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U.S. NEWS Wednesday 5 april 2023

New IRS leader promises faster, easier tax filing process

By FATIMA HUSSEIN attorneys.”
Associated Press While the administration
WASHINGTON (AP) — New has showcased the boost-
IRS Commissioner Danny ing employee ranks with
Werfel delivered a tax-sea- 5,000 new workers and
son pledge Tuesday that investments in new tech-
the agency will use an $80 nology, a March Treasury
billion infusion of cash to Inspector General for Tax
become faster, more tech- Administration report on
savvy and provide “real- the 2022 tax season states
world improvements” to that the “ongoing back-
taxpayers. logs of tax returns and oth-
Werfel, as he was ceremo- er account work continued
nially sworn in on Tuesday, to challenge the IRS during
said he would release a the 2022 Filing Season.”
Strategic Operating Plan In a March 13 letter to em-
later this week laying out ployees, Werfel said “I re-
how the agency will use turned to government to
the money approved in work with you and focus
last year’s Inflation Reduc- on this tremendous oppor-
tion Act tunity we have with the
“This is our moment in histo- Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen congratulates new IRS commissioner Danny Werfel after the resources available under
ry to transform the IRS,” said swearing-in at the IRS headquarters in Washington, Tuesday, April 4, 2023. the Inflation Reduction
Werfel, who began work- Associated Press Act.”q
ing at the agency in mid-
March. “We have a great of that controversy during
deal of work ahead of us his February confirmation
to ensure a more modern hearing.
and high-performing IRS He pledged before sena-
that provides world-class tors not to expand tax
services to taxpayers,” he audits on businesses and
said. Some of the planned households making less
improvements include hir- than $400,000 per year, as
ing more people to end he faced rounds of ques-
long call wait times, addi- tions before the Senate
tional locations for IRS staff Finance Committee on
to provide in-person service how he would spend the
and expanded online ac- agency’s big new infusion
counts, so taxpayers and of money.
professionals will be able to He drew praise for being
address tax issues through willing to leave a private
electronic means, instead consulting job to take on
of paper mail. the top job at the troubled
President Joe Biden nomi- agency.
nated Werfel to steer the Werfel formerly led Boston
IRS as it receives the new Consulting Group’s global
funding, which has come public sector practice and
with much political con- has previously served as an
sternation. Republicans acting IRS commissioner.
have suggested without Treasury Secretary Janet
evidence that the agency Yellen, who presided over
would use the new mon- Werfel’s swearing in, said in
ey to hire an army of tax a speech to IRS and Trea-
agents with weapons. They sury employees that he will
also say the IRS would in- be tasked with “dramati-
crease audits on middle- cally improving taxpayer
class taxpayers. service and ensuring that
Werfel navigated some large corporations and the
wealthy pay the taxes they
owe.”
“The IRS will invest in data
and analytics to help the
agency audit large corpo-
rations, high earners, and
complex partnerships that
have not paid their full bill,”
Yellen said. “The technol-
ogy will be complemented
by hiring more top talent –
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