CS-23-540 ACSI Survey

2023 Individual Filers (Paper and E-filers) Survey Final

CFI GROUP

2023 Individual Filers Web Survey Department of Treasury: Internal Revenue Service

The purpose of the research is to help the IRS improve its services to consumers like you. Your answers will remain anonymous, and your participation is voluntary. You may stop at any time or skip any question you do not wish to answer.

Your opinions are important because you will be representing consumers across the United States and your responses will be added to a growing IRS database of evaluations of customer satisfaction to improve the products and services provided to you, the consumer.

The authority for requesting the information is 5 USC 301. The primary purpose of collecting this information is to improve IRS customer service. IRS may disclose information to a contractor when authorized by applicable law in order to analyze and administer the survey. Providing the information is voluntary. If you do not provide all or part of the information requested, the IRS will not be able to use information that might have been provided to improve service to you.

The Paperwork Reduction Act requires that the IRS display an OMB control number on all public information requests along with the address where you can send comments regarding the study. You are not required to respond unless a currently valid OMB approval number is displayed. The OMB number for this study is 1545-1432. If you have any comments regarding this study, please write to:

IRS, Special Services Committee

SE:W:CAR:MP:T:M:S – Room 6129

1111 Constitution Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20224.

We estimated the time required to be 20 minutes.

Please click the “Next” button to begin.

QA. Are you the person, or one of the persons, who has the most interaction with the IRS concerning the filing of your IRS income tax return?

1. Yes

2. No (TERMINATE)

DK (TERMINATE)

REF(TERMINATE)

{IF QA=2 OR DK OR REF, GO TO TERMINATE SCREEN; OTHERWISE CONTINUE}

PROG. NOTE: TERMINATE SCREEN

Unfortunately, based on your responses, you do not qualify to continue with the survey. Thank you for your time and interest in taking this survey.

QAGE. For statistical purposes only, are you 18 years old or older?

Yes

No (Terminate)

QB. How did you file your 2022 IRS income tax return?

1. Paper form using Form 1040 or 1040-SR (U.S. Individual Income Tax Return) – [Skip to B1]

2. Electronically or Online using tax filing software

3. Don’t know (TERMINATE)

4. Prefer not to answer (TERMINATE)

A1. ELECTRONIC FILERS

S1. With your 2022 tax return you filed this year, did you include a Schedule C (for any individual business/sole proprietor income) or Schedule F (for any individual farm income)? (Business income or farm income does not include any income from a corporation or partnership)

1 Yes, Schedule C

2 Yes, Schedule F

3 Yes, Both Schedule C and F

4 No

5 Don’t know

S1a. Did you use any other schedules when filing your 2022 IRS income tax return in 2022?

1 Yes

2 No [Skip to E1]

3 Don’t know [Skip to E1]

S1b. Which of the following schedules did you use when filing your 2022 Form 1040 or 2022 Form 1040-SR tax return to the Internal Revenue Service? [Multiple Response]

1. Schedule 1 (Additional Income and Adjustments to Income)

2. Schedule 2 (Additional Taxes)

3. Schedule 3 (Additional Credits and Payments)

4. Don’t know [Exclusive answer]

E1. Did you use a paid practitioner when electronically filing your 2022 tax return to the Internal Revenue Service?

1 Yes

2 No

3 DK

Now, you will be asked some questions about the electronic filing of your 2022 income tax return to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). These questions apply whether you did this filing yourself or through a practitioner such as a tax preparation service, an accountant, or an attorney.

Q1. Before you used electronic filing, you probably knew something about the IRS electronic filing program in which you can file via a computer or through a tax preparation service or accountant. Now think back and remember your expectations of the overall quality of the electronic filing program. On a 10-point scale on which "1" means your expectations were "not very high" and "10" means your expectations were "very high", please rate your expectations of the overall quality of the electronic filing program.

Expectations of overall quality of electronic filing program

Not very high									Very high	Don't Know	Prefer not to answer
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10

Information:

Q2. Now, thinking about getting information on electronic filing, using a 10-point scale on which “1” means “very difficult to get” and “10” means “very easy to get.” How difficult or easy was it to get information on electronic filing?

Ease of getting information on filing

Very difficult to get									Easy to get	Don't Know	Prefer not to answer
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10

Q3. Using a 10-point scale on which “1” means “not very clear and understandable” and “10” means “very clear and understandable,” how clear and understandable was the information on electronic filing?

Clarity and understandability of information on filing

Not very clear and understandable									Very clear and understandable	Don't Know	Prefer not to answer
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10

Filing Process

Q4. Using a 10-point scale on which “1” means “very difficult” and “10” means “very easy,” how difficult or easy was the electronic filing process?

Ease of the filing process

Very difficult									Very easy	Don't Know	Prefer not to answer
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10

Q5. Thinking about the cost to you in both time and/or money for preparation and filing, was the electronic filing process more costly or less costly to you than mailing in your income tax return on a paper form? Using a 10-point scale on which “1” means “more costly in time and/or money” and “10” means “less costly in time and/or money,” how much more or less costly was electronic filing?

Cost of preparing income tax return

More costly in time and/or money									Less costly in time and/or money	Don't Know	Prefer not to answer
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10

Customer Service:

Q6. Thinking about getting help from the IRS on electronic filing, using a 10-point scale on which “1” means “not at all courteous” and “10” means “very courteous,” how courteous were IRS personnel with whom you had contact about electronic filing?

Courteousness of IRS personnel

Not at all courteous										Very courteous	Did not have contact with IRS	Don't Know	Prefer not to answer
1		2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10

[Include - Did not have contact with IRS – response option, in addition to DK]

[IF Q6 = 1-10 or DK , ASK Q7; OTHERWISE GO TO Q10]

________________________________________________________________________

Q7. Using a 10-point scale on which “1” means “not at all professional” and “10” means “very professional,” in terms of being helpful, responsive, and knowledgeable, how professional were IRS personnel?

Professionalism of IRS personnel

Not at all professional									Very professional	Don't Know	Prefer not to answer
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10

Q8. Using a 10-point scale on which “1” means “not at all timely” and “10” means “very timely,” how timely are responses to information requests from the IRS?

Timeliness of IRS personnel

Not at all timely									Very timely	Don't Know	Prefer not to answer
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10

________________________________________________________________________

Q9. OMITTED

Quality:

Q10. Please consider all your experiences in the past two years with the Internal Revenue Service electronic filing program. Using a 10-point scale, on which “1" means "not very high" and "10" means "very high," how would you rate the overall quality of the IRS electronic filing program?

Overall quality of IRS electronic filing program

Not very high									Very high	Don't Know	Prefer not to answer
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10

________________________________________________________________________

Satisfaction:

Q11. Considering all your experiences to date with the IRS electronic filing program, using a 10-point scale on which “1” means “very dissatisfied” and 10 means “very satisfied,” how satisfied are you with the IRS electronic filing program?

Overall Satisfaction

Very dissatisfied									Very satisfied	Don't Know	Prefer not to answer
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10

________________________________________________________________________

Q12. Considering all of your expectations for the IRS electronic filing program, using a 10-point scale on which "1" now means "falls short of your expectations" and "10" means "exceeds your expectations," to what extent has the IRS electronic filing program fallen short of or exceeded your expectations?

Compared to expectations

Falls short of expectations									Exceeds expectations	Don't Know	Prefer not to answer
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10

________________________________________________________________________

Q13. Now, imagine an ideal electronic filing program for tax returns. Using a 10-point scale on which "1" means "not very close to the ideal," and "10" means "very close to the ideal", how well does the IRS program compare to that ideal program?

Compared to ideal

Not very close to ideal									Very close to ideal	Don't Know	Prefer not to answer
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10

________________________________________________________________________

Complaints:

Q14. Have you complained to the IRS within the past two years about your experience with electronic filing of your tax return?

1 Yes

2 No

3 Don’t know

[IF Q14 = 1, ASK Q14C-Q14D; OTHERWISE GO TO Q15]

________________________________________________________________________

Q14C. Using a 10-point scale on which “1” means “handled very poorly” and “10” means “handled very well,” how would you rate the handling of your most recent complaint?

Handling of complaint

Handled very poorly									Handled very well	Don't Know	Prefer not to answer
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10

_____________________________________________________________________________

Q14D. Using a 10-point scale on which “1” means “very difficult” and “10” means “very easy,” how difficult or easy was it to make your most recent complaint?

Ease of making complaint

Very difficult									Very easy	Don't Know	Prefer not to answer
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10

_____________________________________________________________________________

Trust:

Q15. Using a 10-point scale on which “1” means “very unlikely” and “10” means “very likely,” how likely is it that you will file your federal income tax return electronically in the future?

Likelihood of filing electronically in the future

Very unlikely									Very likely	Don't Know	Prefer not to answer
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10

________________________________________________________________________

Q16. Using a 10-point scale on which “1” means “not at all willing” and “10” means “very willing,” if asked, how willing are you to say positive things about electronic filing?

Willingness (if asked) to say positive things about electronic filing

Not at all willing									Very willing	Don't Know	Prefer not to answer
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10

________________________________________________________________________

Compliance:

Q17. In view of your most recent experience with the IRS, using a 10-point scale on which “1” means “not at all fair” and “10” means “very fair,” how fair is the tax filing process?

Fairness of the tax filing process

Not at all fair									Very fair	Don't Know	Prefer not to answer
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10

_______________________________________________________________________

Q18. Using a 10-point scale on which “1” means “taxpayers are treated very unequally” and “10” means “taxpayers are treated very equally,” how equally do you think the IRS treats all taxpayers?

Equality of treatment of taxpayers

Taxpayers are treated very unequally									Taxpayers are treated very equally	Don't Know	Prefer not to answer
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10

________________________________________________________________________

Q19. Using a 10-point scale on which “1” means “the tax filing process encourages taxpayers to cheat” and “10” means, “the tax filing process encourages taxpayers to be honest,” do you think the tax filing process encourages taxpayers to cheat on their income taxes or does it encourage them to be honest?

Tax filing process encourages cheating or honesty

The tax filing process encourages taxpayers to cheat									The tax filing process encourages taxpayers to be honest	Don't Know	Prefer not to answer
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10

_____________________________________________________________________________

B1. PAPER FILERS [IF QB = 1]

_________________________________________________________________________

S1. With your 2022 tax return you filed this year, did you include a Schedule C (for any individual business/sole proprietor income) or Schedule F (for any individual farm income)? (Business income or farm income does not include any income from a corporation or partnership)

1 Yes, Schedule C

2 Yes, Schedule F

3 Yes, Both Schedule C and F

4 No

5 Don’t know

_______________________________________________________________________

P1a. Did you use any other schedules when filing your 2022 IRS income tax return in 2023?

1 Yes [Continue to P1]

2 No [Skip to P2]

3 Don’t know [Skip to P2]

4 Prefer not to answer [Skip to P2]

P1. Which of the following schedules did you use when filing your 2022 Form 1040 or 2022 Form 1040-SR tax return to the Internal Revenue Service? [Multiple Response]

1. Schedule 1 (Additional Income and Adjustments to Income)

2. Schedule 2 (Additional Taxes)

3. Schedule 3 (Additional Credits and Payments)

4. Don’t know [Exclusive]

________________________________________________________________________

P2. Did you use a paid practitioner such as an income tax preparation service, an accountant or an attorney?

1 Yes [Skip to Q1]

2 No

3 Don’t know

________________________________________________________________________

P3. Did you use a computer software program for preparing your income tax return?

1 Yes

2 No

3 Don’t know

________________________________________________________________________

Now, you will be asked some questions about the filing of your 2022 income tax return to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). These questions apply whether you did this filing yourself or through a practitioner such as a tax preparation service, an accountant or an attorney…

Q1. Before you filed your 2022 income tax, you probably knew something about the IRS process for filing tax returns. Now think back and remember your expectations of the overall quality of the IRS filing process. On a 10-point scale on which "1" means your expectations were "not very high" and "10" means your expectations were "very high", how would you rate your expectations of the overall quality of the IRS filing process?

Expectations of overall quality of IRS filing process

Not very high									Very high	Don't Know	Prefer not to answer
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10

________________________________________________________________________

Information:

Q2. Now, thinking about getting information on filing, was information on income tax filing difficult or easy to get? Using a 10-point scale on which “1” means “very difficult to get” and “10” means “very easy to get.” How difficult or easy was it to get information on filing?

Ease of getting information on filing

Very difficult to get									Very easy to get	Don't Know	Prefer not to answer
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10

_____________________________________________________________________________

Q3. Using a 10-point scale on which “1” means “not very clear and understandable” and “10” means “very clear and understandable,” how clear and understandable was the information on filing?

Clarity and understandability of information on filing

Not very clear and understandable									Very clear and understandable	Don't Know	Prefer not to answer
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10

_______________________________________________________________________

Filing Process:

Q4. Using a 10-point scale on which “1” means “very difficult” and “10” means “very easy,” how difficult or easy was the filing process?

Ease of the filing process

Very difficult									Very easy	Don't Know	Prefer not to answer
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10

________________________________________________________________________

Q5. Thinking about the cost to prepare your income tax - the cost in time or money or both, on a 10-point scale on which “1” means “the cost in time and/or money is very high” and “10” means, “the cost in time and/or money is very low,” how would you rate the time and/or cost to prepare your income tax for filing?

Cost of preparing income tax return

The cost in time and/or money is very high									The cost in time and/or money is very low	Don't Know	Prefer not to answer
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10

_____________________________________________________________________

Customer Service:

Q6. Thinking about getting help from the IRS, using a 10-point scale on which “1” means “not at all courteous” and “10” means “very courteous,” how courteous were the IRS personnel?

Courteousness of IRS personnel

Not at all courteous										Very courteous	Did not have contact with IRS	Don't Know	Prefer not to answer
1		2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10

[Include - Did not have contact with IRS – response option, in addition to DK]

[IF PQ6 = 1-10 or DK, ASK PQ7; OTHERWISE GO TO PQ10]

____________________________________________________________________________

Q7. Using a 10-point scale on which “1” means “not at all professional” and “10” means “very professional,” in terms of being helpful, responsive, and knowledgeable, how professional were IRS personnel?

Professionalism of IRS personnel

Not at all professional									Very professional	Don't Know	Prefer not to answer
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10

Q8. Using a 10-point scale on which “1” means “not at all timely” and “10” means “very timely,” how timely are responses to information requests from the IRS?

Timeliness of IRS personnel

Not at all timely									Very timely	Don't Know	Prefer not to answer
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10

________________________________________________________________________

[Q9 Omitted]

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Quality:

Q10. Please consider all your experiences in the past two years with the Internal Revenue Service filing process. Using a 10-point scale, on which “1" means "not very high" and "10" means "very high," how would you rate the overall quality of the IRS filing process?

Overall quality of IRS filing program

_______

Not very high									Very high	Don't Know	Prefer not to answer
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10

____________________________________________________

Satisfaction:

Q11. Considering all your experiences to date with the IRS tax filing process, using a 10-point scale on which “1” means “very dissatisfied” and 10 means “very satisfied,” how satisfied are you with the IRS tax filing process?

Overall Satisfaction

Very dissatisfied									Very satisfied	Don't Know	Prefer not to answer
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10

________________________________________________________________________

Q12. Considering all of your expectations for the IRS filing process, using a 10-point scale on which "1" now means "falls short of your expectations" and "10" means "exceeds your expectations," to what extent has the IRS tax filing process fallen short of or exceeded your expectations?

Compared to expectations

Falls short of your expectations									Exceeds your expectations	Don't Know	Prefer not to answer
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10

_____________________________________________________________________________

Q13. Now, imagine an ideal federal tax filing process. Using a 10-point scale on which "1" means "not very close to the ideal," and "10" means "very close to the ideal", how well does the IRS process compare with that ideal process?

Compared to ideal

Not very close to the ideal									Very close to the ideal	Don't Know	Prefer not to answer
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10

________________________________________________________________________

Complaints:

Q14. Have you complained to the IRS within the past two years about your experience with filing your tax return?

1 Yes

2 No

3 Don’t know

[IF PQ14 = 1, ASK PQ14C-PQ14D; OTHERWISE GO TO PQ15A]

_______________________________________________________________________

Q14C. Using a 10-point scale on which “1” means “handled very poorly” and “10” means “handled very well,” how would you rate the handling of your most recent complaint?

Handling of complaint

Handled very poorly									Handled very well	Don't Know	Prefer not to answer
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10

________________________________________________________________________

Q14D. Using a 10-point scale on which “1” means “very difficult” and “10” means “very easy,” how difficult or easy was it to make your most recent complaint?

Ease of making complaint

Very difficult									Very easy	Don't Know	Prefer not to answer
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10

________________________________________________________________________

Compliance:

Q15A. In view of your most recent experience with the IRS, using a 10-point scale on which “1” means “not at all fair” and “10” means “very fair,” how fair is the tax filing process?

Fairness of the tax filing process

Not at all fair									Very fair	Don't Know	Prefer not to answer
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10

________________________________________________________________________

Q15B. Using a 10-point scale on which “1” means “taxpayers are treated very unequally” and “10” means “taxpayers are treated very equally,” how equally do you think the IRS treats all taxpayers?

Equality of treatment of taxpayers

Taxpayers are treated very unequally									Taxpayers are treated very equally	Don't Know	Prefer not to answer
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10

Q16. Using a 10-point scale on which “1” means “the tax filing process encourages taxpayers to cheat” and “10” means, “the tax filing process encourages taxpayers to be honest,” do you think the tax filing process encourages taxpayers to cheat on their income taxes or does it encourage them to be honest?

Tax filing process encourages cheating or honesty

The tax filing process encourages taxpayers to cheat									The tax filing process encourages taxpayers to be honest	Don't Know	Prefer not to answer
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10

_____________________________________________________________________________

DEMOGRAPHICS [All Respondents]

QD1. What is your age?

1. 18-24

2. 25-44

3. 45-64

4. 65-80

5. Over 80

6. Don’t Know

7. Prefer not to answer

QD2. What is the highest level of education that you have completed?

1. Less than high school

2. High school graduate

3. Some college or associate degree

4. College graduate

5. Post-graduate

6. Don’t Know

7. Prefer not to answer

QD3. Do you consider your race(s) as: (allow for multiple responses) Please select all that apply.

1. American Indian or Alaska Native

2. Asian

3. Black or African American

4. Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander

5. White

6. Other race

7. Don’t Know

8. Prefer not to answer

QD4. Are you of Hispanic, Latino or Spanish origin?

1. Yes

2. No

3. Don’t Know

4. Prefer not to answer

QD5. What was your total family income in 2022 before taxes?

1. Less than $20,000

2. Between $20,000 and $29,999

3. Between $30,000 and $39,999

4. Between $40,000 and $59,999

5. Between $60,000 and $79,999

6. Between $80,000 and $99,999

7. $100,000 or more

8. Don’t Know

9. Prefer not to answer

QD5a. OMITTED

QD6. What is your gender?

1. Male

2. Female

3. Other

4. Prefer not to answer

You have completed all of the questions. Thank you for your time and valuable opinions!

19

Department of Treasury IRS