Tax Administration: IRS Improved Some Filing Season Services, but Long-term Goals Would Help Manage Strategic Trade-offs

IRS knows more about the benefits of mandated electronic filing, such as reduced processing costs to IRS and faster issuance of refunds to taxpayers, than it knows about the costs borne largely by paid preparers and taxpayers as they convert from paper to electronic filing. For paid preparers, these costs can include the anticipated start-up costs, average number of months to recoup start-up costs, and average total recurring annual costs of electronic filing. On September 30, 2008, in response to our recommendation, IRS released its "Advancing E-file Study" to collect and analyze data that would help IRS increase and improve e-filing. This study addresses our recommendation because, as part of this study, IRS analyzed the relationship of mandated electronic filing on federal electronic filing rates and the cost and burdens of electronic filing for paid preparers and taxpayers. For example, as part of its review of the cost on e-filing, IRS concludes that while cost, such as e-filing fees, can be a factor that inhibits increased electronic filing, it is not the only factor. For example, price options for some preparation products vary widely based on the number and types of returns to be prepared and may easily confuse taxpayers. IRS's study further addresses our recommendation by documenting the increased e-filing rates of Federal returns in states with e-file mandates, compared to national averages. By addressing this recommendation, IRS will know more about the nature and magnitude of these costs could provide fact-based information about the pros and cons of mandatory e-filing.

IRS's FY 2007 Congressional Budget Justification set two long-term goals that link to IRS's strategic goals: improve voluntary compliance and reduce the percentage of taxpayers who think it is acceptable to cheat. On September 30, 2008, IRS released two other documents that contain additional long-term goals: (1) Phases I & II of the Taxpayer Assistance Blueprint (TAB) and (2) IRS's E-Strategy for Growth. While the TAB Phase I & II documents discuss the importance of increasing electronic filing and key demographics of people who electronically file, neither set specific goals for increasing e-filing. However, in the E-Strategy for Growth, IRS sets long-term goals for increasing electronic filing and sets calendar year projections for the number and percentage of electronically filed returns.