irs promises 12 customer service initiatives

but can it deliver?

by 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 research

the inflation reduction act, which increases the irs budget by $80 billion over the next 10 years, has already allowed the irs to write a new strategic operating plan for the years 2023-2031.

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but can the irs really accomplish what it plans?

if so, we could see a wonderful new tax collection agency that is fair, efficient, helpful, modern and serious about enforcement.

the first sentence of the plan bodes well in that it actually admits a problem: “filing taxes can be time-consuming and difficult,” the sop begins, “and we have not been able to meet all demands for taxpayer services.”

admitting there’s a problem is always the first step toward improvement. from there, the plan leaps into its first objective.

the first objective

the first objective of the plan is to “dramatically improve services to help taxpayers meet their obligations and receive the tax incentives for which they are eligible.”

how dramatically?

imagine this:

• a taxpayer creates a secure business online account and specifies a preferred means of communication. let’s say they choose “email.”
• the taxpayer soon receives an email explaining tax credits and deductions for which they appear to be eligible.
• soon thereafter, the taxpayer receives access to easy-to-read data to start their return.
• of course there are questions, so a chatbot leaps into action. if the chatbot can’t help, the taxpayer can request a call from an agent.
• in no time at all, an agent calls, reviews the account history, and answers the questions.
• now having all necessary information, the taxpayer prepares the return and files it online.
• of course there are errors! but no problem. the taxpayer receives a real-time alert and quickly corrects the errors.
• after filing the return, the taxpayer can track the refund status, adjust preferences and opt for a refund via direct deposit.

the irs promises that all this will be possible once the service puts 12 customer service initiatives into effect. the initiatives are scheduled to be operative by 2025.

the customer service initiatives

1. on-demand or scheduled customer service
2. expanded digital services to allow online filing of all documents and exchanges of correspondence
3. irs employees with the right tools and the right information to help taxpayers quickly
4. online accounts where taxpayers can view their personal information, make changes, interact with the irs and manage preferences for payments, refunds and communication
5. new options to file certain returns online
6. taxpayer ability to access, download and seamlessly share tax data and irs history with tax practitioners and others
7. greater upfront guidance and clarity on legal issues
8. proactive alerts to help taxpayers meet deadlines and obligations, understand opportunities for incentives, and learn how life changes could impact taxes
9. better education and assistance in claiming available incentives for individuals and small businesses
10. easier, seamless payments across all irs channels
11. better tracking tools for status, next steps and estimated time to process documents and resolve issues
12. seamless multichannel assistance to resolve various issues in a single contact

whether the irs is overly optimistic on its own capabilities is yet to be seen. but, barring any cutbacks on the ira budget increases, some degree of progress is very likely. it will be up to tax practitioners to keep track of the new initiatives as they come online and then to help taxpayers use them.

posted on april 16, 2023