Philip Hwang

Philip Hwang, the Chief Tax Officer at Optima Tax Relief and national chair of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel, shares insights on the looming 2026 filing season. He dives into the challenges taxpayers face, like refund delays and the impact of IRS staff cuts. Hwang highlights the shift toward digital refunds and the importance of reaching out to unbanked taxpayers. He also explains the new automatic first-time penalty abatement and offers advice on managing client expectations with upcoming changes.