CS-11-275 - Spanish LEP Taxpayer Preference Study

OMB # 1545-1432

Attachment 1. Invitation to Participate

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is interested in gathering information to better understand your needs and your interactions with the IRS to improve IRS services. We are seeking participants to take an online survey about this topic. The survey will take approximately 30 minutes to complete. This is NOT a survey about a specific case. This is an opportunity for you to help the IRS improve services to taxpayers. Your participation with this research is voluntary and your personal information will be kept anonymous. In fact, no survey responses will be tied to any individuals. Your help on this project would be very much appreciated. As a token of our appreciation for your time, you will receive 50,000 points.

Attachment B. IRS LEP Taxpayer Preference Conjoint Survey Questionnaire

IRS LEP Taxpayer Preference Conjoint Study

June 2011

- Study Details -

Welcome to the IRS Tax Assistance Survey. The IRS is interested in understanding your needs and preferences for IRS service. As noted in the invitation, this survey is voluntary and will take approximately 30 minutes to complete. We hope that you will find this survey interesting. Thank you very much for your responses. For most of the questions in this survey, there are no right or wrong answers. We are simply interested in your opinions.

The Paperwork Reduction Act requires IRS to display an OMB Control Number (1545-1432) on all public information requests. If you have any comments regarding the time estimates associated with this study or suggestions for making this process simpler, please write to the Tax Products Coordinating Committee, SE:W:CAR:MP:T:T:SP, 1111 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC  20224.

1a. First, we would like to ask you a question about the language or languages you speak. Would you say you can carry on a conversation in English, both understanding and speaking, very well, well, not well, or not at all?

1. Very well

2. Well

3. Not well

4. Not at all

1b. Would you say you can read a newspaper or book in English-- very well, well, not well, or not at all?

1. Very well

2. Well

3. Not well

4. Not at all

[PROGRAMMING: If Q1a=3 or 4, or Q1b or 4 CONTINUE. OTHERWISE, TERMINATE]

2a. Who is the adult, aged 18 or older, in the household who is the most familiar with filing last year’s federal income tax returns for your household?

• Myself (Continue)

• Myself and other adult equally (Continue)

• No, someone else in household (Terminate)

• Didn’t file taxes last year (Terminate)

2b. Are you currently employed by the IRS?

Yes – (Terminate)

No - (Continue)

(If terminate say) Thank you for your time. Unfortunately, you are not eligible for this survey.

Demographic Questions

3. Who was the main person who prepared your most recent tax return? Was it: [Select only one] (Must select one)

• You (yourself) (go to Q4a)

• A Paid Preparer (such as H&R Block, Jackson Hewitt, accountant or CPA) (go to Q4b)

• An Unpaid Preparer (friend, relative, colleague, or IRS representative at a Volunteer Tax Assistance site) (go to Q4c)

4a. For this most recent tax return, did you use computer software to prepare your taxes, or did you prepare them by hand?

• Used software

• Prepared by hand

4b. For this most recent tax return, did you use a tax preparation firm like H&R Block or Jackson Hewitt, or did you use an independent practitioner like an accountant or CPA?

• Tax preparation firm (such as H&R Block or Jackson Hewitt)

• Independent preparer (accountant or CPA)

4c. For this most recent tax return, who prepared your taxes free of charge?

• Free Volunteer Tax Assistance site or Tax Counseling for the Elderly site (show only if ppage>=55 or if q3<36k or q4a=1,2 or -1)

• Local IRS Office (show if q3<36K or q4a=1,2 or –1)

• Friend or relative

5. For this most recent tax return, did you send your return or have your return sent to the IRS by paper via regular mail or electronically?

• Regular mail

• Electronic mail (E-file)

6. Which category best describes your total household income for the past 12 months? Please include your income plus the income of all members living in your household (including cohabiting partners and armed forces members living at home). Please count income before taxes, including income from all sources (such as wages, salaries, tips, net income from a business, dividends, child support, alimony, and Social Security, pensions, or retirement benefits).

• Less than $30,000

 $30,000 to $35,999

 $36,000 to $49,999

 $50,000 to $61,999

 $62,000 to $99,999

• $100,000 or more

Most Recent Federal Tax Filing Situation

7. Which of the following best describes your filing status for your most recent federal tax return? [Select only one]

• Single

• Married, filing jointly

• Married, filing separately

• Head of household (single with dependent parent or child)

• Qualifying widow(er) with dependent children

• Don’t know/not sure

8. What is the zip code where you lived when you filed your most recent federal tax return? _______________

9. Which of the following forms did you use when you filed your most recent federal tax return?

If you are unsure which form you used, you may click on the names below to see an image of the forms. If you do not recall and have the form available, you may choose to pause the survey and verify the form you used to file your most recently filed tax return. [Select only one]

• Short form 1040EZ – did not itemize deductions

• Short form 1040A – did not itemize deductions

• Long form 1040 without other forms or schedules

• Long form 1040, with other forms or schedules

• Long form, don’t remember if had other forms/schedules

• Don’t know

10. Is the most recently filed tax return the FIRST federal tax return that you have filed?

• Yes

• No

We are going to ask you to think about when you might get information or help from the IRS and how the IRS offers to help taxpayers. The main methods are: phoning the IRS Toll Free line, visiting the www.irs.gov/espanol Web Site, sending a letter in the mail, Social Media websites, and Smart phone applications. We are going to describe each of these to you and later we will ask you to tell us when you might use them. Please note that these methods are either currently available or may be available to you in the future.

One method of help is the IRS Toll-Free assistance line, which offers an automated self-help menu and access to live phone assistants called Customer Service Representatives.

11. Have you tried calling the IRS Toll Free line in the last two years?

• Yes

• No

11a For the most recent interaction, did you……?

• Need to talk to the Customer Service Representative

• Use the automated menu responses with no live assistance needed

Next, let’s talk about the IRS Web Site that can be reached at www.irs.gov/espanol. You must have Internet access to use the IRS Web Site. Once at the Web Site, you can browse through different pages to find information about filing taxes or use interactive tools where you input information to complete tasks (i.e. make a payment, get answers to tax law questions, etc.).

12. Have you visited the IRS Web Site in the last two years?

• Yes (Continue with Q12a)

• No (Skip to Q13)

12a For the most recent visit, did you……?

• Browse through different pages to find and read information

• Use an interactive tool to get the answer to a tax law question or complete a task

The IRS has recently begun posting information on Internet social media websites, like Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. For Facebook and Twitter, you must have or create an account.

13. Have you visited social media websites (i.e. Twitter, Facebook, YouTube) in the last two years?

• Yes (Continue with Q13a)

• No (Skip to Q14)

13a Which site or sites have you visited……? [Select all that apply.]

• Facebook

• Twitter

• YouTube

• Other

The IRS has begun offering apps for Smart Phones. A Smart Phone is a device that a person can use to make telephone calls, but also adds in features that you might find on a personal digital assistant or a computer. Examples of Smart Phones include the Android or iPhone. Individuals can download apps for Smart Phones that allow them to complete tasks or get information. An example of a current Smart Phone application offered by the IRS is the ability to check the status of your refund.

14. Do you currently own a Smart Phone?

• Yes

• No, but I am considering buying one

• No, and I am not considering buying one

15. The IRS also answers questions through regular mail. Have you sent a letter to the IRS with a tax question in the last two years?

• Yes

• No

Service Needs

16. People need help with many problems related to taxes. For each of the problems listed, indicate if you ever felt the need to get help as you were doing your taxes.

• Getting a form or publication. For example, obtaining a copy of Schedule A for claiming deductions.

Yes No

• Getting information about a notice you received from the IRS. For example, finding out what to do about a notice saying you may owe taxes or that an error was made in completing your return.

Yes No

• Getting Tax Return Preparation Assistance. For example, getting personalized education on completing a tax return, including how to fill out a schedule or line item.

Yes No

• Answering tax law questions. For example, finding out how many dependents to claim or when to itemize deductions

Yes No

• Getting refund information. For example, finding out how long it will take to receive your tax refund

Yes No

• Getting prior year return information. For example, getting a transcript or record of your tax information from a prior year tax return.

Yes No

• Getting information about payments. For example, finding out where to send a payment or how to establish an installment agreement to monthly pay-off the taxes you owe.

Yes No

• Applying for a Taxpayer ID Number or an Employer ID Number. .

Yes No

IRS Tax Assistance Methods: Service Channels and Contact Type

Now we want to explain a few terms that will be used for the rest of this survey. These will have different meanings depending on whether the help comes from the IRS Toll-Free line, the IRS Web Site, Social Media websites, Smart Phone applications, or regular mail.

17. <in yellow>Access time </in yellow>means time waiting to receive service.

• For the IRS Toll-Free line, it is the time you wait on hold if you talk with a representative. If you use the automated phone system, it is the time it takes you to find the right menu choice.

• For browsing the Web Site, it is the time to find the right section, excluding the time to read and understand the answer. When using the Web Site to communicate with the IRS, it is the time to access the chat area, write your question and wait to receive an initial response.

17a (if Q11a=1) During your most recent call to the IRS Toll-Free line, approximately how many minutes were you on hold? _____(minutes)

17b (if Q11a=2) During your most recent call to the IRS Toll-Free line, approximately how many minutes did it take you to find the right menu choice? _____(minutes)

17c (if Q12a=1) During your most recent visit to the IRS Web Site, approximately how many minutes did it take you to find the right section, excluding the time to read and understand the answer? _____(minutes)

17d (if Q12a=2) During your most recent visit to the IRS Web Site, approximately how many minutes did it take you to find the interactive tool? _____(minutes)

17e. Access times vary depending on how you contact the IRS, usually ranging from 1 to 100 minutes. How pleased would you be if the access time waiting to speak with a representative was 15 minutes?

Access Time	Very Displeased	Somewhat Displeased	Neutral	Somewhat Pleased	Very Pleased
15 min

18. <in yellow>Service time </in yellow>means time to get your question answered.

• For the IRS Toll-Free line, it is the time it takes for a representative to answer your question once you have reached that person. If you are using the automated menu, it is the time it takes you to listen to and understand the answer after you have reached the right menu choice.

• For using an interactive tool over the IRS Web Site, it is the time it takes for you to complete the tool, and read and understand the answer. For browsing the Web Site, it is the time to read and understand the answer after you have reached the right section.

• For Social Media, it is the time it takes for you to read and understand the answer to your question.

• For Smart Phone applications, it is the time it takes you to use the application and read and understand the answer.

• For regular mail, it includes the time from when you mailed a letter or your response to an IRS notice and/or IRS letter until the time you received a reply from the IRS.

18a (if Q11a=1) During your most recent call to the IRS Toll-Free line, approximately how many minutes did it take the Customer Service Representative to answer your question? _____(minutes)

18b (if Q11a=2) During your most recent call to the IRS Toll-Free line, approximately how many minutes did it take you to read and understand the answer to your question after you reached the right menu choice? _____(minutes)

18c (if Q12a=1) During your most recent visit to the IRS Web Site, approximately how many minutes did it take for you to read and understand the answer to your question after you reached the right section? _____(minutes)

18d (if Q12a=1) During your most recent visit to the IRS Web Site, approximately how many minutes did it take for you to complete the tool and read and understand the answer to your question? _____(minutes)

18e (if Q35=yes) From the letter you sent to the IRS about a tax question, approximately how many days did it take from when you mailed the letter until the time you received a final reply? _____(days)

18f. Service times for the speaking with a representative at a local IRS office, Toll-Free line and through the Web Site usually range from 1 to 30 minutes. Service time for regular mail is typically 30 to 60 days. How pleased would you be if the service time for a an IRS representative to answer your question over the phone was 15 minutes?

Servicing Time	Very Displeased	Somewhat Displeased	Neutral	Somewhat Pleased	Very Pleased
15 min

19. <in yellow>Hours of Availability</in yellow> mean the time periods when service is available with an IRS representative. The hours of access usually range from “regular business hours” to “regular business hours, evenings and weekends”. How pleased would you be if the hours of access were “regular business hours plus evenings”?

Hours of Access	Very Displeased	Somewhat Displeased	Neutral	Somewhat Pleased	Very Pleased
Regular business hours plus evenings

20. Getting <in yellow>complete resolution during </in yellow>first contact means the chances that your question was completely answered the first time (either with the first time you spoke with a representative at a local IRS office or on the phone, the first time you visited the Web Site, or the first time you mailed a letter to the IRS).

20a (if Q11a=1) During your most recent call to the IRS Toll-Free line, what do you believe were the chances that your question was completely answered the first time you spoke with a representative? _____(0-100%)

20b (if Q11a=2) During your most recent call to the IRS Toll-Free line, what do you believe were the chances that your question was completely answered the first time you used the automated menu responses? _____(0-100%)

20c (if Q12a=1) During your most recent visit to the IRS Web Site, what do you believe were the chances that your question was completely answered the first time you visited the Web Site? _____(0-100%)

20d (if Q12a=2) During your most recent visit to the IRS Web Site, what do you believe were the chances that your question was completely answered the first time you visited the Web Site? _____(0-100%)

20f (if Q15=yes) From the letter you sent to the IRS about a tax question, what do you believe were the chances that your question was completely answered the first time you mailed the letter to the IRS? _____(0-100%)

20g. Typically, the chance that your question is completely answered the first time ranges from 75% to 95%. How pleased would you be if the chance that your question was completely answered the first time was 85%?

Chance of Getting Resolution during first contact	Very Displeased	Somewhat Displeased	Neutral	Somewhat Pleased	Very Pleased
85%

21. <in yellow>Personal information required </in yellow> means information about yourself or your tax situation that you must tell the representative or enter into an automated phone line or online interactive tool. This could range from a person’s Social Security Number to their name, date of birth, or marital status. How pleased would you be if you had to give your Social Security Number to complete a task?

Personal Information Required	Very Displeased	Somewhat Displeased	Neutral	Somewhat Pleased	Very Pleased
Social Security Number

22a. Now we’d like you to imagine that you are faced with this problem: <in yellow> [Service1] </in yellow> and would like to contact the IRS to resolve the issue.

Please select whether you’d use any of the following ways of getting assistance from the IRS, choosing always, sometimes, rarely, or never for each row. Please note that these methods are either currently available or may be available to you in the future.[Choose one response per row]

Always Sometimes Rarely Never

• Visiting a local IRS office and talking face-to-face with an IRS representative

• Visiting a local IRS office and using the self-service (without talking with an IRS representative) (show if service1=1)

• Phoning the Toll-Free line and talking with a live Customer Service Representative

• Phoning the Toll-Free line and only using the automated voice menu responses (show if service1=1,3,4,5,6,7)

• Using the IRS www.irs.gov/espanol Web Site on the Internet and communicating with an IRS representative through a live chat session

• Using the IRS www.irs.gov/espanol Web Site on the Internet and only browsing for information, no communication with IRS representative (show if service1=1,3,4,5,6,7,8)

• Sending a letter to the IRS via regular mail

22b1. Of the following, which way are you MOST likely to use to get assistance from IRS to resolve this tax related problem: <in yellow> [service1] </in yellow>?.

22b2. Of the following, which way are you MOST likely to use to get assistance from IRS?.

[show items not selected in Q21b1]

22b3. Of the following, which way are you MOST likely to use to get assistance from IRS?.

[show items not selected in Q21b2]

22b4. Of the following, which way are you MOST likely to use to get assistance from IRS?.

Choice Tasks for IRS Tax Assistance Methods

23-27. Please assume that your problem is: <in yellow> [service 1] </in yellow>.

You need to contact the IRS to resolve this issue. Each of the next five screens will show you four ways to resolve it, one in each column. Each of the four ways on each screen will have different characterstics. Please compare all of the four approaches and choose the one you MOST prefer on each screen.

Your actual experience will likely differ from the specifics we will show you. There is no right or wrong answer. We are only interested in how you would react to the different approaches and characteristics.

Which of the following four approaches would you MOST prefer to resolve the service need <in yellow>“[service1]” </in yellow>?

IRS Tax Assistance Method	METHODA1	METHODA 2	METHODA3	METHODA4
Access Time	Not applicable	To find the right menu choice 3 minutes	To find the right section 15 minutes	Not applicable
Servicing Time	5 minutes	To listen to and understand answer 3 minutes	To read and understand answer 1 minute	To receive reply 45 days
Hours of Availability	24 hours, 7 days	24 hours, 7 days	24 hours, 7 days	NA
Percent First Contact Resolution	85%	95%	75%	95%
Personal Information Required	None	Social Security Number	Marital Status	Social Security Number
	*	*	*	*

28a. Thanks for those answers. We are almost at the end of the survey.

Now we would like you to imagine that you have a different tax related problem: <in yellow> [service2] </in yellow> and you would like to contact the IRS to resolve the issue.

Please select whether you’d use any of the following ways of getting assistance from the IRS, choosing always, sometimes, rarely, or never for each row. Please note that these methods are either currently available or may be available to you in the future.[Choose one response per row]

Always Sometimes Rarely Never

• Visiting a local IRS office and talking face-to-face with an IRS representative

• Visiting a local IRS office and using the self-service (without talking with an IRS representative) (show if service2=1)

• Phoning the Toll-Free line and talking with a live Customer Service Representative

• Phoning the Toll-Free line and only using the automated menu responses (show if service2=1,3,4,5,6, 7)

• Using the IRS www.irs.gov/espanol Web Site on the Internet and communicating with an IRS representative through a live chat session

• Using the IRS www.irs.gov/espanol Web Site on the Internet and only browsing for information, no communication with IRS representative (show if service2=1,3,4,5,6,7,8)

• Sending a letter to the IRS via regular mail

28b1. Of the following, which way are you MOST likely to use to get assistance from IRS to resolve this tax related problem: <in yellow> [service2] </in yellow>?.

28b2. Of the following, which way are you MOST likely to use to get assistance from IRS?.

[show items not selected in Q28b1]

28b3. Of the following, which way are you MOST likely to use to get assistance from IRS?.

28b4. Of the following, which way are you MOST likely to use to get assistance from IRS?.

[show items not selected in Q28b3]

Please continue to assume that your problem is: <in yellow> [service2] </in yellow>.

On each of next five screens, we will show your four approaches to resolve this problem. Please compare the four approaches on each screen and choose the one you MOST prefer.

29- 33. Which of the following four approaches would you MOST prefer to resolve the service need <in yellow>“[service2]”</in yellow>?

IRS Tax Assistance Method	METHODB1	METHOD B2	METHODB3	METHODB4
Access Time	Not applicable	To find the right menu choice 1 minute	To find the right section 5 minutes	Not applicable
Servicing Time	15 minutes	To read and understand answer 5 minutes	To read and understand answer 1 minute	To receive reply 30 days
Hours of Availability	Regular Business Hours	24 hours, 7 days	24 hours, 7 days	NA
Percent First Contact Resolution	95%	85%	75%	95%
Personal Information Required	Date of Birth	None.	Social Security Number	Marital Status
	*	*	*	*

34. Do you have any final comments about how you’d like to receive IRS services and information?

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

You have reached the end of the survey. Thank you for participating in this research.

Your feedback is very valuable.