FOIA Advisor

FOIA News: IRS protects email addresses of tax preparers

FOIA News (2015-2023)Allan BlutsteinComment

Tax Preparer Email List Shielded From FOIA Bid, IRS Says

By Theresa Schliep, Law360, June 17, 2020

The IRS correctly rejected a tax professional's Freedom of Information Act request for a list of people with preparer identification numbers and their email addresses because public records law shields that information, the agency told a D.C. federal court.

Email addresses of individuals with preparer tax identification numbers, or PTINs, that were sought by Michael Rosedale are exempt from FOIA disclosure requirements because that information could compromise the personal privacy of the preparers and their customers, the Internal Revenue Service said Tuesday. The agency's filing requested summary judgment that would end the case.

Read more here (accessible with free trial subscription).