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IRS modernization to improve income tax process

🌐 IRS Integrated Modernization Plan (2019): A Clear, Practitioner‑Focused Overview
The IRS’s 2019 Integrated Modernization Plan outlines a multi‑year roadmap to transform how the agency serves taxpayers, strengthens enforcement, and modernizes its underlying technology. It spans six years and includes dozens of initiatives aimed at improving the taxpayer experience, enhancing cybersecurity, and updating core IRS systems that support the nation’s tax administration.

🧭 The Four Modernization Pillars
These pillars define the IRS’s long‑term strategic direction and guide the development of new initiatives as technology and taxpayer needs evolve.

  1. Taxpayer Experience
    The IRS aims to deliver a more intuitive, accessible, and proactive service model by:
  • Expanding digital self‑service options
  • Improving traditional service channels (phone, correspondence, in‑person)
  • Providing simplified, consistent, and timely interactions for taxpayers and representatives

2. Core Taxpayer Services & Enforcement
Modern tax administration requires integrated, real‑time systems. The IRS plans to:

    • Implement unified case and account management
    • Enable real‑time tax processing
    • Give employees and taxpayers a complete, consistent view of account history across all channels
      This supports both improved service and more effective enforcement.

    3. Modernized IRS Operations
    To reduce costs and manual effort, the IRS will adopt modern technologies and development practices, including:

      • Cloud computing
      • Agile and DevOps methodologies
      • APIs for secure data exchange
      • Robotic process automation
      • Next‑generation infrastructure
        These changes aim to streamline internal operations and accelerate system updates.

      4. Cybersecurity & Data Protection
      Protecting taxpayer data remains a top priority. The IRS will:

        • Use advanced analytics and detection tools
        • Strengthen identity and access controls
        • Align with government‑wide cybersecurity standards
        • Continuously monitor and respond to emerging threats

        https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-modernization