IRS Seeks To Improve Taxpayer Service Record

by Glen Shapiro, LawAndTax-News.com, New York

19 June 2006

The US Internal Revenue Service announced last week that it will survey nearly 50,000 people this month in order to improve the way it provides taxpayer services.

An Opinion Survey of Taxpayer Resources and Services will be sent to 40,000 taxpayers as part of the Taxpayer Assistance Blueprint (TAB), a multi-year effort by the IRS to review its customer service operations and craft plans for continued improvements.

Another survey of 10,000 taxpayers will help the IRS determine the effectiveness of its forms and publications.

“At the IRS, we are committed to providing a balanced program of quality service and equitable enforcement of the law. We strive to provide efficient and effective taxpayer services within available resources. This Blueprint will provide a solid foundation on which to base decisions about our taxpayer services portfolio,” explained IRS Commissioner Mark W. Everson.

The IRS, the National Taxpayer Advocate and the IRS Oversight Board are collaborating on the TAB Project, which is intended to address questions about the taxpayers’ service preferences and needs. The IRS currently delivers services to taxpayers either electronically, through third parties such as tax practitioners or volunteer preparers, by mail, by telephone or through face-to-face assistance.

Taxpayers chosen at random will be asked 25 questions about how they use IRS services and how they would like to use IRS services.

Recognizing the importance of the clarity and effectiveness of forms, publications, and instructions to the delivery of quality taxpayer service, the agency is at the same time surveying approximately 10,000 individual and business taxpayers, tax preparers and community-based partners to obtain their perspective on this aspect of IRS service.

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