Effective November 18, 2016, Revenue Procedure 2016-57 established the Small Business/Self-Employed (“SB/SE”) Fast Track Mediation Collection (“FTMC”) program to allow taxpayers and the IRS to resolve disputes quickly with an Office of Appeals mediator serving as a neutral third party. The FTMC obsoletes the SB/SE Fast Track Mediation program (“FTM”) (as outlined in Revenue Procedure 2003-41) and will enable taxpayers to settle offer-in-compromise and trust recovery penalty issues quickly.

Participants in the FTM program were taxpayers whose cases were being worked in either Examination or Collection and provided taxpayers the opportunity to expedite resolution of their cases by mediating their disputes with an Appeals mediator acting as a neutral party. However, taxpayer requests for FTM have been infrequent throughout the life of the program and became increasingly so after Fast Track Settlement (“FTS”) was implemented. FTS is only available to taxpayers in Examination and does not provide an expedited Appeals alternative dispute resolution opportunity for taxpayers in Collection.

According to the revenue procedure, the FTMC was created to ensure that taxpayers involved in disputes with Collection will be afforded an early opportunity for expedited resolution of their cases via mediation. The FTMC can only be used when all other collection issues involving the taxpayer have been resolved. The IRS Appeals mediator does not have settlement authority in the FTMC proceeding and cannot render a decision regard any issue in dispute.

Case Eligibility

Appropriate cases for FTMC include:

  • Issues involving the value of a taxpayer’s assets
  • The amount of dissipated assets that should be included in the overall determination of reasonable collection potential
  • Whether the taxpayer meets the criteria for deviation from national and/or local expense standards
  • Determination of a taxpayer’s proportionate interest in jointly held assets
  • Projections of future income based on calculations other than current income
  • The calculation of a taxpayer’s future ability to pay when living expenses are shared with a non-liable person
  • Doubt as to liability cases worked by Collection
  • Other factual determinations, such as whether a taxpayer’s contributions into a retirement savings account are discretionary or mandatory as a condition of employment

Inappropriate cases for FTMC include:

  • Issues requiring assessment of the hazards of litigation or use of the Appeals mediator’s delegated settlement authority
  • Cases referred to the Department of Justice
  • Cases worked at an SB/SE Campus site
  • Collection Appeals Program cases
  • Collection Due Process cases
  • Collection cases in which the taxpayer has failed to respond to IRS communications or failed to submit documentation to Collection for consideration

Application Process

A request for participation in FTMC should be initiated after an issue has been fully developed and before Collection has made a final determination regarding the issue. A Form 13369, Agreement to Mediate, must be signed by the taxpayer and collection group manager to initiate proceedings. The FTMC allows either party to withdraw at any time before reaching an agreement on the issues, and the proceedings will be held at a location mutually agreed to by both parties.

Mediation Session

Both the taxpayer and Collection will be given ample opportunity to present their respective positions. The Appeals mediator may also ask either party for additional information if necessary for a full understanding of the issues being mediated. If it is determined that meaningful progress toward resolution of the issues has stopped, the Appeals mediator may terminate the mediation session. In addition, the Appeals mediator may, but is not required to, terminate or postpone the session if: (a) either party presents new information or new issues during the mediation session; (b) the taxpayer wishes to submit a substantial amount of additional documentary information; (c) the taxpayer wishes to present new witnesses, including experts; or (d) for other good cause.

The Appeals mediator may recommend to the parties a possible resolution of one or all of the issues considered in FTMC based on the Appeals mediator’s analysis of the issues. Any recommendation made by the Appeals mediator does not bind the parties and is not a decision regarding any issue in dispute.

At the conclusion of the mediation session, the Appeals mediator will prepare a brief written report by completing Form 13370, Fast Track Mediator’s Report. A copy of the report is provided to the taxpayer and the Collection Group Manager at the end of the mediation session. If the parties resolve any of the disputed issues during the mediation session, Collection will secure the appropriate closing documents from the taxpayer and close the case. If the parties do not reach an agreement on a mediated issue, FTMC does not eliminate the taxpayer’s opportunity to request a hearing before Appeals through the traditional Appeals process.