Improving IRS Customer Service Act

Key Points

• The IRS would have to publish a real-time dashboard on its website showing phone wait times, how many callers are on hold, and whether callback service is available. An open API would let anyone build tools using this data, and monthly summaries would track call quality and disconnection rates.
• Taxpayers would get detailed, up-to-date information about their tax returns and refunds through a website and mobile app, including whether the IRS received their return, when a refund was issued, where it is being sent, and the reason for any processing delays.
• A new online portal would let taxpayers view six years of tax returns, notices, and letters from the IRS. Instead of mailing back responses to IRS notices, people could upload documents directly through the website or mobile app.
• Tax preparers and authorized representatives would be able to access their clients' IRS accounts through the same portal, managing multiple taxpayers without logging into each account separately. A new program would investigate any unauthorized access.
• The IRS would start identifying taxpayers who are struggling financially and owe back taxes, then inform them about options like partial payment plans, offers-in-compromise, or being classified as currently not collectible instead of facing full collection efforts.
• The National Taxpayer Advocate would publish monthly performance data for each local office, including average case resolution times and the top issues taxpayers bring in. An online tool would give taxpayers an estimated timeline for resolving their specific case.