Crowdsource Contest to Help the IRS Innovate

March 31, 2016 By IdeaConnection

tax1Groundbreaking innovation is not a term you readily associate with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) but nonetheless innovations are need by the taxation agency in the United States.

So, it is turning to the crowd to help it come up with ways of improving its interactions with taxpayers.

From April 17 through May 10, 2016 the agency will be inviting submissions to its first Tax Design Challenge.

“Crowdsourcing is a new activity for the IRS, but we believe working with citizens and the private sector will help support innovation in an important area for the nation’s tax system,” said IRS Commissioner John Koskinen.

Improving the Taxpayer Experience

The crowdsourcing contest wants people to imagine what the taxpayer experience could be in the future and to design an online system that would make it easier for people to manage their tax affairs.

During the challenge, participants will be able engage with policy experts and mentors. Among their number will be world-class strategists and designers from government and non-government organizations.

There are three prize categories, and monetary awards for the winners:

Overall Design—$10,000 (1st), and $5,000 (2nd)

Best Taxpayer Usefulness—$2,000 (1st), and $1,000 (2nd)

Best Financial Capability—$2,000 (1st), and $1,000 (2nd)

IRS_TaxDesignChallenge_Logo

Judging Criteria

The contest’s judges will make their evaluations based on such criteria as: overall appeal, taxpayer usefulness, the ease with which important information can be found by users and the ease with which it can be understood.


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Reader Comments


Usually if a tax bill is sent to a client it is for overlooked or more correctly
NOT UNDERSTOOD
By the person who incurrs the debt. It would appear to the tax office as a deliberate action. (A CRIME). I have seen and have known of the tax office fabricating a case, of supposed bussiness, bought to court ,whereby the accused had to fight an outright lie,The tax office did not have to produce any collaberating evidence, only the accusation (TOTALLY TRUE!). Cases in thousands.

What to do when a genuine amount is owed to the tax office.

1st offence, GRANDFATHER THE ACCOUNT!
Send an Tax office official to the person,making sure they have their,or appointed accountant with them at the meeting, point out at the meeting, this is not to persecute, but to inform,and as a gvt courteousy -no interest will accue -on oustanding debt, The debt is now on PROBATION.which means if future transactions with the help of their appointed accountant remain above board,no further demand will be made other than a yearly amount when their wage goes above present earnings ,less cpi.
This shows several points that will benifit the tax office now and into the future.
The person stays in work does not have to ditch the wife and kids to pay outrageous accumulated interest on interest,or be gouged by debt collectors.

The unspoken here amounts to the equivalent of roadkill in people.

I have spoken to one person who had no job was hit with a hidden gvt debt of $1,500 with monthly increasing interest rates. That time I was able to talk that person ,out of suicide!
Another was hit with$1,000,000 tax bill, unable to pay with gvt interest running at rates AL COPONE would have be proud of.
He told me their was no way it could be paid back,commited suicide, 3 bussiness ,s were closed down. 20 staff no jobs and $5,000,000 per annumn turnover gone.
Here,s another, -Stupid- Tax -Accounting -Fact.
Bond Corporation Australia. Tax office received $300,000,000 per year in taxes, from that Corporation,
TAX OFFICE DID THEIR AUDIT saying Bond Corp was minimizing taxes, Claimed they were owed $1,000,000,000 dollars in back taxes,gauged the company received only 10 cents in the dollar owed.
Its been 20 years since that happened so if they (TAX) had sought a more relaxed attack , they would have $6,000,000,000 .

SIX BILLION DOLLARS TO SPEND INSTEAD OF $000,000,000 = NOTHING.

Another tactic used by tax office is to issolate seconds, that means information running in arrears time frame can be brought into present time frames creating a false balance to claim against honest taxpayer who has met every obligation.
To thwart circumstances being accepted as reality the tax office runs an I I INSURANCE DENIAL SECTION.
The claim made by the tax office is FIRST PAY THE DEBT! then if later we find you are correct will refund. That refund isnt paid instead h,eld as credit by tax office against future claims by that organization (TRUE)!
All the above is true having known and met most people mentioned.
Greater tax can be collected from a greater number of people,if they could trust their tax office, I have shyed away from bussiness,with no intention to retackle an apponent who beleives my goods are theirs even before I have them.
Gentlemen I bid you GOOD NIGHT and GOODBYE!
Posted by Stephen Fitton on January 19, 2017

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