IRS unveils update on operations and initiatives

The Internal Revenue Service has released a new annual report of varied recent operations in taxpayer service, compliance and support.

The 41-page “Internal Revenue Service Progress Update/Fiscal Year 2019 – Putting Taxpayers First” highlights the development of a new Taxpayer Withholding Estimator, as well as operations support efforts on areas involving IT modernization, human capital office initiatives and other moves. It also declares last tax season “a great success.”

The report additionally focuses on criminal investigation results and efforts involving civil enforcement, as well as ongoing compliance areas such as micro-captives, syndicated conservation easements and virtual currency. Implementation of new tax laws, from putting in place provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act to work underway on the Taxpayer First Act of 2019, is also covered.

“This report is about more than what happened during the past year,” Commissioner Chuck Rettig writes in the report’s introduction. “It’s also designed to provide insight into the people serving this country on behalf of the IRS and provide a glimpse into the future.”

Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg