The IRS Advisory Council (IRSAC) has issued its 2022 Public Report on new and continuing issues in tax administration. The IRSAC serves as an advisory body to the commissioner of internal revenue. This year, it is composed of 34 members who represent a broad cross section of the taxpaying public.

Twenty-one issues in all were included in the report, covering topics such as:

· IRS business and information technology modernization;
· Reduction in electronic filing threshold for information return filers;
· Alignment of electronic signature requirements on withholding certificates;
· Accelerated issuance of IRS Form 6166, Certification of U.S. Residency;
· The Examination Customer Coordination and Innovation Office;
· Series 8038 Form redesign and updates; and
· Business Master File (BMF) Transcript Delivery Service (TDS).

The report noted that, as of May 2022, the IRS had partially or fully implemented 18 actions stemming from recommendations from last year’s IRSAC report. Those actions include those pertaining to taxpayers’ interacting with the IRS Independent Office of Appeals, technological upgrades and improvements to the Federal, State, and Local Government (FSLG) website.

The 2022 Report highlighted several reoccurring key themes, such as: the need for consistent and multiyear funding for the IRS to provide taxpayer service and to modernize; and the provision of targeted feedback to improve the taxpayer experience while supporting enforcement and communication efforts in the digital age.

The IRSAC is organized into five subgroups: Wage & Investment; Small Business/Self Employed; Large Business & International; Tax Exempt/Government Entities; and Information Reporting.