On May 23, the IRS released a new five-year Fiscal Year 2018-2022 IRS Strategic Plan, which includes goals for upgrading information technology (IT) systems, expanding digital platforms and services for taxpayers, and improving tax administration. The new strategic plan comes as Congress considers legislation to modernize IRS operations.

The strategic plan is meant to serve as a roadmap to help guide the agency’s programs and operations. Developed with input from external partners as well as IRS employees, the plan specifically focuses on six goals to help improve customer service:

  • Empower and enable all taxpayers to meet their tax obligations.
  • Protect the integrity of the tax system by encouraging compliance through administering and enforcing the tax code.
  • Collaborate with external partners proactively to improve tax administration.
  • Cultivate a well-equipped, diverse, flexible and engaged workforce.
  • Advance data access, usability and analytics to inform decision-making and improve operational outcomes.
  • Drive increased agility, efficiency, effectiveness and security in IRS operations.

Given recent events, the strategic plan also focuses on cybersecurity, promising to develop an early-warning and notification system to detect compliance problems and expand the agency’s cybercrimes unit, among other goals.

In a statement accompanying the release of the strategic plan, Acting IRS Commissioner David Kautter said he hopes the plan will result in higher compliance rates and increased taxpayer satisfaction as cases are resolved in a timely manner.