TAS RESPONSE: While the IRS did not agree to make training on Online Account and digital communication tools mandatory for any taxpayer-facing IRS employees, the DCSE agreed to direct each DCSE business unit to evaluate which position types within their unit should be directed to attend a Digital Day event on a mandatory basis. The IRS will consider the employee’s view of taxpayer account as part of our overall process of evaluating and implementing the forthcoming IRS Inflation Reduction Act Strategic Operating plan as more fully discussed in the IRS’ responses to MSPs #5-5 and #6-2.ĬORRECTIVE ACTION: The IRS will consider the employee’s view of taxpayer account as part of our overall process of evaluating and implementing the forthcoming IRS Inflation Reduction Act Strategic Operating plan as more fully discussed in the IRS’ responses to MSPs #5-5 and #6-2. IRS plans to continue monthly product demo events promoting online account and the Deputy Commissioner of Services & Enforcement (DCSE) will direct each DCSE business unit to evaluate which position types within their unit should be directed to attend a Digital Day event on a mandatory basis. Digital Day has proven to be successful, with employee polling indicating that significantly more employees are aware of online account in 2022 than in 2019. Since 2019, IRS has promoted the awareness of online account with employees via Digital Day, which is a monthly, virtual product demo and Q&A event. Not all taxpayer-facing employees work in positions where it is appropriate to educate taxpayers on Online Account and other digital communication tools. The breadth of IRS employees that are “taxpayer-facing” is tremendous and includes a diversity of roles that includes Customer Service Representatives, Internal Revenue Agents, Taxpayer Assistance Center employees, Special Agents in the Criminal Investigations Division, Appeals Officers and other Independent Office of Appeals staff, and attorneys within the Office of Chief Counsel. IRS RESPONSE TO RECOMMENDATION: IRS agrees to implement the TAS recommendation in part. Require mandatory annual training for all taxpayer-facing IRS employees on Online Account and digital communication tools so they can educate taxpayers about them and allow employees to view taxpayer information as the taxpayer views it in Online Account. We request the IRS reconsider this recommendation as it continues to implement the IRA.ĪDOPTED, PARTIALLY ADOPTED or NOT ADOPTED: Adopted The IRS concedes that our recommendation would be consistent with taxpayer expectations but does not agree to implement the recommendation. However, robust research may not be needed to determine that taxpayers would prefer an option of having IRS online tools available in a central hub with one-click access. TAS RESPONSE: We support the IRS’s plans to conduct robust user experience research and apply internal behavioral data and best practices from industry to improve online services. As part of IRA implementation, the IRS will conduct robust user experience research, leveraging both our own behavioral data and best practices from industry to ensure that IRS.gov and the online applications available to taxpayers are user friendly while accommodating taxpayers who desire both authenticated and unauthenticated online services. However, at this stage of IRA implementation it would be premature to commit to any one framework for improving access and usability on IRS.gov in favor of any of the other frameworks available. The IRS notionally agrees that a centralized hub is one way, of many, that the IRS could approach increasing accessibility and usability of our authenticated and unauthenticated taxpayer-facing platforms and that moving away from siloed platforms based on IRS operating divisions is consistent with taxpayer expectations. Since passage of the IRA, the IRS has worked quickly to build out a Strategic Operating Plan and stand up a Transformation & Strategy Office. This funding is intended for critically needed transformations at the IRS, including taxpayer service improvements directed to IRS.gov, online accounts and other digital and technology transformations. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) provided $79.4 billion to the IRS for a 10-year period. IRS RESPONSE TO RECOMMENDATION: IRS does not agree to implement the TAS recommendation. Provide individual and business taxpayers an intuitive central hub with one-click access to all authenticated and unauthenticated self-assistance applications.
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