As part of its look to the future, the Internal Revenue Service recently released its strategic plan. The plan aims at making updates to customer service as well as how it handles aspects of administration. The plan covers fiscal years 2022 through 2026. Here are the basic facets that the plan addresses.
Service
This portion of the plan pertains to making improvements to the way that the IRS connects with taxpayers. Its most prominent focus is how the IRS services different communities in both accessibility and beyond. Among the aims are:
- More service options available online
- Reaching people in underserved communities
- Better supporting multilingual and taxpayers who are international
- Enhanced security of taxpayers’ data
Enforcement
Due to the sheer volume of income tax returns filed every year from growing populations and the need for more information and support, this goal hopes to bridge the discrepancy between a greater need and insufficient IRS resources.
In terms of tax controversies and compliance issues, the IRS also plans on enacting methods of better detecting non-compliance and encouraging voluntary compliance. Some ways the IRS will support these efforts are:
- More fairly collecting unpaid taxes from corporations and high-income earners
- Increased training for IRS employees to better identify fraud and cryptocurrency schemes
People
Internally, the IRS wants to improve employee satisfaction by creating a more diverse workforce and addressing employee expectations. The desired outcome is that by having employees who are diverse, provided growth opportunities and dedicated, the IRS will better serve its diverse range of taxpayers.
Joined in this effort includes networking through partnerships from community organizations and not-for-profits to better reach previously underserved communities.
Also, the IRS will expand its hiring and recruitment outreach partly due to the high attrition of employees and large percentage of its workforce due to retire in the coming years.
Transformation
As part of infrastructure and digital improvement, the IRS plans to make changes to be more data forward and modern. This includes things like retiring outmoded technology systems and advancing others. This also incorporates being able to mitigate threats to cybersecurity. Other notable aims are:
- Focusing on sustainable measures like reducing paper form use in the organization
- Using systems to lower wait time on IRS telephone line
General overview
Commonalities exist across all goals included in the current strategic plan. The goals work towards narrowing the tax gap, that is, the difference between the total tax due any given year and the amount actually paid on time.
Other notable bridges are enhanced user accessibility, improved data and cybersecurity, and community outreach and diversity.