IRS and Taxpayer Service Improvements – Belk on Business – Episode 171

The Inflation Reduction Act provided about $79 billion in long term funding for the IRS. The primary goals were to improve phone and correspondence response, increasing audits on taxpayer making over $400,000.

The IRS has begun initiatives to improve how it serves and communicates with taxpayers, especially for low- and middle-income families and small businesses:

1) Improving the audit process for these taxpayers by more audits to be correspondence audits handled through phone and email with a single IRS representative using an improved case management system currently under development

2) Improved systems to allow taxpayers and their representatives to access their records

3) Using more and improved technology to move from paper to digital (tax returns and correspondence) – already seeing this with the IRS to accept more forms electronically as well as the IRS using more secure email and systems for communication

4) Simplifying and speeding up the installment agreement process – IRS initiative for taxpayers to be able to establish an agreement with a singular phone call to the IRS and minimize any need for production of documents or negotiating.

Concerns:

1) The IRS has not and is not currently working with professional organizations that work with taxpayers in developing and executing the initiatives. Further, no plans as far as proper independent assessment of the effectiveness of the initiatives in the future.

2) With the improvement with more technology and more centralization of data, there isn’t clarity on how the IRS plans on protecting taxpayer data and how it plans on collecting and using taxpayer data

3) Proper recruitment and training of employees, not only on understanding the tax code, IRS policies and procedures but also use of the technology

4) Will the systems provide better transparency and communication with Congress, other government departments and taxpayers?

Subscribe on these platforms:

Apple Podcast: https://apple.co/2Zp6hgj

Spotify: https://lnkd.in/gcWDnFZ

Stitcher: https://bit.ly/34aRgO2

YouTube: https://youtu.be/HBfe-L_3QI0