As part of a larger effort related to The Taxpayer First Act, the Internal Revenue Service has created a new Chief Taxpayer Experience Officer position to help unify and expand efforts across the agency to serve taxpayers.
Ken Corbin has taken on the new role while continuing to serve as the IRS Wage and Investment commissioner. This is the first senior leadership role created within the IRS under the Taxpayer First Act framework. The Chief Taxpayer Experience Officer leads the Taxpayer Experience Office and reports directly to the Commissioner. This is one of the new roles envisioned in the multi-year plan.
“This position is designed to ensure the views and experiences of taxpayers and their professional representatives are factored into all aspects of IRS operations,” said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. “While taxpayer service has always been a priority for the IRS, we can do more. Having Ken Corbin in this new position will provide a different way of ensuring the taxpayer component is factored into all aspects of global IRS operations and business decisions in a way that’s never been done before. Every taxpayer and every taxpayer interaction are important, and Ken will make a significant difference going forward.”
The position works with business units and offices across the IRS, including Chief Counsel, the Independent Office of Appeals and the National Taxpayer Advocate. The role is envisioned as working in coordination with the National Taxpayer Advocate, which is an independent organization inside the agency that helps taxpayers with issues that can’t be resolved with the IRS.
The role sets the strategic direction for improving the taxpayer experience and identifying opportunities to make continuous improvements in real time for taxpayers and the tax professional community. This office focuses on monitoring the taxpayer experience and providing other organizational units with information on changing taxpayer expectations, industry trends and ways to apply customer service best practices. Throughout this, there will be a continued emphasis on taxpayer rights.
Hopefully the establishment of this position at a time when the IRS is struggling mightily to overcome the effects of COVID shutdowns and other changes to regular operating procedure will set the tone for a more productive and efficient IRS.
For any questions about the state of the IRS; the best ways to handle returns, payments, and correspondence; or other issues related to the IRS, contact your Cherry Bekaert professional in the Tax Controversy Service.
