SOI-496 Refund Timing Future State Focus Groups

INDIVIDUAL
Taxpayer Experience of the Future
BACKGROUND
Jane just rejoined the work force as a middle school math
teacher. Having no previous teaching experience, Jane’s
income is low. Jane’s son turned 19 years old this tax year
and lives with her part-time.

JANE

TEACHER,
local MIDDLE SCHOOL

Jane has historically used a tax preparer to file her taxes, but
this year she is switching to a third-party web application that
her new neighbor recommended. Since Jane is filing her own
taxes for the first time, she is unfamiliar with many tax laws.

Experience Expectations
Secure
Easily Accessible

Consistent
Fast

Transparent

Taxpayer Journey
PRE-FILING

Jane’s friend
informs her
that the IRS
recently
established
secure online
accounts. Jane
decides to go
to IRS.gov to
create her
online account.

Once she
completes her
profile, she is
directed to a
dashboard
that provides
her with
personalized
notifications
and guidance.

FILING

She sees a
notification that
she should
review her
Earned Income
Tax Credit (EITC)
qualifications
this year and
clicks on a link
to review
the guidance.

Later, Jane
receives a
memo from her
school district
explaining tax
deductions for
school supplies
based on
information the
district received
from an IRS
outreach
program.

Taxpayer EXPERIENCE

Jane uses the
third-party tax
software to
download her
previous year’s
tax information
from the IRS
and to enter
current-year
information.
She sees that
she is owed
a refund.

POST-FILING

She speaks
with her son
and determines
that he does
not take
enough
Later, she
Jane receives a
credits to be
digital notification receives a digital
considered
notification that
from the IRS
a full time
she may not
confirming the
qualify for an EITC student. As a
receipt of her
since the IRS does result, Jane is
return which is
not eligible for
being processed. not have record of
her son being a full the EITC.
time student. The
notification asks
her to validate and
self-correct as
necessary.

Jane logs onto
her account,
clicks on the
notification,
updates and
resubmits her
return instantly.
As a result,
she now
owes taxes.

Jane chooses
an IRS
installment plan
that she can
use to pay off
her balance.

Jane monitors
her payment
plan throughout
the tax year.
She receives
payment
reminders
through her
Jane receives
IRS online
a digital
notification that account and
is notified
her return
when her tax
has been
obligation
processed
and approved. is met.

GOALS

I receive clear guidance
from the IRS and its
partners on tax issues
that directly affect me.

I am confident that digital
interactions with the IRS
are easy and secure.
I access my tax information
centrally through my
secure online my account.

I receive personalized tax
assistance from third parties.

I fix problems and make
changes on my own or with
limited support.

TAXPAYER-FACING CAPABILITIES

Taxpayer
Outreach &
Education

e-Authentication

Digital Taxpayer
Account
Management

Third Party
Services

Taxpayer
Self-Correction

Digital Content
Management

Privacy &
Security
Management

Preemptive,
tailored,
multi-channel
communications
with taxpayers
aimed at
improving the
taxpayer
experience and
encouraging
voluntary
compliance

Verification of
a taxpayer or
third party’s
identity
across digital
channels

Online
accounts that
allow taxpayers
to manage
their
tax compliance
responsibilities

External
partnerships
that encourage
and support
third parties in
providing
services
directly to
taxpayers

Secure, online
resources and
tools that allow
taxpayers to
easily access
relevant
information and
interact with
the IRS

Digitization of
information
accessible by
taxpayers, to
include
taxpayer
records, forms,
and documents

Systems,
software, and
governance
that enable all
transactions
and information exchanges
to
be secure and
protected