The U.S. Treasury Department knows that tax season can be a stressful time, and is inviting members of the public to send their best ideas of how the experience can be improved. 

The Tax Design Challenge, challenge, posted yesterday in the Federal Register, is being advanced by the Treasury Department as an opportunity for civic-minded people to improve the user experience of the IRS -- or, as the department put it, "to reimagine the taxpayer experience and design the taxpayer experience of the future." 

Submissions will be evaluated on overall appeal, taxpayer usefulness, financial capability, visual hierarchy, information density and accessibility, according to the challenge. The best submissions will be awarded cash prices. The best overall design will receive $10,000, with $5,000 going to the second-place winner. There will also be prizes for Best Taxpayer Usefulness and Best Financial Capabilities, both offering $2,000 for first place and $1,000 for second. The notice said that awards given as part of this challenge may be subject to taxes. 

The contest will begin April 17 and end May 10.