They're From the Government and They're Not There to Help You

CCA 201012041 


I like high aspirations, even though I know, as humans, we do not always live up to them.  Mission statements often represent those aspirations. A really good mission statement will serve as a touchstone.  So I decided to see what the mission statement of the Chief Counsel of the IRS was.  I think its a pretty good one:

Serve America's taxpayers fairly and with integrity by providing correct and impartial interpretation of the internal revenue laws and the highest quality legal advice and representation for the Internal Revenue Service.

I wonder if the annonymous author of CCA 201012041 remembered to check the mission statement went he or she started work on February 18.  The statement is short enough to quote in full


From: —————————- Sent: Thursday, February 18, 2010 10:01:56 AM To: —————————- Cc: ————————————————— Subject: RE: Advice




I agree that we can assert increased income and leave it to taxpayer to raise his entitlement to disputed losses.