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TAXPAYER FIRST ACT REPORT TO CONGRESS January 2021 Internal Revenue Service | Taxpayer First Act 1 Publication 5426 (1-2021) Catalog Number 74637F Department of the Treasury Internal Revenue Service www.irs.gov TABLE OF CONTENTS PROLOGUE 7 SECTION 1 1.0 COMMISSIONER’S WELCOME 11 SECTION 2 2.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 14 SECTION 3 3.0 OUR APPROACH 28 4.0 TAXPAYER EXPERIENCE STRATEGY 33 SECTION 4 4.1 INTRODUCTION AND EXPLANATION OF STRATEGY 34 4.2 MEASURING SUCCESS 38 4.3 EXPANDED DIGITAL SERVICES 41 4.4 SEAMLESS EXPERIENCE 46 4.5 PROACTIVE OUTREACH AND EDUCATION 53 4.6 COMMUNITY OF PARTNERS 58 4.7 FOCUSED STRATEGIES FOR REACHING UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES 63 4.8 ENTERPRISE DATA MANAGEMENT AND ADVANCED ANALYTICS 69 SECTION 5 5.0 TRAINING STRATEGY 73 5.1 INTRODUCTION AND EXPLANATION OF STRATEGY 74 5.2 IRS UNIVERSITY 77 5.3 TAXPAYER-FIRST TRAINING 80 5.4 CONTINUOUS LEARNING FOR ALL EMPLOYEES 81 5.5 UTILIZING TECHNOLOGY 85 5.6 MEASURING SUCCESS 86 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION 6 6.0 ORGANIZATIONAL REDESIGN STRATEGY 93 6.1 INTRODUCTION AND EXPLANATION OF STRATEGY 94 6.2 PROPOSED FUTURE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE AND DIVISIONS 96 6.3 COMMISSIONER DIRECT REPORTS 97 6.4 RELATIONSHIPS AND SERVICES DIVISION 105 6.5 COMPLIANCE DIVISION 110 6.6 ENTERPRISE CHANGE AND INNOVATION DIVISION 113 6.7 OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT DIVISION 116 6.8 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DIVISION 118 6.9 MEASURING SUCCESS AND ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS 120 6.9.1 MEASURING SUCCESS 120 6.9.2 NON-STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS CRITICAL TO SUCCESS 124 SECTION 7 7.0 KEY CONSIDERATIONS 128 7.1 INTERNAL REVENUE MANUAL GUIDANCE 130 7.2 CHANGE MANAGEMENT 131 7.3 COMMUNICATIONS PLAN 133 7.4 RESOURCE CONSIDERATIONS 134 SECTION 8 8.0 IRS NEXT STEPS 137 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION 9 9.0 APPENDIX 140 9.1 METHODOLOGY OVERVIEW 141 9.1.1 ESTABLISHING THE TAXPAYER FIRST ACT OFFICE 141 9.1.2 RESEARCH AND INFORMATION GATHERING 141 9.2 STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT 144 9.3 STATUS OF THE 42 OPERATING DIVISION PROVISIONS 145 9.3.1 EXECUTING DIVISION PROVISIONS 147 9.4 COMMUNICATIONS AND OUTREACH 151 9.4.1 INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS VEHICLES 151 9.4. INTERNAL OUTREACH ACTIVITIES 160 9.4.3 INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS AND OUTREACH ACTIVITIES ANALYSIS 163 9.4.4 EXTERNAL COMMUNICATION VEHICLES 164 9.4.5 EXTERNAL OUTREACH ACTIVITIES 166 9.4.6 EXTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS AND OUTREACH ACTIVITIES ANALYSIS 174 9.5 COSTING METHODOLOGIES AND DETAILED COSTS 175 9.5.1 COSTING METHODOLOGIES 175 9.5.2 ESTIMATED COSTS 178 9.6 TAXPAYER EXPERIENCE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION 181 9.6.1 STRATEGIC GOAL: UNDERSTAND, INFORM AND EDUCATE TAXPAYERS 182 9.6.2 STRATEGIC GOAL: PROVIDE A SEAMLESS TAXPAYER EXPERIENCE 187 9.6.3 STRATEGIC GOAL: EMPOWER, EQUIP AND ENABLE WORKFORCE 192 9.6.4 ENABLERS 196 4 TABLE OF CONTENTS 9.6.5 INTERNAL REVENUE MANUAL ADDITIONAL SECTION 9 INFORMATION 197 9.7 ORGANIZATIONAL REDESIGN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION 198 9.7.1 COMMISSIONER DIRECT REPORTS ALIGNMENT TO OVERSIGHT RECOMMENDATIONS 200 9.7.2 RELATIONSHIPS AND SERVICES DIVISION ALIGNMENT TO OVERSIGHT RECOMMENDATIONS 202 9.7.3 COMPLIANCE DIVISION ALIGNMENT TO OVERSIGHT RECOMMENDATIONS 203 9.7.4 ENTERPRISE CHANGE AND INNOVATION DIVISION ALIGNMENT TO OVERSIGHT RECOMMENDATIONS 204 9.7.5 OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT DIVISION ALIGNMENT TO OVERSIGHT RECOMMENDATIONS 205 9.7.6 INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DIVISION ALIGNMENT TO OVERSIGHT RECOMMENDATIONS 205 9.7.7 CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION 206 9.7.8 CYBERSECURITY 210 9.7.9 POLICY AND LEGISLATION 214 9.7.10 EXTERNAL OVERSIGHT AND ADVISORY 215 9.7.11 GOVERNANCE 216 9.7.12 CURRENT TO FUTURE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE CROSSWALK 220 9.8 FUNDING ALIGNMENT 221 9.8.1 NEW APPROPRIATIONS STRUCTURE 221 9.8.2 ORGANIZATIONAL ALLOCATION OF FUNDING 223 5 TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION 10 10.0 BIBLIOGRAPHY 224 10.1 OVERSIGHT REPORTS, TESTIMONIES AND RECOMMENDATIONS 224 10.2 CUSTOMER SATISFACTION SURVEY RESULTS 232 10.3 PUBLICATIONS, STUDIES, BRIEFINGS AND STATUES 237 6 PROLOGUE PROLOGUE The Taxpayer First Act (TFA) was enacted on July 1st, 2019 with strong bipartisan support to re- imagine and enhance the way we serve taxpayers, continue to enforce the tax laws in a fair and impartial manner, and train IRS employees to deliver a world-class customer experience. The Act consists of 45 provisions, including specic mandates to improve the taxpayer experience. There are three provisions requiring the development of the critical plans included in this report (Taxpayer Experience, Training, and Organizational Redesign). These plans lay out a vision to revolutionize tax administration in our country for the 253 million citizens who interact with the IRS annually, and ensure that the $3.6 trillion of federal revenue that the IRS collects annually will continue. This is an aspirational vision that builds on work that is already underway and provides an investment framework for evaluating IRS funding levels in future years. However, without the commitment of signicant multi-year funding, the IRS cannot make the taxpayer improvements necessary to maintain trust and condence in the federal government and its tax collection system. High-quality, personalized service is key to helping taxpayers understand and comply with their ling and reporting obligations, well-trained employees provide excellent taxpayer service, and a streamlined organizational structure makes it easier for taxpayers and employees to navigate the agency and get the help they need when they need it. Strong technology infrastructure is critical to delivering on this vision. The Integrated Modernization Business Plan, delivered in April 2019, was developed to establish the underlying infrastructure required to modernize the IRS. However, the initial funding requested for modernization only takes us so far. While the Integrated Modernization Business Plan lays the foundation for improving the taxpayer and employee experience, the Taxpayer First Act requires us to build upon this foundation to deliver the experience taxpayers expect. The IRS currently estimates that full implementation of the Taxpayer First Act plans and Integrated Modernization Business Plan would cost $4.1 billion over the ve-year period from FY2021 – FY2025 broken into three broad categories: • TFA Legislatively Mandated Provisions: $550 million over ve years to implement specic mandates outlined in the act, apart from the development and implementation of strategies • TFA Strategy Development and Implementation: $1.6 billion over ve years to develop and implement the Taxpayer Experience, Training and Organizational Redesign plans required by the TFA • IRS Modernization Plan: $1.9 billion associated with achieving necessary modernization of IRS systems, cybersecurity and operations Additional costing details can be found in the Appendix 9.5.2. Internal Revenue Service | Taxpayer First Act 7 7 PROLOGUE In addition, in FY2020 the IRS spent $68 million on the implementation of TFA legislatively mandated provisions. FY2020 expenses were funded out of our original budget allocation as no funding was specically appropriated to cover those needs. Our FY2021 budget submission requested funding of $106 million for implementation of the legislatively mandated provisions of the Taxpayer First Act and $300 million for the Modernization Plan. The TFA mandates included in the Act are aimed at strengthening taxpayer rights, modernizing the IRS and combating identity theft and fraud. The IRS estimates that full implementation of these requirements by FY2025 would cost an additional $444 million, roughly $111 million per year, above the amounts previously committed or requested. Some of the provisions that require signicant additional investments include: • Provision 1001, Establishment of IRS Independent Office of Appeals: Renames the IRS Office of Appeals as the IRS Independent Office of Appeals and adds new rules that require the Independent Office of Appeals to make its referred case les available to: • Individuals with adjusted gross incomes of $400,000 or less for the tax year to which the dispute relates; • Entities with gross receipts of $5 million or less for the tax year to which the dispute relates. In addition, when the IRS or Chief Counsel has issued a notice of deciency to a taxpayer and denies the taxpayer’s request for referral to the IRS Independent Office of Appeals, the IRS must now issue a notice to explain the reasons. It also needs to tell the taxpayer how to protest the denial. • Provision 2102, Internet Platform for 1099 Filings: Requires the IRS to develop an Internet portal by Jan. 1, 2023 that allows taxpayers to electronically le Forms 1099. The website will provide taxpayers with IRS resources and guidance, and allow them to prepare, le and distribute Forms 1099, and create and maintain tax records. • Provision 2005, Identity Protection Personal Identication Numbers: Requires the Secretary to establish a program to issue an Identity Protection (IP) PIN to any U.S. resident who requests one. Additionally, the Act requires the Secretary to expand the issuance of IP PINs every year and ensure nationwide availability within ve years. • Provision 3101, Mandatory E-ling by Exempt Organizations: Extends the requirement to e-le to all tax-exempt organizations required to le statements or returns in the Form 990 series or Form 8872 (Political Organization Report of Contributions and Expenditures). The Act also requires that the IRS make the information provided on the forms available to the public in a machine-readable format as soon as possible. Internal Revenue Service | Taxpayer First Act 8 8 PROLOGUE The IRS stands ready to begin a new era in tax administration
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