IRS Modernization Is Good News for Taxpayers

A Message to Taxpayers from IRS Commissioner Charles O. Rossotti:

You might have heard recently that the IRS is changing. It's true. I'd like to offer a few comments about our new emphasis on customer service and fairness to all taxpayers and give you a glimpse of the new IRS that will serve all taxpayers better. We're not just putting a new face on the IRS, we're fundamentally changing our organization and our business philosophy to serve you better.

The new IRS will be organized with taxpayer needs in mind. We�ll be composed of "operating divisions" that will specialize in working with groups of taxpayers that have similar needs. One division will focus on helping our largest group of taxpayers, those who have only wage and investment income. Other divisions will work with selfemployed and small business taxpayers, corporations and tax-exempt organizations. Our new organization will result in more of our employees being available to work directly with taxpayers and give them the information and assistance they need.

Over the next couple of years, we'll be modernizing the way we work, with more focus on understanding, solving and preventing tax-payer problems. Just as companies develop very particular marketing programs to reach customers with differing needs, we at the IRS will be tailoring our publications, education, communications and assistance programs to taxpayers with particular needs. We�ll be making filing easier for each taxpayer by providing easily accessible, high-quality assistance. All of our operations will be designed to help taxpayers prevent most problems before they occur.

We're also taking advantage of technology and introducing more electronic products and services for taxpayers. Millions more taxpayers used our popular e-file and TeleFile programs last year, and we�re making things even easier for e-filers in 1999.

Our latest innovation will allow e-filers who owe taxes to have their tax payments transferred directly to the U.S. Treasury from their bank accounts. Traffic on our Internet site, where you can find tax help and download many of our forms and publications, has nearly tripled. We have new electronic options for businesses, including 941TeleFile for filing employment tax returns by phone and the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS) for making tax payments. We�re not stopping there. We have plans for many more innovations in electronic filing, payment and communications that will make filing and paying taxes even easier.

At the IRS, we�re working hard to serve taxpayers better. What we�re doing today is only the beginning of an IRS that is re-dedicated to high standards of customer satisfaction and efficiency.

Click onto IRS

People don�t have to be Internet savvy to click onto the Internal Revenue Service�s Web site. The site provides easy access to IRS tax forms, publications and other helpful information for individuals and businesses to browse or download. Click onto www.irs.ustreas.gov and check it out.

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