(Thanks!!)
Posted on 04/10/2015 8:21:05 AM PDT by xzins
- 12:02 PM
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner John Koskinen said that a future goal of the agency is for taxpayers to have an account at the IRS and for taxpayers “to have a more complete online experience for all their transactions with the IRS.”
“The IRS needs to do more and take a different approach and one that doesn’t just rely on resources,” said the commissioner, speaking at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday.
“We need to be looking forward to a new, improved way of doing business,” he said. “This involves looking into the future in a more comprehensive way in considering how we can take advantage of the latest technology to move the taxpayer experience to a new level and do it in a way that’s cost effective in the government.”
“In particular, we’re focused on how best to use our limited information technology resources,” he said. “Our goal is for taxpayers to have a more complete online experience for all their transactions with the IRS. The online experience should give everyone confidence in knowing that they can take care of their tax obligations in a fast, secure and consistent manner.”
“The goal is not unrealistic -- we’re not trying to go to the moon or Mars -- we’re simply saying that people should expect the same level of service when dealing with the IRS in the future as they have now from their financial institutions where there’s a bank, whether its a mortgage or a brokerage company,” Koskinen added.
GOP 2016 Abolishing the IRS In this April 13, 2014 file photo, the Internal Revenue Service Headquarters (IRS) building is seen in Washington. (AP Photo/J. David Ake, File)
“The idea is that the taxpayers would have an account at the IRS where they or their preparers can log in securely, get all of their information about their accounts and interact with the IRS as needed,” he said.
“Most things that taxpayers need to do to fulfill their obligations could be done virtually, there would be much less need for in person help either by waiting in line at an IRS assistance center or calling in by phone,” said Koskinen. “Improving service for taxpayers in this way can also help on the compliance front. We need to be faster and smarter.”
“With a more modern system this could identify problems when a return is filed rather than coming back to taxpayers years after the fact while the meter is running on potential fees and interest,” said Koskinen. “We want to interact with taxpayers as soon as possible so that those issues can be corrected without costly follow up or labor-intensive audits.” In his remarks, Koskinen also noted how the IRS budget is now at its lowest level of funding since 2008.
“The challenges facing the IRS today leave policy makers with a very clear choice,” he said. “A decision to adequately fund the IRS will give us the tools we need to fulfill our mission and build for the future. A decision to keep underfunding the agency will punish taxpayers, reduce the revenue needed to fund the government and inject risk into our system of voluntary tax
the most damaging of all is probably the EPA
“Bank at Bank of IRS and you get a 5% rebate on your purchases every year” — that would be the end
“Get rid of:
The IRS, HUD, and the most useless Dept. of all, the Dept. Of Education.” “and the EPA”
They’re all bad, but take it from an accountant, most people can’t even imagine how monstrous and oppressive the IRS is, and how much the current tax code strangles our economy.
It is the place where the government says you’re guilty until proven innocent.
The National Retail Sales Tax, or Fair Tax, is a way to take power back from the politicians and lobbyists by doing away with all the federal income taxes (personal, estate, gift, capital gains, alternative minimum, Social Security, Medicare, self-employment, and corporate taxes)
The FairTax is replacement, not reform. It REPLACES federal income taxes including personal, estate, gift, capital gains, alternative minimum, Social Security, Medicare, self-employment, and corporate taxes.
THE FAIR TAX WOULD BE THE BIGGEST TRANSFER OF POWER FROM DC BACK TO THE PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY’S HISTORY
http://www.fairtax.org/site/PageServer
the goal should be to eliminate the IRS
I am all for a fair tax. The current system is garbage.
Also, the department of Homeland Secutiry is way too big too.
That pic, my FRiend, is totally AWESOME!!!!
The IRS has 25,000 agents.
They have names.
They have addresses.
You mean actually LEAVE the 1970s and typewritten forms sent by snail mail?
CWII Spark Ping — If they start digging into people’s accounts, that might start something,
Yes.
He's not asking to do all your financial transactions on line through the IRS, he's not asking that the IRS be your banker, he's only asking that you be able to get accurate advice, file your taxes, and pay or receive your refund on line.
That wouldn't be an unreasonable goal IF:
The tax structure was rational and self-consistent.
We didn't have the obamacare web site as an example of how well the government can do web sites.
And we trusted them!
They have something close to this online solution for businesses, but you still have to call and get permissions from the Social Security Administration to set it up.
“Also, the department of Homeland Secutiry is way too big too.”
Just checked back in - late as usual....
Homeland Security as a dept should go away altogether, and just go back to the original depts.
No more groping grandmas and little girls at airports :)
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