The Internal Revenue Service is on a charm offensive, as long as you don’t make too much money.
After a multi-year pandemic hiatus, the agency is restarting its collection efforts, reaffirming its intent to go after high-income earners who owe the most. On Thursday, the IRS announced it was sending letters to more than 25,000 people with income over $1 million who had not filed tax returns since 2017.
Everyone else, the agency insists, will benefit from the $80 billion the agency won through the Inflation Reduction Act, which was passed in 2022. Last year, the IRS appointed Ken Corbin as its first chief experience officer taxpayers.
So what does he do all day? I went to the agency’s headquarters in Washington to find out, which was an experience in itself.
First, the security guards put a stick in my shoes. After a few beeps, they scanned my sock-filled feet. Once I got the appropriate badge — with the words ‘Attendant Only’ in the biggest font — I had an hour with Mr Corbyn. What follows is a condensed version, edited for clarity, of our conversation — and his advice for taxpayers like you and me.
So what’s a philosophy major like you doing in a place like this?
My wife of 25 years was a philosophy major and I wanted her to date me.
I was actually a chemistry and philosophy major, and to pay for college, I worked nights for the IRS, where I had started at 16 on a work-study program. I remember applying to medical schools and talking to others about the costs. And my mother asked me why I wanted to be a doctor. I really enjoy solving problems and helping people.
He wisely said, “Don’t you serve people at the IRS?” At that point, I started thinking more about government and my job became a career.
Why was it necessary to create the role of Chief Experience Officer?
We really needed to see how people experience the IRS
One thing I’m really excited about and I think is a good measure of experience is a feature we call customer callback.
Here’s a measure of success for me: We’ve saved over 600,000 hours this year alone in people having to wait.
The target was to have that option available to 95 percent of taxpayers seeking help by July. Did you hit it?
We passed 95 and are at 97 percent.
I’m very pleased to say that on our main phone line this year, when you get on the line, we answer the phone in less than five minutes on average. In fact, we’re exactly at the two minute mark right now.
It’s only February.
It’s early in the application period.
Talk to me on April 12th.
Will do it.
Can the callback system predict approximately when someone will call me later that day?
I don’t think it’s happening right now, and I think that’s an improvement I want.
When is the best time to call? It’s like trying to get concert tickets in the old dayswhere you hit the phone line exactly one second before sale time?
Tuesday to Thursday. Mondays are very heavy phone days. People over the weekend either file their taxes or they can’t file their taxes, or some people may have received a little love note from the IRS and don’t want to open it until the weekend when they can. think a little.
The agency has a lot of new money available. You have to lick your chops. What are you using it for and do you hope people will notice it first?
We have employed approximately 5,000 customer service representatives. We have also hired about 800 in-person assistants. We’ve had what we call taxpayer experience days, where we’re open on Saturdays in our scenic centres. We do one a month during the application period.
We can also make our employees work longer hours in the centers, which means we open earlier in the day and stay open later in the evening. This allows people who have 9 to 5 jobs to enter.
I hope people notice that you can talk to us now. During the pandemic, it was difficult for us. The financial impact payments got us back to normal work.
Here’s something on many people’s wish lists: to be able to securely message about a problem, with the same person replying, so you don’t have to start over every time.
We are already testing and learning with secure messaging with some of our business customers. It may not be the same person answering you, but I think we are very close to creating these journeys.
If I had to predict when I’ll be able to do it myself, I’d guess 2038. Want to put your hand on a Bible and promise something sooner?
I wouldn’t lay my hand on a Bible, just because so much of our ability to do things depends on the laws that are passed and the funding that we have.
Heard. What do people regularly do wrong when trying to solve problems with the IRS?
They get a letter or something from the IRS and they won’t open it. They won’t read it. I’m being honest with you — that’s the No. 1 thing. I want them to open the letter. Let’s see how to solve the problem.
Couldn’t you solve this by putting something like “We may owe you money” on the front of the envelope?
This is where the laws get tricky. Believe it or not, if we put on the front of the envelope that we owe you money, we’re actually revealing something about you that we’re not allowed to reveal, that anyone can see.
Even if it says “can”?
This is a revelation.
How do you do your own taxes?
As an experience officer, I want to know all kinds of things that are out there. I have used software packages. I have done paper.
Do you have a favorite discount that you’ve personally been able to do?
Standard discount is probably my favorite. It’s one of the easiest things people can relate to.
I recently spent time with teenage volunteers working as tax preparers. They noticed that the more money you make, the more and better access you have to bookings in that country. That doesn’t seem fair, so their question was: What’s wrong with that?
This is a big question. We at the IRS administer the tax laws. So this is really a congressional question. But over the years, there are definitely benefits and things available for most taxpayers.
In a perfect world, some of these teenagers become CPAs at 26 and come to work for you by 32…
I love it already.
But if they are discouraged by the fairness of the system, how do you discourage them?
I would tell them that there are a number of ways you can be a part of the tax ecosystem and be an advocate. You can work for the IRS There’s the Taxpayer Advocate Service, where you can work with the department and on the Hill in a variety of ways to see how the tax administration works. You can come and become an experience officer.
We all play a role, whether you’re an archivist or an employee.
Have you ever been tested?
I don’t think I can answer that question.
Is there a law? You can reveal about yourself, right?
Yes, but I wouldn’t reveal it about myself. My wife would kill me.
