An official website of the U.S. GovThe IRS must significantly reduce excessive delays in resolving identity theft victim assistance cases to protect taxpayers from prolonged financial hardship and restore confidence in fair and timely tax administration.
To mitigate harm and improve service for identity theft victims, TAS recommends that the IRS:
Quarter 1 Updates
TAS is reviewing how to incorporate this initiative into an existing or new Collaborative Team, a Systemic Advocacy Project, or a potential FY 2025 Annual Report to Congress Most Serious Problem. Progress during this period was affected by the lapse in appropriations and related operational impacts, including reduced staffing capacity, reassignment of work and priorities, and a reevaluation of TAS’s approach to managing systemic advocacy objectives and associated initiatives.
Quarter 2 Updates
In Q2, the IRS announced it is focusing on addressing the ID Theft backlogs and processing delays. The IRS has acknowledged that its current Identity Theft Victim Assistance (IDTVA) process has not been working effectively and is changing how it handles these cases to improve processing times. However, the new approach raises important concerns. As the IRS shifts identity theft cases out of the specialized IDTVA unit and assigns them to Customer Service Representatives (CSRs), it must ensure that CSRs receive adequate training and have the tools necessary to track, monitor, and manage these cases effectively.
TAS will explore ways to collaborate with the IRS to improve the experience of identity theft victims by promoting consistent case management, increasing transparency and communication, expediting case resolution, reducing processing times, and monitoring taxpayer-focused outcomes under the decentralized identity theft model.
Quarter 1 Updates
TAS is reviewing how to incorporate this initiative into an existing or new Collaborative Team, a Systemic Advocacy Project, or a potential FY 2025 Annual Report to Congress Most Serious Problem. Progress during this period was affected by the lapse in appropriations and related operational impacts, including reduced staffing capacity, reassignment of work and priorities, and a reevaluation of TAS’s approach to managing systemic advocacy objectives and associated initiatives.
Quarter 2 Updates
In Q2, the IRS announced it is focusing on addressing the ID Theft backlogs and processing delays. The IRS has acknowledged that its current Identity Theft Victim Assistance (IDTVA) process has not been working effectively and is changing how it handles these cases to improve processing times. However, the new approach raises important concerns. As the IRS shifts identity theft cases out of the specialized IDTVA unit and assigns them to Customer Service Representatives (CSRs), it must ensure that CSRs receive adequate training and have the tools necessary to track, monitor, and manage these cases effectively.
TAS will explore ways to collaborate with the IRS to improve the experience of identity theft victims by promoting consistent case management, increasing transparency and communication, expediting case resolution, reducing processing times, and monitoring taxpayer-focused outcomes under the decentralized identity theft model.
