WASHINGTON - The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) provides helpful and accurate tax

law assistance, but taxpayers experience lengthy wait times to speak with assistors,

according to a new report publicly released by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax

Administration (TIGTA).

The audit, a follow-up review to a prior TIGTA report, was initiated to determine the

quality of customer service the IRS provides taxpayers who seek assistance with

understanding the tax laws and preparing their tax returns.

TIGTA's auditors posed as taxpayers to obtain answers to tax law questions from the

Toll-Free telephone assistance lines, IRS.gov, and Taxpayer Assistance Centers (TACs).

Auditors received accurate responses to all tax law questions, and were able to accurately

prepare tax returns using the various IRS sources, including the Free File Program.

Further, a review of a sample of contact recordings of tax return preparation assistance

provided at TACs nationwide showed that assistors accurately prepared tax returns.

However, auditors found that taxpayers experience long wait times at the TACs and on

the telephones. At TACs, TIGTA auditors waited an average of one hour to receive

assistance and in some cases were turned away and told to return another day to obtain

services. In addition, TACs do not always allow qualified taxpayers to schedule

appointments and do not consistently apply new taxpayer screening guidelines and

procedures.

"An important part of the IRS's mission is to help taxpayers understand and meet their

tax obligations," said J. Russell George, Treasury Inspector General for Tax

Administration. "We urge the IRS to make improvements as we have outlined in order to

improve taxpayer service."

TIGTA recommended that the Commissioner, Wage and Investment Division, reinforce

existing controls to ensure TAC managers appropriately schedule appointments requested

by taxpayers who have an ongoing, complex tax account problem or a special need, such

as a disability. The IRS should also add information on IRS.gov and on TAC telephone

recordings to inform taxpayers they may be asked to provide identification and Social

Security Numbers to receive assistance.

In their response to the report, IRS officials agreed with both recommendations.

Management plans to issue additional instructions to TAC managers relating to

scheduling appointments. The IRS also plans to update IRS.gov and TAC telephone

recordings to include a statement advising taxpayers they may be asked to provide valid

photo identification and a Taxpayer Identification Number, such as a Social Security

Number, to receive services.