able to provide some assistance or relief to 
those taxpayers  is most satisfying.