As we move further away from the holiday season and deeper into the H1N1 season, the calendar is slowly but surely making its way towards the most magical season of all. That's right boys and girls, we're talking Tax Time! OK, calm down, try and contain yourself...you'll be getting those shiny new 1040's soon enough. But as April 15th gets closer, one federal agency is making it abundantly clear that the needs of Joe and Jane Taxpayer aren't exactly high on their list of priorities. Naturally, we are referring to the IRS.
The Washington Post is reporting that the most beloved agency in America has set a goal of answering a mere 71% of calls to its toll-free help line this tax season, with those lucky enough to get through expected to wait an average of 12 minutes before speaking with an actual representative.
You might be asking where the Post came across these rather damning rumors about the IRS' plans, and the answer to that question is really where this story gets fun.
As it turns out the Post's main source is none other than the IRS' own ombudsman's report to Congress. That's right, the IRS is openly admitting that they plan on leaving 29% of the people calling into their "help" line out in the cold, while making those who are lucky enough to get through wait an average of 12 minutes for assistance.
Watchdog groups are, of course, up in arms about the toll-free debacle. "This level of service is unacceptable," National Taxpayer Advocate Nina E. Olson told the Post. The National Taxpayers Union's Pete Sepp called the report a "pretty incredible indictment" of the IRS' commitment to customer service.
When reached for comment by the Post, IRS spokeswoman Michelle Eldridge defended the agency's actions. "The bottom line is we have answered millions more phone calls in the last two years than ever before," Eldridge said.
Of course the IRS might want to reconsider its stance once it considers that shoddy customer service might have an adverse impact on the amount of taxes collected by an agency whose main reason for existing is to, ya know...collect taxes.
The U.S. Tax Code isn't exactly written with the simplicity of a Twilight novel, it can sometimes get a little confusing to the non-CPA's of the world. So while the IRS might not be concerned about the questions of millions of confused taxpayers calling into their helpline while trying to properly fill out their tax returns, their concern would most certainly grow as soon as any of those tax returns are filed late or improperly. So next the time you're being audited just remember, it is acceptable for a taxpayer to wait on hold for 12 minutes but not for that same taxpayer to file their tax return 12 minutes past the April 15th deadline.
According to the Post, the IRS attributes its customer service problems to a "variety of factors, including unusual demand related to federal legislation, the recession and natural disasters such as Hurricane Katrina." This explanation makes perfect sense; a hurricane that happened four years ago is a valid reason for being on hold since before breakfast.
In an age where the public is subsidizing everything from banks to pickup trucks, it can't possibly be too much to ask that when someone is asking for help on how to properly pay their taxes they receive that help. Perhaps former IRS Commissioner Charles Rossotti put it best in Olson's report, "Apart from the justifiable outrage it causes among honest taxpayers, I have never understood why anyone would think it is good business to fail to answer a phone call from someone who owed you money."
Rossotti raises a legitimate point, but in the end trying to understand the IRS is the same thing as trying to ask the IRS for help...a fool's errand.