Tax season has come to a close for most taxpayers, with IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel declaring it as one of the best tax seasons the nation has seen in years. He highlighted various improvements made by the IRS, such as increased hours at walk-in sites and a significant increase in website visits, including visits to the “Where’s My Refund?” tool. The IRS has also seen a substantial increase in the number of taxpayer calls answered compared to previous years, with a 16% increase in calls answered this year.
The IRS call centers have been working at peak efficiency, with a 16% increase in the number of taxpayer calls answered this year compared to last year. The level of service on the main phone lines has also seen a significant improvement, with an 88% level of service reported this year compared to just 15% in 2022. Callers to the IRS have experienced faster response times on the main phone lines, with the average wait time decreasing from 27 minutes in 2022 to just over 3 minutes this year. The callback option is now available on 97% of IRS phone lines, resulting in nearly double the number of taxpayers being called back this tax season.
Other improvements reported by the IRS include an increase in the use of the virtual assistant tool on IRS.gov pages, with 832,000 uses this filing season, up nearly 150% from 2023. Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) volunteer sites have also seen success, preparing 2.3 million returns for free this year, up 200,000 from last year. Werfel attributes these improvements to the funding provided by the Inflation Reduction Act, which significantly boosted funding for the IRS to make improvements and enhancements to taxpayer service levels.
While Werfel acknowledges the historic improvements in taxpayer service levels, he believes there is still more work to be done at the IRS. Taxpayers in Maine and Massachusetts have until April 17 to file and pay taxes due this year, as these states observe the Patriots’ Day holiday on April 15. Additionally, the IRS is expecting about 19 million taxpayers to file for an extension this year. The Commissioner expressed his gratitude to taxpayers for filing and paying their taxes, as well as to the tax community for their assistance.
In conclusion, the IRS has seen significant improvements in taxpayer service levels this tax season, attributed to increased funding provided by the Inflation Reduction Act. The agency has reported increased website visits, faster response times on phone calls, and success at volunteer tax assistance sites. While the tax season has officially ended for most taxpayers, some states have extended deadlines, and the IRS is prepared for an influx of extension filings. Werfel remains committed to continuous improvement at the IRS to better serve taxpayers in the future.
