Tax Byte
Treasury Secretary Yellen Talks IRS Wins, 2024 Tax Filing Season
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen spotlighted various IRS wins and goals for the 2024 tax filing season in prepared remarks delivered on Tuesday, November 7 at IRS headquarters in Washington, D.C. Most notably, taxpayers are now able to digitally submit to the IRS all correspondence and responses to notices, Yellen announced.
This digital enhancement greatly moves the IRS’s modernization efforts forward and beyond a tax system that for too long has lagged far behind the digital age in which we live, according to Yellen.
IRS Wins
“Last August, I announced an ambitious goal: For the 2024 filing season, taxpayers would be able to choose to digitally upload all correspondence and responses to notices, instead of mailing them,” Yellen told IRS officials. “I am proud to announce that we met this goal last month, much ahead of schedule.”
That’s about three months ahead of schedule to be more precise. The IRS is expected to kick off the 2024 tax filling season at the end of January. Originally, the IRS set the 2024 tax filing season as its benchmark for successful implementation of the first goal of its Paperless Processing Initiative. As a result of the IRS’s new ability to accept taxpayer correspondence electronically, the agency is estimating that more than 94 percent of individual taxpayers will no longer have to send mail to the IRS if they choose not to do so.
Looking ahead, the IRS remains on track for achieving the second goal of the Paperless Processing Initiative by the start of the 2024 tax filing season, which will provide taxpayers the option to e-file 20 additional tax forms. Notably, this expanded digital service is expected to include the option of e-filing amendments to business Forms 940, 941, 941-SS, and 941 (PR)., according to Treasury’s November 7 press release.
Improved Taxpayer Service
Additionally, the IRS anticipates the following areas of improved taxpayer service during the 2024 tax filing season:
- Important new updates to the Where’s My Refund tool, which is the IRS’ most popular customer service tool. Updates are expected to include more detailed refund status messages, more accessibility on mobile devices, and more detailed updates, such as whether the IRS needs response to a letter requesting additional information;
- Reaching an 85% Level of Service on the agency’s main taxpayer helpline;
- Offering a call back option available to 95 percent of eligible taxpayers seeking telephone assistance at the beginning of the call if the projected wait time is longer than 15 minutes;
- An increase in the hours available at Taxpayer Assistance Centers by more than 8,500 hours; and
- The launch of the new Direct File pilot, which will provide taxpayers with the choice to e-File their federal tax return for free, directly with the IRS.
“We’re pairing our investments in customer service with investments to upgrade our technological infrastructure,” Yellen said. “Our IRS modernization effort is improving the day-to-day lives of Americans across the country.”
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