Speaker
The Hon. Charles Rettig
J.D., LL.M. (Taxation)
Commissioner
Internal Revenue Service
Charles P. Rettig is the 49th Commissioner of the IRS. As Commissioner, Mr. Rettig presides over the nation’s tax system, which collects more than $3.5 trillion in tax revenue each year representing about 96% of the total gross receipts of the United States. This revenue funds most government operations and public services. Mr. Rettig manages an agency of about 80,000 employees and a budget of more than $11 billion.
In leading the IRS, Mr. Rettig is focused on improving service to the nation’s taxpayers, balancing appropriate enforcement of the nation’s tax laws while respecting taxpayer rights. In FY2020, the IRS processed more than 159 individual tax returns, including more than 124 million refunds totaling more than $309 billion. At the same time, the IRS processed 160 million Economic Impact Payments totaling approximately $270 billion. Since joining the IRS, Mr. Rettig has also worked to focus attention on the important work of the agency’s employees. “The IRS employees are the absolute strength of the agency,” he notes. “They’re dedicated and they care, a lot, for taxpayers and the nation.”
Previously, Mr. Rettig was with the law firm of Hochman, Salkin, Rettig, Toscher & Perez, P.C., for more than 36 years. In his practice, Mr. Rettig represented thousands of individuals, businesses and corporate taxpayers before the IRS, the Department of Justice Tax Division, federal and state courts and state taxing authorities. These cases involved civil examinations and appeals, criminal investigations and tax collection matters.
Mr. Rettig has held leadership roles in a number of professional organizations, most recently serving as Vice Chair-Administration, for the American Bar Association’s Section of Taxation, and President of the American College of Tax Counsel. He was a member of the IRS Advisory Council (IRSAC) for three years beginning in 2008 and served as IRSAC’s chair from 2010 to 2011. He also served as Chair of the Taxation Section of the State Bar of California and has served on the advisory boards of both the Franchise Tax Board and the Board of Equalization in his home state of California.
Mr. Rettig has received numerous professional honors during his career from organizations across the country. He has been a featured speaker and panelist at hundreds of tax conferences throughout the U.S., Europe and Central America. And he has authored numerous tax-related articles.
He received a B.A. in Economics from the University of California at Los Angeles, as well as a J.D. with honors from Pepperdine University and an LL.M. in taxation from New York University.
Mr. Rettig, who is married to Tam Rettig, is also active in numerous civic and philanthropic activities. He’s the founder of the UCLA Extension VETS COUNT Scholarship Fund and active in the Wounded Warrior Project, Advance Guard.
In leading the IRS, Mr. Rettig is focused on improving service to the nation’s taxpayers, balancing appropriate enforcement of the nation’s tax laws while respecting taxpayer rights. In FY2020, the IRS processed more than 159 individual tax returns, including more than 124 million refunds totaling more than $309 billion. At the same time, the IRS processed 160 million Economic Impact Payments totaling approximately $270 billion. Since joining the IRS, Mr. Rettig has also worked to focus attention on the important work of the agency’s employees. “The IRS employees are the absolute strength of the agency,” he notes. “They’re dedicated and they care, a lot, for taxpayers and the nation.”
Previously, Mr. Rettig was with the law firm of Hochman, Salkin, Rettig, Toscher & Perez, P.C., for more than 36 years. In his practice, Mr. Rettig represented thousands of individuals, businesses and corporate taxpayers before the IRS, the Department of Justice Tax Division, federal and state courts and state taxing authorities. These cases involved civil examinations and appeals, criminal investigations and tax collection matters.
Mr. Rettig has held leadership roles in a number of professional organizations, most recently serving as Vice Chair-Administration, for the American Bar Association’s Section of Taxation, and President of the American College of Tax Counsel. He was a member of the IRS Advisory Council (IRSAC) for three years beginning in 2008 and served as IRSAC’s chair from 2010 to 2011. He also served as Chair of the Taxation Section of the State Bar of California and has served on the advisory boards of both the Franchise Tax Board and the Board of Equalization in his home state of California.
Mr. Rettig has received numerous professional honors during his career from organizations across the country. He has been a featured speaker and panelist at hundreds of tax conferences throughout the U.S., Europe and Central America. And he has authored numerous tax-related articles.
He received a B.A. in Economics from the University of California at Los Angeles, as well as a J.D. with honors from Pepperdine University and an LL.M. in taxation from New York University.
Mr. Rettig, who is married to Tam Rettig, is also active in numerous civic and philanthropic activities. He’s the founder of the UCLA Extension VETS COUNT Scholarship Fund and active in the Wounded Warrior Project, Advance Guard.