New evidence shows the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) would be more successful if they had additional funding for customer service and other areas. If this funding was readily available, the tax process each year would be less frustrating for taxpayers and much more efficient.
The Taxpayer Advocate Service released a report in January voicing concern over the IRS’ ability to help taxpayers with the increasing number of difficult tax obligations that arise each tax season.
In 2013 alone the IRS received 109 million phone calls from frustrated taxpayers, yet was only able to address 61 percent of the calls. This is a huge drop from 87 percent a decade ago. Oh, and the average wait time? Eighteen minutes.
“The IRS has been chronically underfunded for years now, at the same time it has been required to take on more and more work, including administering benefit programs for some of the most challenging populations,” the report says.
“Without adequate funding, the IRS will fail at its mission.”
Another announcement from the IRS brings more bad news. From now on, the IRS will not answer any tax law questions after the filing season ends, including those who are receiving extensions beyond April 15.
These are only a few reasons it is recommended you hire a professional to file your taxes so they can deal with these problems for you.
As the report stressed, the importance of hiring tax preparers is to protect its taxpayers from the “incompetent and unscrupulous.”
Save time and a possible headache and let us help you with your individual taxes this season!
image source: www.unitedworkforce.org