The IRS has continued to expand its online account functionality, but taxpayers and tax professionals still lack comprehensive online accounts. The lack of a robust, self-service avenue to interact online with the IRS fails to adequately meet taxpayer service expectations and forces taxpayers and tax professionals to pursue alternative methods that delay resolution, such as calling for assistance, seeking in-person assistance at a TAC, submitting paper documents, or forgoing assistance entirely.

The IRS Strategic Operating Plan (SOP) contains many objectives that have the potential to transform the modernization of online accounts, such as improving self-service options, building status tracking tools, and expanding digital response options. As the IRS implements its SOP, TAS will continue to advocate for it to develop online account functionality with a taxpayer-centric approach that prioritizes the experience and needs of all taxpayers and tax professionals while incorporating input from stakeholders.

Online accounts with robust services that incorporate the digital-first public experience best practices are an important tool to improve the taxpayer experience and raise taxpayers’ overall satisfaction and trust in the IRS, and TAS will continue to advocate that the IRS implement these best practices.