2018 Service Migration Conjoint Survey

IRS Service Migration 2018

Questionnaire Draft 12-6-18

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Welcome to the IRS Tax Assistance Survey. The IRS is interested in understanding your needs and preferences for obtaining service to resolve issues you may have related to your taxes. This survey should take 15-20 minutes. Thank you for your time and your responses.

The questions in this survey have no right or wrong answers. We are simply interested in your opinions.

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Q1. 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

• Myself and other adult equally

• Someone else in household

• Didn’t file taxes last year

[CONTINUE IF Q1=1 or 2; ELSE TERMINATE]

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[prompt if skip]

Q2. Are you currently employed by the IRS?

• Yes – (Terminate)

• No - (Continue)

[CONTINUE IF Q2=”no”; ELSE TERMINATE]

[DISPLAY IF TERMINATED AFTER Q1 OR Q2]

Thank you for your time. Unfortunately, you are not eligible for this survey.

DEMOGRAPHIC QUESTIONS

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Q3. Who was the main person who prepared your most recent tax return? Was it: [Select only one] (Must select one)

• You (yourself)

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

• An Unpaid Preparer (friend, relative, colleague, or a volunteer preparer from a community organization)

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[ASK If you/yourself in Q3]

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Q4. For this most recent tax return, did you mainly use computer software to prepare your taxes, or did you prepare them by hand?

• Used tax software (such as TurboTax )

• Used the IRS Free File program on irs.gov

• Prepared by hand

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[ask If yes to paid preparer in Q3]

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Q5. 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)

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[prompt if skip][do not show if q3A=2]

Q6. For this most recent tax return, was your return sent to the IRS by paper via regular mail or electronically?

• Regular mail

• Electronically

• Other method (e.g. dropped off in person, etc.)

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Q7. 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).

• $15,000 or less

• $15,001 to $25,000

• $25,001 to $35,000

• $35,001 to $50,000

• $50,001 to $75,000

• $75,001 to $100,000

• $100,001 or more

[DO NOT ASK AGE AND EDUCATION—OBTAIN FROM PANEL (see end of survey for categories)]

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Q8. Is the most recently filed tax return the FIRST federal tax return that you have filed?

• Yes

• No

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DESCRIPTION OF TAX ASSISTANCE METHODS

We are going to ask you to think about situations where you need information or assistance related to your taxes and how you prefer to get the help you need. The main methods are calling the IRS Toll Free line, visiting the IRS.gov website, accessing your IRS personal online account, visiting a local IRS office, using an IRS Kiosk, using an IRS Intelligent Assistant, or using your tax preparer or tax software. We are going to describe each of these to you and later we will ask you about when you might use them. Please note that most of these methods are currently available, but some will only be available in the future.

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IRS TOLL-FREE PHONE LINE

The IRS Toll-Free line offers two options: an automated self-help menu and access to live assistors or Customer Service Representatives.

Q9. Have you tried calling the IRS Toll-Free line in the last two years?

• Yes

• No

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[If Q9=yes]

Q10. For the most recent interaction, did you……?

• Need to talk to a live phone assistant or Customer Service Representative

• Use the automated menu responses with no live assistance needed

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IRS.GOV WEBSITE

The IRS website or irs.gov allows you to browse for general tax information or to use interactive electronic tools to obtain tax information specific to your account such as determining the status of your refund.

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Q11. Have you visited the irs.gov website in the last two years?

• Yes

• No

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[If Q10=yes]

Q12. For the most recent visit, did you……?

• Browse through various pages to find and read information

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

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IRS PERSONAL ONLINE ACCOUNT

An IRS personal online account allows you to login online, confirm your identity, and access your IRS tax account for information and transactions.

Q13. Have you used an IRS online account within the last two years?

• Yes

• No

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IRS LOCAL OFFICE (TAXPAYER ASSISTANCE CENTER/TAC)

At IRS local offices or Taxpayer Assistance Centers (TAC), IRS service representatives provide in person guidance and assistance with tax transactions, by appointment only.

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Q14. Have you visited a local IRS office for any reason in the last two years?

• Yes

• No

[prompt if skip]

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IRS KIOSK

IRS Kiosks, small stand-alone structures with electronic interactive screens, are not currently available, but might be offered in the future at IRS offices or other convenient locations such as storefronts. IRS Kiosks will provide tax information and support tax related transactions in English or other languages.

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IRS AUTOMATED INTELLIGENT ASSISTANT

The IRS does not currently offer an Automated Intelligent Assistant, but might offer this service in the future. An IRS Automated Intelligent Assistant would allow you to use your natural language to describe the IRS service you need, understand what you’re looking for, and route you to obtain assistance for your question or service need.

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YOUR TAX PREPARER OR TAX SOFTWARE

Some taxpayers use either tax preparer or tax software to prepare and file their taxes and in some cases to help with other tax-related needs. Taxpayers pay on for tax preparer service or tax software. In the future, IRS may take steps to enable tax preparers and tax software to deliver tax support and service to you that they cannot currently provide.

[DO NOT ASK IF USE TAX PREPARER OR TAX SOFTWARE (asked in Q3 and Q3a)]

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SERVICE TASK DESCRIPTIONS

Q15. People need help with many issues related to taxes. Please indicate if you ever had the specific service needs listed below.

Responses:

Yes

No

1. Have your identity authenticated for tax purposes. For example, provide information or documentation to prove your identity to obtain an Individual Tax Identification Number or address potential identity theft issues.

2. Get help with tax law while preparing your return. For example, get information on withholding, dependents, deductions or tax credits.

3. Update your personal information for tax purposes. For example, update your address after moving or name due to a name change.

4. Fix a mistake on a tax document. For example, fix a dependent social security number that was entered incorrectly and resulted in the loss of a credit or deduction or fixing a computation error that resulted in overstating credits and/or deductions.

5. Make a tax payment. For example, make a payment on a tax bill such as a balance due at filing, quarterly estimated tax payments, or monthly payments for an IRS installment agreement.

6. Check the status of an IRS transaction. For example, find out how long it will take to receive your tax refund or whether the IRS received a document you sent them.

7. Get information or assistance about an IRS notice. 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.

create data only variables:

Service1=1-7: randomly select from items marked “yes” above.

Service2=1-7: randomly select from items marked “no or skip” above.

if no item is selected “yes”, then randomly select two and assign them to be “service1” and “service2”.

if no item is selected “no”, then randomly select two and assign them to be “service1” and “service2”.

Service1 and Service2 text insertions

Service1/Service2 Value (Codes)

1. Have your identity authenticated for tax purposes

2. Get help with tax law while preparing your return

3. Update your personal information for tax purposes

4. Fix a mistake in a tax document

5. Make a tax payment

6. Check the status of an IRS transaction

7. Get information or assistance about an IRS notice

TAX ASSISTANCE ATTRIBUTE DESCRIPTIONS

Now we want to explain a few terms that will be used for the rest of this survey. Some of these will have different meanings depending on whether the help comes from the IRS Toll-Free line, the IRS Website, an IRS online account, an IRS local office, an IRS kiosk, an IRS Intelligent Assistant, or your tax preparer or tax software.

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Q16.<in bold >Time to access service </in bold >means the time it takes to make a connection with the automated phone line, assistor over the phone, or in person assistor, access the information needed on IRS.gov or an IRS Automated Intelligent Assistant, access your web-based online account, IRS Kiosk, or tax software by successfully confirming your identity and any required login activities.

Time required does not include the time it takes to find a phone number or website address, For IRS local office assistance or an IRS Kiosk, it does not include the time it takes to drive to the location. For IRS local office, it does include the time from scheduling the appointment until your appointment time.

The time to access varies by service channel from 2 minutes to 60 minutes, and up to 5 days for a local office appointment.

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Q17.<in yellow>Level of authentication required </in yellow> means how much information a taxpayer needs to provide to prove that they are who they say they are in order to obtain IRS service. Each of the options includes providing personal information.

The options for level of authentication are:

1. Personal Information Only: provide personal information about yourself such as your Social Security Number, date of birth, or address on tax return

2. Knowledge Based Questions (plus Personal Information): provide personal information about yourself as well as knowledge based information such as the street you grew up on or your first car

3. Verification of Financial Information (plus Personal Information): provide personal information about yourself as well as verify financial information such as your mortgage company or other financial institution.

4. Fingerprint (plus Personal Information): provide personal information about yourself as well as your fingerprint through a mobile phone app or another fingerprint device.

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Q18.<in yellow>Progress toward issue resolution </in yellow> means how far you can progress toward completely resolving your service need during a single use of the tax assistance method. Some contacts may result in the taxpayer’s need being fully satisfied, others may require the taxpayer to take additional steps.

The options for progress toward issue resolution are:

1. Receive General Information Only – Additional Steps Needed: you only receive general information about your service need during the one interaction and will need to figure out how it applies to your situation and need to take additional steps for resolution

2. Receive Specific Information/Instructions – Additional Steps Needed: you receive information or instructions specific to your situation from the one interaction but need to take additional steps beyond this interaction for resolution.

3. Partially Resolved: your service need is partially, but not completely resolved after the one interaction and further action is necessary for resolution.

4. Completely Resolved: your service need is completely resolved after the one interaction and no further action is necessary.

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Q19.<in bold >Confirmation of Service Interaction</in bold > means you receive a follow-up communication from the IRS confirming that the service interaction was completed. For example, a confirmation that a change of address was completed or that payment was received.

Q20.<in bold >Receiving Priority Service</in bold > means by choosing this service channel you will get priority service and a shorter time to access the service.

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PRACTICE QUESTION

Please answer the following practice question to make sure we are explaining the task clearly.

[Select SERVICE1 VARIABLE CREATED IN Q16]

Q21. Now I’d like to you to assume you need help with [SERVICE2]

Assume that you have enough time before taxes are due so that you can use any of the methods f assistance. We are going to ask you some questions to find out which method you would choose.

Imagine that you need to phone the Toll-Free line and talk with a live Customer Service Representative for assistance. In one instance, the time to access service or time to make a connection with the Customer Service Representative is 10 minutes. In another instance, the access time would take you 60 minutes. Please look at the two options and select the one that you prefer based only on the information provided about each option.

IRS Toll-Free Line, Assisted	IRS Toll-Free Line, Assisted
Access Time 60 minutes	Access Time 10 minutes
*	*

[if q21=1]

Q22. You chose the IRS Toll-free line that will take longer to access your representative. Are you sure that you want to pick the Toll-Free option that has a longer access time? Select one answer only

1. Yes, I'm sure that I want to phone an IRS Toll-free number that has a longer access time.

2. No, I'm not sure. Ask the service time question again.

[if q22=2]

Q23. Now I’d like to you to assume you need help with [SERVICE2].

Assume that you have enough time before taxes are due so that you can use any of the methods f assistance. We are going to ask you some questions to find out which method you would choose.

Imagine that you need to phone the Toll-Free line and talk with a live Customer Service Representative for assistance. In one instance, the time to access service or time to make a connection with the Customer Service Representative is 10 minutes. In another instance, the access time would take you 60 minutes. Please look at the two options and select the one that you prefer based only on the information provided about each option.

IRS Toll-Free Line, Assisted	IRS Toll-Free Line, Assisted
Access Time 60 minutes	Access Time 10 minutes
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TAX ASSISTANCE CHOICE TASK FOR <SERVICE1>

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24-33. >.

[FOR Q24 ONLY SHOW:

Please assume that you need to <in yellow> [service 1] </in yellow

You need help to resolve this issue. Each of the next ten screens will show you three ways to resolve it, one in each column. Each of the three methods on each screen will have different characteristics. Please compare all three approaches and choose the one you MOST prefer on each screen.

Your actual experience will likely differ from the specifics we will show you. Please make your selection based only on the information provided.

There is no right or wrong answer. We are only interested in how you would react to the different approaches and characteristics. We understand that you may not currently use some of these methods. Please consider which ones you WOULD choose based on the attributes even if you don't currently use these methods.

[FOR Q24-33 SHOW:

Which of the following three approaches would you MOST prefer to help you <in yellow>“[service1]” </in yellow>?

[create hyperlinks based on Q16 to Q20]

system will choose random levels for each attribute to create the first concept. subsequent concepts will be created such that the levels are not repeated. in cases where this is not possible, the levels will be repeated. under no circumstances will the system create two identical profiles.

IRS Tax Assistance Method	METHOD B1	METHOD B2	METHOD B3
Time to Access Service
Level of Authentication Required
Progress Toward Issue Resolution
Confirmation of Service Interaction
Receiving Priority Service
	*	*	*

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

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Now we would like you to imagine that you have a different tax related issue and you need help to: <in yellow> [service2] </in yellow>. Again, we understand that you may not currently use some of these methods. Please consider which ones you WOULD choose based on the attributes even if you don't currently use these methods.

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system will choose random levels for each attribute to create the first concept. subsequent concepts will be created such that the levels are not repeated. in cases where this is not possible, the levels will be repeated. under no circumstances will the system create two identical profiles.

34- 43. Which of the following three approaches would you MOST prefer to help you <in yellow>“[service2]”</in yellow>?

IRS Tax Assistance Method	METHOD B1	METHOD B2	METHOD B3
Time to Access Service
Level of Authentication Required
Progress Toward Issue Resolution
Confirmation of Service Interaction
Receiving Priority Service
	*	*	*

[FOR ASSISTANCE METHODS 2-5 ABOVE RANDOMLY SELECT ONE OF THE LEVELS FROM THE CORRESPONDING EXCEL SHEET]

[FOR ASSISTANCE METHOD #1, TIME TO ACCESS, SELECT ONE OF THE THREE LEVELS FROM THE TIME REQUIRED TABLE BASED ON THE METHOD THAT IS SHOWN]

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Q44. Do you have any final comments about how the IRS could improve its service to you?

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

Your feedback is very valuable.

Demographics provided with panel (not asked):

Age: Actual age (can group however we want)

Education:

1 = No formal education

2 = 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or 4th grade

3 = 5th or 6th grade

4 = 7th or 8th grade

5 = 9th grade

6 = 10th grade

7 = 11th grade

8 = 12th grade NO DIPLOMA

9 = HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE - high school DIPLOMA or the equivalent GED)

10 = Some college, no degree

11 = Associate degree

12 = Bachelors degree

13 = Masters degree

14 = Professional or Doctorate degree

Income:

Base: all respondents

Q34 [S]

How much is the combined income of all members of YOUR HOUSEHOLD 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 and from all sources (such as wages, salaries, tips, net income from a business, interest, dividends, child support, alimony, and Social Security, public assistance, pensions, or retirement benefits).

 

We realize that this is personal information.  Please be assured that KnowledgePanel takes its members’ privacy and confidentiality very seriously. 

 

Select one answer only.

 

1. Below $50,000

2. $50,000 or more

3. Don’t know

 

 

Base: respondents with a household income below $50,000 (Q34=1)

Q35 [S]

We would like to get a better estimate of your total HOUSEHOLD income in the past 12 months before taxes. Was it ...

 

Your answer to this question is important for future surveys we will send you – your individual responses are kept confidential.

 

Select one answer only.

 

1. Less than $5,000

2. $5,000 to $7,499

3. $7,500 to $9,999

4. $10,000 to $12,499

5. $12,500 to $14,999

6. $15,000 to $19,999

7. $20,000 to $24,999

8. $25,000 to $29,999

9. $30,000 to $34,999

10. $35,000 to $39,999

11. $40,000 to $49,999

 

Base: respondents with a household income of $50,000 or more (Q34=2)

Q36 [S]

We would like to get a better estimate of your total HOUSEHOLD income in the past 12 months before taxes. Was it ...

 

Your answer to this question is important for future surveys we will send you – your individual responses are kept confidential.

 

Select one answer only.

 

3. $50,000 to $59,999

4. $60,000 to $74,999

5. $75,000 to $84,999

6. $85,000 to $99,999

7. $100,000 to $124,999

8. $125,000 to $149,999

9. $150,000 to $174,999

10. $175,000 to $199,999

11. $200,000 to $249,999

12. $250,000 or more

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IRS Services Migration Questionnaire