Washington (Feb. 11, 2004) -- The Internal Revenue Service should continue to build on the agency's reorganization, support the information technology modernization efforts, and strengthen enforcement activities over the next five years, according to the American Institute of CPAs.
Mark VanDeveer, chair of the AICPA's IRS Practice and Procedures Committee, told the IRS oversight board that the institute supports the major compliance initiatives the IRS has undertaken, including those focused on abusive tax shelters, offshore credit card users, high-income non-filers, and unreported income. The AICPA also supports the IRS's efforts to reengineer its examination and collection efforts so that audits of taxpayers focus on material issues within the audit.
VanDeveer noted that IRS improvements in communications have come mainly at the national level, while improvement has been less consistent at the local level.
"That's where most taxpayers and tax practitioners interact with the IRS, and it is local communications issues that must be the focus of the next strategic plan," he said. As examples, VanDeever noted the need for an up-to-date telephone directory of local area IRS personnel for updated revenue rulings and revenue procedures.
VanDeever also recommended that the IRS’s new strategic plan continue to support the Office of the National Taxpayer Advocate.
-- WebCPA staff
