Erin Collins is the “voice of the taxpayer” within the IRS and before Congress. She joined the Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS) as the National Taxpayer Advocate (NTA) in March 2020 to advocate for taxpayers, protect their rights, and work toward improving the quality of taxpayer service and tax administration.

Erin M. Collins is the “Voice of the Taxpayer” within the IRS and before Congress. She joined the Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS) in March 2020 as the National Taxpayer Advocate. TAS is a safety net that advocates for resolution of individual and business taxpayer issues within the IRS and systemic change for all taxpayers while protecting Taxpayer Rights. TAS also oversees the Low Income Taxpayer Clinic (LITC) federal grant program and the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel (TAP). As part of her Annual Report to Congress, she makes administrative and legislative changes to protect taxpayer rights and works toward improving the quality of taxpayer service and tax administration.

In 2022, Erin was selected as one of the top 25 Most Powerful Women in the Accounting Profession by the American Institute of CPAs (AICPA) and CPA Practice Advisor magazine; as one of the 100 Most Influential People in Accounting by Accounting Today; and as a Changemaker: 50 Innovators Shaping Americans’ Finances by Money.com.

Erin has more than 35 years of experience in tax law, spanning 15 years in the IRS Office of Chief Counsel and 20 years at the accounting firm of KPMG LLP, from where she retired in 2019 as the Tax Managing Director in charge of its tax controversy practice for the Western region. At KPMG, Erin represented thousands of individuals, partnerships, small companies, and corporate taxpayers on technical and procedural tax matters. She represented clients in federal examinations and IRS appeals on domestic and international tax issues. She also has represented several clients before the U.S. Tax Court.

Erin was the co-author of the Practicing Law Institute’s IRS Practice and Procedure Deskbook and has spoken frequently on IRS practice, procedure, controversy, and litigation matters before many professional organizations.

Before joining TAS, she represented several clients pro bono to help them resolve issues with the IRS. She was also a volunteer and board member of a non-profit organization, Step Up, whose mission was to help girls in under-resourced communities to fulfill their potential by empowering them to become confident, college-bound, career-focused, and ready to join the next generation of professional women.

Erin earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Irvine, and her Juris Doctor degree from the Southwestern School of Law. She is married to Ed Robbins, Jr., and they have two children and three grandchildren.

Erin has more than 35 years of experience in tax law, spanning 15 years in the IRS Office of Chief Counsel and 20 years at the accounting firm of KPMG LLP, where she retired in 2019 as the Tax Managing Director in charge of its tax controversy practice for the Western region. At KPMG, Erin represented thousands of individuals, partnerships, small companies, and corporate taxpayers on technical and procedural tax matters. She represented clients in federal examinations and IRS appeals on domestic and international tax issues. She also has represented several clients before the U.S. Tax Court.