Warner Bill to Improve IRS Customer Service Passes Out of Finance Committee

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, applauded committee passage of the bipartisan Taxpayer Assistance and Service (TAS) Act , which includes several provisions from the senator’s Improving IRS Customer Service Act . The legislation will take important steps to improve communication between the IRS and taxpayers, streamline tax compliance processes, and ensure taxpayers have timely access to expert assistance, among other much-needed tax administration reforms. “Taxpayers shouldn’t have to jump through hoops to get answers to basic questions about their taxes,” said Sen. Warner . “I’m thrilled that several of my proposals have passed out of the Finance Committee and can now be considered by the whole Senate. I urge my colleagues to join me in getting this bill across the finish line and bringing clarity and relief to taxpayers in Virginia and across the country.” The provisions of the Improving IRS Customer Service Act included in committee passage Establish a dashboard to inform taxpayers of backlogs and wait times . Specifically, this provision reduces unnecessary calls and letters to the IRS by requiring the IRS to establish a user-friendly, real-time dashboard on IRS.gov, providing taxpayers with information on call volume, backlogs, wait times, and the availability of callbacks. Expand electronic access to information about returns and refunds. Specifically, this provision reduces unnecessary calls and letters by requiring upgrades to the IRS’s “Where’s my Refund?” tool, “Where’s my Amended Return?” tool, and Online Account or any successor systems. These upgrades will provide more individualized information to taxpayers about the status of their refunds, including whether their return has been suspended, and if so, what the IRS has requested and how to provide the information. Expand callback technology . Specifically, this provisionrecommends that by 2028 the IRS should provide taxpayers the option to receive a callback on all its lines and extensions when calls are not answered within 5 minutes. Currently, the IRS sometimes offers taxpayers the option to have the IRS call them back instead of waiting on hold – an option highly valued by taxpayers. Expand online accounts . Specifically, this provision requires the IRS to upgrade its online accounts after conducting focus groups with stakeholders. These upgrades will permit taxpayers and certain representatives to view images of tax returns, documents, notices, and letters sent or received by the IRS and provide responses to IRS inquiries through the online account. It also requires the IRS to give practitioners, return preparers with valid PTINS, and qualified reporting agents access to client accounts without requiring them to log in to each client’s account separately. The IRS would need to establish a program to prevent unauthorized disclosures by such persons and to publish an annual report on its activities. Inform individuals facing economic hardships of collection alternatives . This provision requires the IRS to inform taxpayers who request certain types of “streamlined” installment agreements of other available collection alternatives if they have an outstanding tax liability and may be experiencing economic hardship. The provision also requires the Secretary, in consultation with the National Taxpayer Advocate, to report to Congress on the IRS’s accuracy in identifying taxpayers with tax liabilities who have an economic hardship, the status of the liabilities, and whether its identification procedures could be used for other purposes. The Improving IRS Customer Service Act is cosponsored by Sen. Bill Cassidy, MD (R-LA). Today’s committee action builds on Sen. Warner’s longstanding commitment to improving IRS customer service and accelerating refund times. Sen. Warner first introduced the Improving IRS Customer Service Act in 2024 with Sen. Cassidy. Last year, Warner wrote to the National Taxpayer Advocate at the IRS regarding the underperforming Richmond TAS office and advocated against any harmful personnel decisions that stand to negatively impact taxpayers. The senator also strongly supported the Inflation Reduction Act – legislation that provided $80 billion in funding for the IRS to modernize systems and improve customer service. A copy of the bill text can be found here . ###