WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Angus King (I-Maine) and Representative Jared Golden (D-Maine) today applauded an announcement from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) that it will immediately reopen the Bangor Taxpayer Assistance Center (TAC) two days a week. The IRS announcement comes days after the members of the Maine delegation urged the IRS to reject the recent closure of the Bangor tax office, which served as the last remaining TAC in the Second Congressional District.

“Today’s announcement from the IRS is welcome news for Maine people looking for guidance during tax season,” Senators Collins and King and Representative Golden said in a joint statement. “Taxes can be complicated, and it is incumbent on the federal government to provide the necessary tools and resources for people to efficiently navigate the tax process. With the reopening of the Bangor Taxpayer Assistance Center, Mainers in the Second District can access these essential services during tax season.”

Taxpayer Assistance Centers provide free, one-on-one tax counseling, and provide free tax preparation assistance to lower income Americans. For communities without reliable access to the Internet or tax preparation assistance, TACs can provide essential services to help citizens file taxes and receive the full refund to which they are entitled. If the Bangor TAC closure had remained in place, some Mainers would have had to drive more than 275 miles to meet with an IRS professional to resolve a tax issue or to receive free, personalized advice.

The Bangor Taxpayer Assistance Center will now be open Wednesdays from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on an appointment-only basis. Call 844-545-5640 to schedule an appointment.

To read a copy of the Collins, King, and Golden letter to the IRS, click HERE.