Ask the Advocate April 2021 Tax News

FTB Welcomes a New Taxpayers’ Rights Advocate

Brenda Voet, EA, a longtime member of the FTB family, was appointed as the new Taxpayers’ Rights Advocate effective March 1, 2021. Brenda has been with the Franchise Tax Board for more than 30 years, working most recently in the Audit Division as the Program Manager for the Partnership, Limited Liability Company (LLC), and Estates and Trusts workloads.

Brenda may be familiar to many in the Tax Practitioner Community, having spent five years as the Technical Assistant to the Taxpayers’ Rights Advocate. She successfully resolved hundreds of taxpayers' state tax issues and ensured taxpayers were given proper protection under the Taxpayers’ Bill of Rights. Brenda conducted hundreds of presentations throughout the state, educating taxpayers about the different forms of ownership, and explaining the Department’s most complex practices, policies, legal opinions and decisions to small business owners, and national and California tax practitioner organizations.

Brenda also brings to her new position the experience she gained from almost two years in FTB’s Public Affairs Office where she responded to national and California press. She participated in radio and television news as well as in community programs on behalf of the department.

In addition to being an enrolled agent, Brenda has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Accounting and MIS from California State University, Sacramento and a Master of Science Degree in Taxation from California State University, Hayward (now East Bay). She is also graduate of FTB’s Executive Assessment and Development program. Brenda will be a great asset to taxpayers, tax representatives, and FTB as the Taxpayers’ Rights Advocate. We want to extend a warm welcome to Brenda and wish her much success as the new Taxpayers’ Rights Advocate.