IRS needs to move quicker on its IT modernization planning, GAO says
The tax agency is behind on completing the enterprise roadmap for its technology objective, the congressional watchdog reported.
The tax agency is behind on completing the enterprise roadmap for its technology objective, the congressional watchdog reported.
Rajiv Uppal, set to join the agency in 2024 as CIO, is one of four chiefs as part of the IRS’s change in management structure.
Danny Werfel said Inflation Reduction Act funds have helped the tax agency in myriad ways, moving “from a non-modern environment to a modern environment.”
Uppal, who currently leads the Office of Information Technology at CMS, will join the IRS as its chief information officer.
Commissioner Daniel Werfel told lawmakers that the IRS plans to begin running a modernized system to replace its Individual Master File (IMF) in parallel with the legacy system next year.
The effort will focus on 1,600 taxpayers who have incomes above $1 million that have more than $250,000 in tax debt and large, complex business partnerships that have more than $10 billion in assets that owe the government large sums.
GAO disagrees with officials that the agency needs further statutory authority to establish new security requirements for the IT systems of paid preparers and other filers.
According to the agency, the modernization program will eliminate up to 200 million pieces of paper annually and expedite refunds by several weeks.
In an open letter to IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel, Democratic lawmakers tore apart the current Free File Program run by the agency in collaboration with private tax prep companies.
The Electronic Tax Administration Advisory Committee wants IRS to look at expanding public awareness of existing tools before building a new free file platform for taxpayers.