Department of the Treasury

Internal Revenue Service

Congressional Budget 

Justification and Annual 

Performance Report and Plan

Fiscal Year 2020
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Table of Contents

Section I – Budget Request......................................................................................................1

1A – Mission Statement .......................................................................................................1

1.1 – Appropriations Detail Table.......................................................................................1

1B – Summary of the Request.............................................................................................2

1.2 – Budget Adjustments Table .........................................................................................9

1C – Base Adjustment and Program Changes Description............................................10

Other Adjustment...............................................................................................................10

Maintaining Current Levels (MCLs) ...............................................................................11

Efficiencies / Savings ...... .................................................................................................11

Increase e-File Savings.....................................................................................................11

Space Optimization ...........................................................................................................11

Reduce Contractual Services............................................................................................11

Non-Recur Administrative Provision Section 112 Tax Reform ........................................11

Program Increases..............................................................................................................11

IRS Integrated Modernization Business Plan ...................................................................11

Data Analytics to Enhance Compliance ...........................................................................12

Prevent Identity Theft........................................................................................................15

O&M of Prior-year Enterprise-wide Cybersecurity Investments.....................................17

O&M of Critical Systems..................................................................................................17

1.3 – Operating Levels Table.............................................................................................18

1D – Appropriations Language and Explanation of Changes .......................................19

1E – Legislative Proposals.................................................................................................25

1F - IRS Use of Evidence and Evaluation ........................................................................27

Section II – Budget and Performance Plan..........................................................................30

Taxpayer Services...............................................................................................................31

2.1 – Budget Adjustments Table........................................................................................32

2.2 – Operating Levels Table............................................................................................33

2.3 – Appropriation Detail Table......................................................................................34

2A – Pre-Filing Taxpayer Assistance and Education.......................................................34

2.1.1 – Budget and Performance Report and Plan ...........................................................36

2B – Filing and Account Services.....................................................................................37

2.1.2 – Budget and Performance Report and Plan ...........................................................39

Enforcement........................................................................................................................40

2.1 – Budget Adjustments Table........................................................................................41

2.2 – Operating Levels Table............................................................................................42

2.3 – Appropriation Detail Table......................................................................................43

2C – Investigations............................................................................................................43

2.1.3 – Budget and Performance Report and Plan ...........................................................45

2D – Exam and Collections ..............................................................................................45

2.1.4 – Budget and Performance Report and Plan ...........................................................51

2E – Regulatory ................................................................................................................51

2.1.5 – Budget and Performance Report and Plan ...........................................................53
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Operations Support............................................................................................................54

2.1 – Budget Adjustments Table........................................................................................55

2.2 – Operating Levels Table............................................................................................56

2.3 – Appropriation Detail Table......................................................................................57

2F – Infrastructure............................................................................................................57

2.1.6 – Budget and Performance Report and Plan ...........................................................58

2G – Shared Services and Support ...................................................................................58

2.1.7 – Budget and Performance Report and Plan ...........................................................62

2H – Information Services ................................................................................................62

2.1.8 – Budget and Performance Report and Plan ...........................................................65

Business Systems Modernization ......................................................................................66

2.1 – Budget Adjustments Table........................................................................................67

2.2 – Operating Levels Table............................................................................................67

2.3 – Appropriation Detail Table......................................................................................68

2I – Business Systems Modernization ...............................................................................68

2.1.9 – Budget and Performance Report and Plan ...........................................................80

Section III – Supplemental Information...............................................................................81

3.1 – Summary of Capital Investments ............................................................................81

3.2 – Return on Investment (ROI) for IRS Major Enforcement Programs .................83

3.3 – IRS Performance Measures Table...........................................................................85

3.4 – Summary of FY 2018 Savings Realized...................................................................88

Section IV – Appendix............................................................................................................89

4.1 – Appropriations Detail Table with Program Integrity Cap Adjustment ..............89

Increase Audit Coverage...................................................................................................92

Increase Collection Coverage...........................................................................................94

Fight Cybercrimes and Counterterrorism ........................................................................96

Return Review Program....................................................................................................98

IT Support for Enforcement Efforts ..................................................................................99

Expand Coverage in the Tax-Exempt Sector ..................................................................100

4.2 – Summary of IRS FY 2020 Identity Theft Budget Request..................................101

4.3 – Summary of IRS FY 2020 ACA Budget Request.................................................101

4.4 – Summary of IRS FY 2020 Cyber Security Budget Request................................102

4.5 – Summary of IRS FY 2020 Request........................................................................103
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Section I – Budget Request

1A – Mission Statement 

Provide America’s taxpayers top-quality service by helping them understand and meet their 

tax responsibilities and enforce the law with integrity and fairness to all.

1.1 – Appropriations Detail Table

Dollars in Thousands

Internal Revenue Service Change % Change

Appropriated Resources

FY 2018

Enacted1

FY 2019

Annualized CR2 

FY 2020

Request3

FY 2019 to FY 2020 

Request

FY 2019 to FY 2020 

Request

New Appropriated 

Resources: FTE AMOUNT FTE AMOUNT FTE AMOUNT FTE AMOUNT FTE AMOUNT

Taxpayer Services 27,871 $2,512,554 28,834 $2,571,554 26,639 $2,402,000 (2,195) ($169,554) -7.6% -6.6%

Pre-Filing Taxpayer 

Assistance and Education 4,636 640,379 4,603 634,019 4,606 634,762 3 743 0.1% 0.1%

Filing and Account Services 23,235 1,872,175 24,231 1,937,535 22,033 1,767,238 (2,198) (170,297) -9.1% -8.8%

Enforcement 34,789 $4,627,000 34,049 $4,672,000 34,182 $4,705,368 133 $33,368 0.4% 0.7%

Investigations 2,950 581,680 2,893 597,658 2,964 614,046 71 16,388 2.5% 2.7%

Exam and Collections 30,876 3,875,098 30,084 3,894,129 30,209 3,923,583 125 29,454 0.4% 0.8%

Regulatory 963 170,222 1,072 180,213 1,009 167,739 (63) (12,474) -5.9% -6.9%

Operations Support 10,389 $4,181,000 10,340 $3,834,000 10,683 $4,075,021 343 $241,021 3.3% 6.3%

Infrastructure 870,360 858,932 853,738 (5,194) -0.6%

Shared Services and Support 4,315 920,283 4,269 942,568 4,287 953,686 18 11,118 0.4% 1.2%

Information Services 6,074 2,390,357 6,071 2,032,500 6,396 2,267,597 325 235,097 5.4% 11.6%

Business Systems 

Modernization 219 $110,000 361 $110,000 441 $290,000 80 $180,000 22.2% 163.6%

Subtotal New Appropriated 

Resources 73,268 $11,430,554 73,584 $11,187,554 71,945 $11,472,389 (1,639) $284,835 -2.2% 2.5%

Other Resources:

Reimbursables 795 171,140 521 116,551 521 122,379 5,828 5.0%

Offsetting Collections (Non 

Reimbursable) 26,069 37,719 39,605 1,886 5.0%

User Fees 14 283,267 60 563,053 71 460,900 11 36,857 18.3% 8.7%

Recovery from Prior Years 13,233 17,994 18,905 911 5.1%

Unobligated Balances from 

Prior Years 236 360,031 289 357,637 100 153,567 (189) (343,080) -65.4% -69.1%

Transfers In/Out (4,188)

Subtotal Other Resources 1,045 $849,552 870 $1,092,954 692 $795,356 (178) ($297,598) -20.5% -27.2%

Total Budgetary Resources 74,313 $12,280,106 74,454 $12,280,508 72,637 $12,267,745 (1,817) ($12,763) -2.4% -0.1%

1 FY 2018 Enacted includes $320 million in Section 113 Administrative Provision funding in the following amounts: $19 million in Taxpayer 

Services, $10 million in Enforcement, and $291 million in Operations Support. FY 2018 Enacted also includes an interappropriation transfer of 

$256 million to Operations Support ($13 million from Taxpayer Services and $243 million from Enforcement) and budget activity adjustments in 

accordance with Section 608 of Public Law 115-141. FY 2018 full-time equivalent (FTE) are actuals and reconcile to the final FY 2018 column in 

the FY 2020 President's Appendix. Other Resources are actuals.

2 FY 2019 Annualized Continuing Resolution (CR) includes a $200 million interappropriation transfer from Enforcement to Operations Support to 

cover operations and maintenance requirements in FY 2019. FY 2019 Annualized CR also includes $77 million ($65 million in Taxpayer Services

and $12 million in Enforcement) for the Section 112 Administrative Provision to implement requirements under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (Public 

Law 115-97). $320 million is automatically available in a full year continuing resolution scenario under IRS Administrative Provision Section 113. 

Of this amount, $243 million is excluded for illustrative purposes consistent with the requirements identified for implementing the Tax Cuts and 

Jobs Act and the FY 2019 Section 112 / Tax Reform Spending Plan transmitted to Congress on February 28, 2019. Additional information and a 

full accounting of these funds can be found in the FY 2020 President’s Budget Appendix.

3 FY 2020 Request column excludes the proposed $362 million discretionary program integrity investment in FY 2020: $200 million for 

Enforcement and $162 million for Operations Support. More information about the program integrity cap adjustment can be found in Section 4.1.
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1B – Summary of the Request 

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is responsible for administering the nation’s tax system 

and meeting the needs of America’s taxpayers by helping them understand and meet their tax 

responsibilities and by enforcing the law with integrity and fairness. 

The IRS interacts with almost every American and generates 95 percent of the funding that 

supports the federal government’s operations. With the U.S. tax base becoming more 

complex, one of the IRS’s key responsibilities is to make it easier for taxpayers to understand 

and meet their tax obligations.

During 2018, the IRS processed 253 million tax forms, including individual income tax, 

corporation income tax, and employment tax returns. The IRS provided more than 

$400 billion in tax refunds to taxpayers, protected billions of taxpayer records, and collected 

$3.5 trillion in taxes (gross receipts before tax refunds).

The IRS’s primary operations include collection of individual and corporate taxes, 

examination of returns, taxpayer assistance, and oversight of tax-exempt organizations, as 

well as administering multiple refundable tax credits and other specialized programs. 

FY 2020 Budget Request and Priorities

The FY 2020 President’s Budget (Budget) request is $11.472 billion, $285 million or 

2.6 percent more than the FY 2019 Annualized Continuing Resolution (CR) level of 

$11.188 billion. The base budget request provides funding to carry out the IRS mission.

Appropriation Account ($ in Millions)

Taxpayer Services $2,402.0

Enforcement 4,705.4

Operations Support 4,075.0

Business Systems Modernization 290.0

Total Appropriated Resources $11,472.4

The Budget includes an increase of $344 million for four high-priority areas: modernization

(the IRS Integrated Modernization Business Plan), cybersecurity and identity theft, 

infrastructure, and data analytics. The investment in modernization provides a down payment 

on a multi-year plan to modernize IRS systems and operations and deliver a customer 

experience comparable to the best financial institutions; the integrity of the voluntary tax 

compliance system depends on it. These priorities will allow the IRS to continue to support 

taxpayer service, protect trillions of dollars in tax revenue, and secure taxpayer information. 

The Budget will allow the IRS to:

• Help all taxpayers meet their tax obligations by simplifying the process of filing and 

amending returns and submitting payments;

• Protect the integrity of the tax system by reviewing and enforcing the tax code;
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• Partner with key stakeholders in the state and local tax administration, tax 

preparation, and international communities;

• Cultivate and retain a well-equipped, diverse, flexible, and engaged workforce; 

• Advance data access, usability, and analytics to inform decision making; and 

• Drive increased agility, efficiency, effectiveness, and security in operations. 

Tax Administration Challenges and Risks 

Over the past several years, the IRS’s

workload and responsibilities increased

even as staffing levels declined. For 

example, since FY 2010, the total 

number of returns filed increased by 

eight percent, information returns filed 

increased by 33 percent, and staffing 

decreased by about 19 percent, primarily 

in compliance and enforcement. In FY 

2018, 0.5 percent of all returns filed 

were audited compared to 0.9 percent in 

FY 2010. Meanwhile, cybersecurity and identity theft refund fraud prevention programs 

consume a larger share of the budget. In FY 2019, the IRS plans to replace attrition and hire 

approximately 2,000 additional enforcement personnel. 

The Budget addresses the growing demand for online taxpayer services and stronger 

compliance efforts by investing in secure and modernized technology. The Budget would

allow the IRS to leverage data and behavioral analytics to target the most effective noncompliance work in collection and enforcement, address cybersecurity threats, refresh aged IT 

infrastructure, and recruit top talent. 

Strategic Plan 2018 - 2022

In 2018, the IRS published its FY 2018-2022 Strategic Plan. The plan articulates the IRS 

vision to become a taxpayer-centric and modern organization and will guide the IRS’s

strategic decision-making over the coming years. The plan includes six strategic goals:

• Empower and enable all taxpayers to meet their tax obligations.

• Protect the integrity of the tax system by encouraging compliance through 

administering and enforcing the tax code.

• Collaborate with external partners proactively to improve tax administration.

• Cultivate a well-equipped, diverse, flexible and engaged workforce.

• Advance data access, usability and analytics to inform decision-making and improve 

operational outcomes.

• Drive increased agility, efficiency, effectiveness and security in IRS operations.

1,645,607 

(0.9% coverage rate)

930,427

(0.5% coverage rate)

FY 2010 FY 2015 FY 2017 FY 2018

Number of Returns Examined 
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The plan aligns with five out of 17 strategic objectives in the Department of the Treasury’s 

FY 2018-2022 Strategic Plan:

• Treasury Objective 1.1: Tax Law Implementation

• Treasury Objective 4.1: Financial Data Access and Use

• Treasury Objectives 5.1-5.3: Workforce Management, Treasury Infrastructure and 

Customer Value

By combatting refund fraud and identity theft, transforming taxpayer services to meet 

taxpayer expectations, maintaining a skilled and talented workforce, increasing operational 

efficiency and effectiveness, and meeting the tax needs of a diverse U.S. population, the 

strategic plan is a guide to accomplishing the IRS mission and vision.

Tax Reform 

The IRS is responsible for implementing the most extensive tax legislation in decades, the 

Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), enacted on December 22, 2017. Implementation of most of 

the 119 TCJA tax provisions took place during calendar year 2018 for the 2019 filing season 

and beyond. The IRS has created and revised more than 500 tax products and 57 systems, 

retrained employees, and educated millions of taxpayers about the tax changes. Congress 

provided $320 million in FY 2018 and $77 million in FY 2019 for these activities, including: 

• Providing assistance to taxpayers on issues involving interpretations of the law and 

related published guidance. 

• Training IRS employees on the new law and helping the public, tax professionals, and 

industry partners understand how the law applies to them. 

• Reprogramming information technology systems, with special focus on return 

processing and compliance systems (the backbone of the tax system). 

This effort required the participation of all IRS divisions and was led by the Tax Reform 

Implementation Office (TRIO). TRIO coordinated activities to implement the TCJA’s farreaching provisions. By the end of calendar year 2018, the IRS had initiated systems testing 

for almost all filing season programming and approved more than 700 hires, with more than 

615 new employees selected, 367 on-board, and the remainder in progress. While the IRS 

experienced a delay in training, each business unit provided technical training to employees as 

the filing season approached. Frontline employees who interact with taxpayers during the 

filing season received more hours of training than they did in previous years.

In February 2018, the IRS hosted outside stakeholders in five roundtable discussions that 

addressed individual, withholding, business, international, and tax-exempt provisions. Since 

that time, the IRS has worked closely with tax professionals, industry associations, advisory 

groups, and many others to hear and understand practitioners’ and professionals’ priorities 

and interests. 
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IRS Integrated Modernization Business Plan

The Budget requests $290 million for the IRS Integrated Modernization Business Plan

(Modernization Plan) for a total budget of $300 million in FY 2020, including at least 

$10 million from IRS user fees. The plan is critical to maintaining the voluntary tax 

compliance system and will position the IRS to deliver a customer experience comparable to 

the best financial institutions in the world. The plan – validated by an independent third-party 

assessor – calls for a total investment of approximately $2.3 to $2.7 billion over six years, 

delivered in two phases. The technologies provided for in the plan, such as customer callback 

and online notifications, will simplify taxpayer interactions with the IRS across all service

channels and expedite return processing times, allowing taxpayers to comply and receive 

refunds faster. Modernizing will stabilize rising operations and maintenance (O&M) costs. 

Currently, O&M costs are about $2.2 billion a year and are projected to reach $3 billion by 

FY 2026. The National Taxpayer Advocate Annual Report to Congress 2018 rated the need 

to replace antiquated technology systems as the IRS’s top priority:

IRS performance already is significantly limited by its aging systems, and if those 

systems aren’t replaced, the gap between what the IRS should be able to do and what 

the IRS is actually able to do will continue to increase in ways that don’t garner 

headlines but increasingly harm taxpayers and impair revenue collection.
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The IRS Integrated Modernization Business Plan will provide a path to rectify these issues, 

transform the taxpayer experience, and improve compliance by focusing on the following four 

core areas: Taxpayer Experience

• Help taxpayers resolve issues quickly and efficiently 

• Empower taxpayers with information about their account, obligations, 

and payment options 

• Make services available to customers when they need them

• Protect taxpayer information and data

Core Taxpayer 

Services and 

Enforcement

• Integrate tax processing systems to increase the cost effectiveness of 

operations 

• Enable real-time processing and increase transparency of return status 

• Increase data usability and the use of data analytics to combat fraud

Modernized 

IRS 

Operations

• Reduce complexity of the technical environment 

• Leverage data to deliver secure, agile, and efficient applications and 

services

• Strengthen organizational agility through automation and streamlining 

processes

Cybersecurity

and Data 

Protection

• Establish trusted and streamlined access to information through 

identity and access management technologies 

• Proactively identify emerging threats and vulnerabilities through the 

use of real-time intelligence information and analytics

• Protect taxpayer data and systems via end-to-end visibility & common 

platforms

Program Integrity Cap Adjustment 

In addition to the base appropriations request of $11.472 billion, the Budget proposes a 

$362 million discretionary program integrity cap adjustment in FY 2020 to fund new and 

continuing investments in expanding and improving the effectiveness and efficiency of the 

IRS’s overall tax enforcement program. The Budget proposes $200 million for the 

Enforcement account and $162 million for the Operations Support account. Additional 

adjustments are provided in future years to fund new initiatives and inflation. These 

investments will generate $47.1 billion in new revenue over 10 years and will cost about 

$14.5 billion, for net revenue of $32.6 billion. This return on investment (ROI) is likely 

understated because it does not reflect the effect that enhanced enforcement has on deterring 

non-compliance. The deterrent effect helps to ensure the continued payment of more than 

$3 trillion in taxes paid voluntarily each year. More information about the cap adjustment is 
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found in Section 4.1 of the Appendix and in the Budget Process Chapter of the 

FY 2020 President’s Budget. 

2018 Filing Season 

The IRS delivered a successful 2018 filing season that opened on January 29, 2018. The IRS 

held its 12th annual Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) Awareness Day on January 26, 2018. 

This day marked the kickoff of a multilingual communication effort intended to increase 

awareness of EITC eligibility, encourage participation, and emphasize filing of accurate 

returns. The day also highlighted free tax preparation and electronic filing options through 

the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA), Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE), and 

Free-File programs.

Other highlights from the 2018 filing season:

• Achieved an 80 percent filing season telephone level of service (LOS), an increase of 

one percent over the 2017 filing season.

• Answered more than 10 million calls and addressed another 17 million calls through 

automated systems.

• Received about 137 million individual returns, with almost 91 percent filed 

electronically.

• Received about 31 million business returns, an increase of one percent over the 

2017 filing season, with almost 20.4 million filed electronically, an increase of six 

percent from 2017.

• Issued more than 95 million refunds totaling $265 billion with an average refund of 

$2,780 and more than 84 percent paid through direct deposit.

• Served nearly five million taxpayers, almost three million through face-to-face assistor 

contacts and two million who had their issues resolved over the phone when they 

called for an appointment. 

• Received 387 million visits to IRS.gov, with 265 million taxpayers checking the 

Where’s My Refund? tool for the status of their refund. This figure represents a 

24 percent increase in the use of IRS.gov and an eight percent increase in Where’s My 

Refund? compared to last filing season.

• Leveraged both filtering capabilities and the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes 

Act (PATH Act) refund hold to automate and expand the selection of potentially 

fraudulent returns. Held 9.4 million returns with $46.9 billion in potentially fraudulent 

refunds until February 15 and identified about 340,000 PATH Act returns with 

possible overstated income or withholding issues.

• Launched the Field Assistance Scheduling Tool to schedule appointments for 

taxpayers in all Taxpayer Assistance Centers (TAC) and Virtual Service Delivery 

sites. 
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• Created or revised 722 tax products significantly affected by the Disaster Tax Relief 

and Airport and Airway Extension Act of 2017 (P.L. 115-63), the Tax Cuts and Jobs 

Act (P.L. 115-97), and the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 (P.L. 115-123).

Return on Investment

The IRS remains one of the most cost-effective investments in the federal government and 

one of the most efficient tax administrators in the world. In FY 2018, the IRS collected 

$3.5 trillion in tax revenue. Congress appropriated $11.4 billion for the IRS in FY 2018 and 

IRS enforcement programs collected $59.4 billion, for a return on investment (ROI) of about 

$5.2 for every $1 invested in the IRS. This ROI estimate is likely understated because it does 

not include the revenue effect of the deterrence value of IRS enforcement programs or the 

effect of education and outreach on voluntary tax compliance.

Investment Labor Costing Methodology

The IRS uses a variety of methods to calculate the cost of its investments. Costs for 

investments that require labor funding are calculated by converting the workload to the 

number and type of staff (e.g., Revenue Agents, Revenue Officers, or Special Agents) needed 

to deliver targeted performance goals. Once the number of full-time equivalents (FTE) and 

type of staff are determined, the cost of the FTE is estimated using a Unit Cost Rate (UCR) 

calculator, a tool for projecting FTE salary and non-salary support costs and/or savings. The 

UCR calculator fully covers the salary, benefits, and support costs needed for each FTE. 

Proposed FTE increases in the Budget assume an April 1 hire date, except for frontline 

positions in Submission Processing and Account Management and 

Assistance - Electronic/Correspondence Assistance, which assume an October 1 hire date 

because they provide service to taxpayers during the filing season and can be brought on 

board faster than most other positions. These programs are not as dependent on the traditional 

hiring and training process as other IRS programs because there is a large, existing seasonal 

workforce available to meet work demand. 
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1.2 – Budget Adjustments Table

Dollars in Thousands

Internal Revenue Service 

Summary of Proposed FY 2020 Request FTE Amount

FY 2019 Annualized CR Level1

73,584 $11,187,554 

Changes to Base:

Other Adjustments (1,029)

Offset to O&M for Critical IT Systems (1,029)

Maintaining Current Levels (MCLs) $50,565 

Non-Pay Inflation Adjustment 50,565 

Efficiencies/Savings: (1,071) ($109,600)

Increase e-File Savings (116) (6,183)

Space Optimization (24,700)

Reduce Contractual Services (1,717)

Non-Recur for Section 112 Tax Reform Funding (955) (77,000)

Subtotal FY 2019 Changes to Base (2,100) ($59,035)

FY 2019 Current Services 71,484 $11,128,519 

Program Changes:

Program Increases

IRS Technology Modernization Plan 80 180,000 

Data Analytics to Enhance Compliance 190 33,833 

Prevent Identity Theft 29 22,488 

O&M of Prior-year Enterprise-wide Cybersecurity Investments 6,744 

O&M of Critical Systems 162 100,805 

Subtotal FY 2020 Program Increases 461 $343,870 

Total FY 2020 Budget Request 71,945 $11,472,389 

See footnotes in 1.1 -- Appropriations Detail Table
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1C – Base Adjustment and Program Changes Description

Base Adjustment...........................................................................+$77,000,000 / -391 FTE 

The FY 2019 Annualized Continuing Resolution (CR) level of $11.188 billion includes a 

$200 million inter-appropriation transfer from Enforcement to Operations Support to cover 

anticipated operations and maintenance requirements in FY 2019. The IRS will submit a 

notice to Congress with respect to this transfer. The Annualized CR level also includes $320 

million for tax reform, although the tables only include $77 million ($65 million in Taxpayer 

Services and $12 million in Enforcement) reflected in the expenditure plan that the IRS 

submitted in February 2019 for the Section 112 Administrative Provision to implement 

requirements under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (Public Law 115-97). 

Other Adjustment..............................................$0 / -1,029 FTE

Offset to Support O&M of Critical Systems $0 / -1,029 FTE

The request realigns $102 million from the Taxpayer Services account to the Operations 

Support account to support critical systems that benefit both Taxpayer Services and 

Enforcement programs. These funds will be used for the operations and maintenance of 

information technology that is critical to service and enforcement. 

37 million

23 million

305 million

496 million

FY 2010 FY 2018

Taxpayer Assistance through Website Usage Continues to Grow 

(Since FY 2010, Website Usage is Up by 62%) 

 Live Assistance Calls Website Usage
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Maintaining Current Levels (MCLs)................................... +$50,565,000 / 0 FTE

Non-Pay Inflation Adjustment +$50,565,000 / 0 FTE

Funds are requested for non-labor inflationary cost increases for items such as travel, 

contracts, rent, supplies, and equipment.

Efficiencies / Savings ..........................................-$109,600,000 / -1,071 FTE

Increase e-File Savings -$6,183,000 / -116 FTE

The IRS projects a total of 1,870,800 fewer returns filed on paper (1,256,100 individual and 

614,700 business returns). As a result, the IRS would need 116 fewer FTE in submission 

processing, generating a savings of $6.2 million. 

Space Optimization -$24,700,000 / 0 FTE

The IRS will reduce expenditures on rent and improve usage of office space across the 

country. Since 2013, the IRS has released 3.2 million square feet, closing 106 buildings and 

reducing rent costs by about 10 percent. In FY 2018, the IRS released 492,100 square feet for 

an estimated $10.6 million in rent savings and will continue to consolidate space in FY 2020.

Reduce Contractual Services -$1,717,000 / 0 FTE

The IRS will generate savings by improving the effectiveness of existing acquisition practices 

to reduce the cost of contracts. 

Non-Recur Administrative Provision Section 112 Tax Reform -$77,000,000 / -955 FTE

The non-recurrence of one-time funding provided by the Section 112 Administrative 

Provision to implement the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. 

Program Increases

IRS Integrated Modernization Business Plan +$180,000,000 / +80 FTE

The Budget requests an increase of 

$180 million for the IRS Integrated 

Modernization Business Plan for a 

total budget of $300 million in 

FY 2020, including at least 

$10 million from IRS user fees. The 

plan is essential to maintaining the voluntary tax compliance system and will position the IRS 

to deliver a customer experience comparable to the best financial institutions in the 

world. Please see page IRS-68 for additional details. 

Position Type/Other Costs FTE Positions $000

IRS Integrated Modernization Business 

Plan 80.00 160 $180,000

IT Specialist 80.00 160 105,000

Contractual Services 62,106

Hardware & Software 12,894

Total 80.00 160 $180,000
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Data Analytics to Enhance Compliance +$33,833,000 / +190 FTE

This investment in advanced data 

analytics will improve the IRS’s risk 

identification capabilities and reduce 

the need for manual or limited risk 

assessments. This change will allow 

IRS to focus on identifying 

compliance risks. Recent changes in 

tax law has reduced the accuracy of 

the current use of traditional 

“backward looking” risk 

identification tools and this 

investment will help IRS identify 

new risks. This investment will result 

in an additional 1,032 large business 

return examination closures and 

increase the examination coverage 

rate by 0.3 percent starting in FY 2022. 

The IRS has begun applying data analytics to improve effectiveness including:

• Identity theft prevention – Applied analytics and modeling to the development of 

identity theft filters that contributed to the protection of $6 billion in revenue in 2017.

• Notice redesign – Leveraged behavioral insights to improve taxpayer compliance 

through redesigned notices. Pilot results indicate this redesign improves results at 

lower cost, with up to an 11 percent improvement in payment compliance, resulting in 

$650 million to $1 billion in additional collections and up to a 31 percent increase in

the use of self-service tools and a 20 percent decrease in IRS costs.

• Compliance risk assessment – Developed data products that use predictive models 

based on machine learning and risk identified by subject matter experts to assess risk 

among large corporations and pass-through entities. These products already identified 

a previously unrecognized area of noncompliance among partnerships for which 

appropriate treatments are now being determined.

• Employment tax investigations – Developed algorithms to select criminal cases for 

national priority initiatives. To date, the algorithm for employment tax has identified 

18 cases with an average estimated tax loss 30 percent greater ($3 million versus 

$2.3 million) than traditional methods.

• Exam selection – Evaluated 250 data elements to develop a multi-phase statistical 

algorithm to predict the likelihood of change on Employee Plan returns that exceeded 

past program results by more than 20 percent in back testing.

While the IRS has made strides in this area, it faces a changing data environment and needs to 

transform with it. For example, the significant changes stemming from the TCJA make the 

role of data analytics even more critical. Current risk assessment tools need to be adapted for 

Position Type/Other Costs FTE Positions $000

Data Analytics to Enhance Compliance 178.00 356 $31,792

Program Analyst 13.50 27 1,738

Manager 4.00 8 434

Attorney 1.00 2 178

Tax Law Specialist 2.00 4 333

Special Agent 25.00 50 8,948

Investigative Analyst 7.50 15 939

Data Scientist 9.50 19 1,452

Analyst 15.00 30 1,312

Revenue Agent 54.50 109 11,429

Economist 7.00 14 1,121

IT Specialist 8.50 17 1,066

Tax Technician 26.00 52 2,443

Clerical 4.50 9 399

Other Direct Costs 11.50 23 $2,041

Attorney 7.50 15 1,593

Support Staff 2.50 5 216

Paralegal 0.50 1 61

Appeals Officer 1.00 2 171

Total 189.50 379 $33,833
IRS-13

significant changes to transfer pricing rules, repatriation provisions, and base erosion 

provisions. Identity theft filters need to be monitored for effectiveness, modified, or retired. 

The absence of historical data reflecting the new tax code provisions poses a challenge to the 

way these tools were traditionally developed. For example, Discriminant Index Function 

(DIF) scoring used for exam selection is based on past filings under the old tax law and would 

take years to revise using traditional techniques such as the National Research Program 

(NRP). The TCJA affected diverse entities, ranging from multi-national corporations to 

partnerships and pass-through entities to individuals, opening new risks. Also, certain 

documents not captured electronically (for example, information letters for Section 965 

deemed repatriation tax and forms related to new Base Erosion and Profit Shifting reporting 

requirements) will require advanced techniques to extract and interpret data to assess 

compliance behaviors. Leveraging the value of data analytics is a key strategy of the IRS’s 

Strategic Plan as well.

The IRS will use these resources to:

• Support systemic data analysis to identify emerging trends and build effective 

compliance strategies;

• Refine existing data models and expand the IRS’s capability to apply advanced 

predictive modeling techniques across additional taxpayer populations with unique 

risk points;

• Apply advanced analytic techniques such as machine learning and natural language 

processing to support case selection;

• Identify previously unknown non-compliance areas;

• Pair data professionals with relevant subject matter experts to tailor data analysis and 

modeling to support compliance and enforcement;

• Explore partnerships with academia and other partners (e.g., Joint Chiefs of Global 

Tax Enforcement) to collaborate on data strategies and leverage their data and 

analytics experience;

• Make effective use of new data sources (such as Base Erosion and Profit Shifting 

(BEPS) country-by-country reporting); and

• Lead a data- driven culture change.
IRS-14

Other Direct Costs 

IRS Activity Cost FTE Positions Explanation

Appeals $170 1.00 2

Support examination efforts on key compliance areas 

focused on improving voluntary compliance and providing a 

high level of customer service.

Chief Counsel $1,871 10.50 21 Provide support for increases in requests for legal advice, 

litigation assistance, and collection due process.

Total $2,041 11.50 23

Dollars in thousands
IRS-15

Prevent Identity Theft +$22,488,000 / +29 FTE

This investment will support the IRS’s efforts to prevent identity theft. The IRS will use these 

resources to hire 29 FTE ($7.8 million) and 

acquire IT contractual services for 

($14.7 million).

The additional resources would be used to:

• Develop methods to analyze more than 

41 additional data points from returns 

filed with industry partners and 

determine which are accurate indicators 

of fraud; 

• Provide development costs needed to 

expand the ability to securely generate 

and distribute secret keys to W-2 preparers and verify that the W-2 data submitted is 

not fraudulent; 

• Fulfill IRS agreements with state/industry partners to analyze/act on millions of 

additional tax fraud leads in real time, thereby stopping millions of fraudulent refunds;

and

• Expand Business Master File (BMF) identity theft filters and authentication efforts 

and expand the Entity Fabrication project to detect and prevent perpetration of 

fraudulent use of Employer Identification Numbers (EINs) to obtain unwarranted 

refunds.

The funding will be used to hire additional Special Agents to conduct more criminal 

investigations related to Identity Theft. With these additional agents, the IRS will complete

about 250 additional criminal investigations between FY 2020 and FY 2025. Most of the new 

investigations will happen after FY 2021-FY 2022 because the time necessary for the agents 

to be at full performance levels and the average cycle time to complete cases (300-400 days).

In addition, the initiative includes funding for contractor support that will: identify classes of 

fraud use cases; define how they vary across the fraud actor community; facilitate sharing 

anonymized data for analysis and identification of fraud classes; monitor tax fraud 

communication on the deep web to increase awareness of criminal activity; examine the fraud 

lifecycle to identify steps that non-compliant taxpayers take and the ways the IRS can defend 

against each step; determine how to build effective prevention and defense strategies early in 

the lifecycle and develop machine ingestible common vocabulary for fraud intelligence that 

allows non-compliant characteristics and techniques to be efficiently shared; operate and 

maintain critical databases and websites to support identity authentication; and reduce the use 

of Social Security Numbers (SSN) in IRS through software, infrastructure and other related 

support.

These resources will be used to provide investigative staff with an “investigative tool” that is 

an externally-hosted Virtual Desktop. Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) creates an agile 

Position Type/Other Costs FTE Positions $000

Criminal Investigation 22.00 44 $6,161

Special Agent 12.00 24 4,295

Analyst 10.00 20 1,252

IT Contractual Support 614

Privacy, Government Liaison, and 

Disclosure 2.50 5 $1,424

Analyst 2.50 5 326

Training/Travel 1,098

Information Sharing and Assistance 

Center $6,948

IT Contractual Support 6,948

Eliminate SSN on Materials $7,100

Contractual Services 7,100

Other Direct Costs 4.50 9 $855

Attorney 3.50 7 773

Tax Admin. Specialist 1.00 2 82

Total 29.00 58 $22,488
IRS-16

non-government attributable internet surveillance and research capability that is secure, 

contained, and is external to the IRS enterprise computing environment. IRS CI can use this 

tool to develop leads, schemes and cases by synthesizing disparate data sources, creating an 

integrated view of all available data using cutting edge technology and allowing CI users to 

complete in-depth searches and complex analytics. This additional analytical and 

investigative capacity will allow CI to combat cyber-criminals who exploit stolen taxpayer PII 

obtained through sophisticated data breaches and intrusions. 

Other Direct Costs

IRS Activity Cost FTE Positions Explanation

Chief Counsel $710 4.50 9 Provide legal advice and assistance to investigations.

Total $710 4.50 9

Dollars in thousands
IRS-17

O&M of Prior-year Enterprise-wide Cybersecurity Investments +$6,744,000 / 0 FTE

The Budget includes an increase 

of $6.7 million to support O&M 

for prior year Cybersecurity 

Enhancement Account (CEA) 

investments. The CEA O&M will 

be funded by Treasury bureaus through Treasury Franchise Fund (TFF) billing. This increase 

represents the IRS’s portion of the total Departmental O&M cost of $17.5 million.

O&M of Critical Systems +$100,805,000 / +162 FTE

These funds will allow IRS to deliver 

IT services and solutions that drive 

effective tax administration. 

Development and O&M expenses 

have risen due to the increased 

sophistication of cyber threats, which 

require o strengthened security.

These funds will be used to deliver core O&M services and to address aging infrastructure by

reducing aged hardware from a target of 43.8 percent in FY 2019 to 39 percent by the end of 

FY 2020. They will also cover maintenance on investments impacted by tax reform 

implementation; the continuation of the migration to the Linux operating environment; and 

implementing the Treasury Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions effort. 

Position Type/Other Costs FTE Positions $000

O&M of Prior-Year Enterprise-wide 

Cybersecurity Investments $6,744

Contractual Services 6,744

Total $6,744

Position Type/Other Costs FTE Positions $000

Restore Operations and Maintenance 

of Critical Systems 162.00 324 $100,805

IT Specialist 162.00 324 55,716

Contractual Services 24,002

Hardware & Software 21,087

Total 162.00 324 $100,805
IRS-18

1.3 – Operating Levels Table

Dollars in thousands

Internal Revenue Service

Object Classification

FY 2018

Enacted

FY 2019

Annualized CR

FY 2020

Request

11.1 Full-Time Permanent Positions 5,667,801 5,749,579 5,679,699

11.3 Other than Full-Time Permanent Positions 81,640 80,924 81,045

11.5 Other Personnel Compensation 254,266 224,860 226,086

11.8 Special Personal Services Payments 31,344 32,871 32,871

11.9 Personnel Compensation (Total) 6,035,051 6,088,234 6,019,701

12.1 Personnel Benefits 2,141,461 2,198,873 2,167,992

13.0 Benefits to Former Personnel 39,998 38,668 38,667

Total Personnel and Compensation Benefits $8,216,510 $8,325,775 $8,226,360

21.0 Travel 78,871 101,244 107,356

22.0 Transportation of Things 17,286 21,452 24,794

23.1 Rental Payments to GSA 589,687 590,575 578,055

23.2 Rent Payments to Others 12,283 12,437 12,692

23.3 Communications, Utilities, & Misc 292,401 340,986 367,155

24.0 Printing & Reproduction 35,096 29,653 30,258

25.1 Advisory & Assistance Services 1,094,549 844,119 1,082,433

25.2 Other Services 90,783 85,543 96,026

25.3 Purchase of Goods & Services from Govt. Accounts 174,914 191,489 196,301

25.4 Operation & Maintenance of Facilities 186,039 189,254 193,469

25.5 Research & Development Contracts 6

25.6 Medical Care 14,554 15,009 15,370

25.7 Operation & Maintenance of Equipment 68,855 69,437 87,911

26.0 Supplies and Materials 34,615 35,124 36,221

31.0 Equipment 458,310 286,963 368,894

32.0 Land and Structures 20,231 5,613 6,093

41.0 Grants, Subsidies 36,890 36,890 36,890

42.0 Insurance Claims & Indemnities 4,474 2,022 2,063

44.0 Refunds

91.0 Unvouchered 4,200 3,969 4,048

Total Non-Personnel $3,214,044 $2,861,779 $3,246,029

New Appropriated Resources $11,430,554 $11,187,554 $11,472,389

Appropriations:

Taxpayer Services 2,512,554 2,571,554 2,402,000

Enforcement 4,627,000 4,672,000 4,705,368

Operations Support 4,181,000 3,834,000 4,075,021

Business Systems Modernization 110,000 110,000 290,000

New Appropriated Resources $11,430,554 $11,187,554 $11,472,389

FTE 73,268 73,584 71,945

See footnotes in 1.1 -- Appropriations Detail Table
IRS-19

1D – Appropriations Language and Explanation of Changes

Appropriations Language Explanation of Changes

DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE

TAXPAYER SERVICES

For necessary expenses of the Internal Revenue 

Service to provide taxpayer services, including prefiling assistance and education, filing and account 

services, taxpayer advocacy services, and other 

services as authorized by 5 U.S.C. 3109, at

such rates as may be determined by the 

Commissioner, $2,402,000,000; of which not less 

than $8,890,000 shall be for the Tax Counseling for 

the Elderly Program; of which not less than 

$12,000,000 shall be available for low-income 

taxpayer clinic grants; of which not less than 

$15,000,000, to remain available until September 

30, 2021, shall be available for a Community

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance matching grants 

program for tax return preparation assistance; and 

of which not less than $206,000,000 shall be 

available for operating expenses of the Taxpayer 

Advocate Service: Provided, That of the amounts 

made available for the Taxpayer Advocate Service, 

not less than $5,000,000 shall be for identity theft 

casework.

Note.—A full-year 2019 appropriation for this 

account was not enacted at the time the budget was 

prepared; therefore, the budget assumes this account 

is operating under the Continuing Appropriations 

Act, 2019 (Division C of P.L. 115–245, as 

amended). The amounts included for 2019 reflect the 

annualized level provided by the continuing 

resolution.

ENFORCEMENT

For necessary expenses for tax enforcement 

activities of the Internal Revenue Service to 

determine and collect owed taxes, to provide legal 

and litigation support, to conduct criminal 

investigations, to enforce criminal statutes related to 
IRS-20

violations of internal revenue laws and other 

financial crimes, to purchase and hire passenger 

motor vehicles (31 U.S.C. 1343(b)), and to provide 

other services as authorized by 5 U.S.C. 3109, at 

such rates as may be determined by the 

Commissioner, $4,705,368,000, of which not to 

exceed $50,000,000 shall remain available until 

September 30, 2021, and of which not less than 

$60,257,000 shall be for the Interagency Crime and 

Drug Enforcement program: Provided, That of the 

funds provided under this paragraph,

$4,705,368,000 is provided to meet the terms of 

section 251(b)(2) of the Balanced Budget and 

Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, as 

amended.

In addition, not less than $199,886,000 for tax 

activities under this heading, including tax 

compliance to address the Federal tax gap: 

Provided, That such amount is additional new 

budget authority for tax activities, including tax 

compliance to address the Federal tax gap, as 

specified for purposes of section 251(b)(2) of the 

Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control 

Act of 1985, as amended. 

Note.—A full-year 2019 appropriation for this 

account was not enacted at the time the budget was 

prepared; therefore, the budget assumes this account 

is operating under the Continuing Appropriations 

Act, 2019 (Division C of P.L. 115–245, as 

amended). The amounts included for 2019 reflect the 

annualized level provided by the continuing 

resolution.

OPERATIONS SUPPORT

For necessary expenses of the Internal Revenue 

Service to support taxpayer services and 

enforcement programs, including rent payments; 

facilities services; printing; postage; physical 

security; headquarters and other IRS-wide 

administration activities; research and statistics of 

income; telecommunications; information 

technology development, enhancement, operations, 

maintenance, and security; the hire of passenger 

Language required for the proposed 

program integrity cap adjustment. 

More information about the cap 

adjustment can be found in section 4.1 

– Appropriations Detail Table with 

Program Integrity Cap Adjustment of 

the Appendix and Budget Process 

Chapter of the FY 2020 President’s 

Budget.
IRS-21

motor vehicles (31 U.S.C. 1343(b)); the operations 

of the Internal Revenue Service Oversight Board; 

and other services as authorized by 5 U.S.C. 3109, 

at such rates as may be determined by the 

Commissioner; $4,075,021,000, of which not to 

exceed $250,000,000 shall remain available until 

September 30, 2021; of which not to exceed 

$10,000,000 shall remain available until expended 

for acquisition of equipment and construction, repair 

and renovation of facilities; of which not to exceed 

$1,000,000 shall remain available until September 

30, 2022, for research; of which not to exceed 

$20,000 shall be for official reception and 

representation expenses: Provided, That not later 

than 30 days after the end of each quarter, the 

Internal Revenue Service shall submit a report to the 

Committees on Appropriations of the House of 

Representatives and the Senate and the Comptroller 

General of the United States detailing the cost and 

schedule performance for its major information 

technology investments, including the purpose and 

life-cycle stages of the investments; the reasons for 

any cost and schedule variances; the risks of such 

investments and strategies the Internal Revenue 

Service is using to mitigate such risks; and the 

expected developmental milestones to be achieved 

and costs to be incurred in the next quarter: 

Provided further, That the Internal Revenue Service

shall include, in its budget justification for fiscal 

year 2020, a summary of cost and schedule 

performance information for its major information 

technology systems: Provided further, That of the 

funds provided under this paragraph, 

$4,075,021,000 is provided to meet the terms of 

section 251(b)(2) of the Balanced Budget and 

Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, as 

amended.

In addition, not less than $161,685,000 for tax 

activities under this heading, including tax 

compliance to address the Federal tax gap: 

Provided, That such amount is additional new 

budget authority for tax activities, including tax 

compliance to address the Federal tax gap, as 

specified for purposes of section 251(b)(2) of the 

Increasing two-year authority from the 

$50 million cap to $250 million to 

provide sufficient time for a robust IT 

lifecycle process including vision, 

strategy, solution, design, and 

development, thereby improving 

contracting outcomes; consistent with 

a recent recommendation from the 

Treasury Inspector General for Tax 

Administration (TIGTA), Sixty-Four 

Percent of the Internal Revenue 

Service’s Information Technology 

Hardware Infrastructure Is Beyond Its 

Useful Life.

Language required for the proposed 

program integrity cap adjustment. 

More information about the cap 

adjustment can be found in section 4.1 

– Appropriations Detail Table with 

Program Integrity Cap Adjustment of 

the Appendix and Budget Process 

Chapter of the FY 2020 President’s 

Budget.
IRS-22

Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control 

Act of 1985, as amended. 

Note.—A full-year 2019 appropriation for this 

account was not enacted at the time the budget was 

prepared; therefore, the budget assumes this account 

is operating under the Continuing Appropriations 

Act, 2018 (Division C of P.L. 115–245, as 

amended). The amounts included for 2019 reflect the 

annualized level provided by the continuing 

resolution.

BUSINESS SYSTEMS MODERNIZATION

For necessary expenses of the Internal Revenue 

Service's business systems modernization program, 

$290,000,000, to remain available until September 

30, 2022, for the capital asset acquisition of 

information technology systems, including 

management and related contractual costs of said 

acquisitions, including related Internal Revenue 

Service labor costs, and contractual costs associated 

with operations authorized by 5 U.S.C. 3109: 

Provided, That not later than 30 days after the end 

of each quarter, the Internal Revenue Service shall 

submit a report to the Committees on Appropriations 

of the House of Representatives and the Senate and 

the Comptroller General of the United States 

detailing the cost and schedule performance for 

major information technology investments, including 

the purposes and life-cycle stages of the investments; 

the reasons for any cost and schedule variances; the 

risks of such investments and the strategies the 

Internal Revenue Service is using to mitigate such 

risks; and the expected developmental milestones to 

be achieved and costs to be incurred in the next 

quarter.

Note.—A full-year 2019 appropriation for this 

account was not enacted at the time the budget was 

prepared; therefore, the budget assumes this account 

is operating under the Continuing Appropriations 

Act, 2019 (Division C of P.L. 115–245, as 

amended). The amounts included for 2019 reflect 

the annualized level provided by the continuing 

resolution.

IRS Integrated Modernization 

Business Plan FY 2020 request 
IRS-23

ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS –

INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE

(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

SEC. 101. Not to exceed 5 percent of any 

appropriation made available in this Act to the 

Internal Revenue Service may be transferred to any 

other Internal Revenue Service appropriation upon 

the advance notification of the Committees on 

Appropriations.

SEC. 102. The Internal Revenue Service shall 

maintain an employee training program, which shall 

include the following topics: taxpayers' rights, 

dealing courteously with taxpayers, cross-cultural 

relations, ethics, and the impartial application of tax 

law.

SEC. 103. The Internal Revenue Service shall 

institute and enforce policies and procedures that 

will safeguard the confidentiality of taxpayer 

information and protect taxpayers against identity 

theft. 

SEC. 104. Funds made available by this or any other 

Act to the Internal Revenue Service shall be 

available for improved facilities and increased 

staffing to provide sufficient and effective 1–800 help 

line service for taxpayers. The Commissioner shall 

continue to make improvements to the Internal 

Revenue Service 1–800 help line service a priority 

and allocate resources necessary to enhance the 

response time to taxpayer communications, 

particularly with regard to victims of tax-related 

crimes.

SEC. 105. The Internal Revenue Service shall issue a 

notice of confirmation of any address change 

relating to an employer making employment tax 

payments, and such notice shall be sent to both the 

employer's former and new address and an officer or 

employee of the Internal Revenue Service shall give 

special consideration to an offer-in-compromise 

from a taxpayer who has been the victim of fraud by 

a third-party payroll tax preparer.

SEC. 106. None of the funds made available under 

this Act may be used by the Internal Revenue Service 
IRS-24

to target citizens of the United States for exercising 

any right guaranteed under the First Amendment to 

the Constitution of the United States.

SEC. 107. None of the funds made available in this 

Act may be used by the Internal Revenue Service to 

target groups for regulatory scrutiny based on their 

ideological beliefs. 

SEC. 108. Section 9503(a) of title 5, United States 

Code, is amended by striking the clause "Before 

September 30, 2013" and inserting "before 

September 30, 2023".

SEC. 109. Section 9503(a)(5) of title 5, United States 

Code, is amended by inserting before the semicolon 

the following:

", but are renewable for an additional two years, 

based on a critical organizational need". 

SEC. 110. Notwithstanding any Congressional 

notification requirements for a reprogramming of 

funds in this Act, funds provided in this Act for the 

Internal Revenue Service shall be available for 

obligation and expenditure through a 

reprogramming of funds that augments or reduces 

existing programs, projects, or activities by up to 

$10,000,000 without prior Congressional 

notification of such action.

Restoring Streamlined Critical Pay 

authority through September 30, 2023. 

Providing authority to reprogram up to 

$10 million within appropriations 

accounts without formal notification 

procedures. This increase will allow 

the IRS to allocate funds to highest 

priority needs at end of fiscal year, 

including infrastructure, and respond 

to late-breaking workload and program 

demand changes. 
IRS-25

1E – Legislative Proposals

Lower the threshold from 250 to 10 for mandatory electronic reporting of W-2 data by 

employers: Providing the IRS with timely and accurate Wage and Tax Statement (W-2) 

information reported by employers facilitates pre-refund verification of wage and withholding 

information, which in turn reduces the issuance of questionable tax refunds through early 

detection of fraud and other erroneous refund claims. Extra time and resources are needed for 

the Social Security Administration (SSA) to process paper W-2s submitted by employers 

before information on paper statements can be transmitted to the IRS. Under current law, 

employers who file 250 or more Forms W-2 in a year must e-file these information returns, 

but those filing fewer than 250 Forms W-2 in a year may choose to file on paper. To enhance 

pre-refund W-2 checks, the Budget proposes increasing the number of employers subject to 

mandatory electronic reporting of W-2 data. The proposal would reduce the W-2 e-file 

threshold from 250 to 10 Forms W-2.

Require a social security number (SSN) that is valid for work to claim child tax credit 

(CTC), earned income tax credit (EITC), and credit for other dependents (ODTC): The 

Administration proposes requiring an SSN that is valid for work to claim the EITC, CTC 

(both the refundable and non-refundable portion), and/or the ODTC for the taxable year. For 

all credits, this requirement would apply to taxpayers (including both the primary and 

secondary filer on a joint return) and all qualifying children or dependents. Under current 

law, taxpayers who do not have an SSN that is valid for work may claim the CTC if the 

qualifying child for whom the credit is claimed has a valid SSN. Furthermore, the ODTC, 

created by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, allows taxpayers whose dependents do not meet the 

requirements of the CTC, including the SSN requirement, to claim this non-refundable credit. 

This proposal would ensure that only individuals who are authorized to work in the United 

States could claim these credits by extending the SSN requirement for qualifying children to 

parents on the tax form for the CTC and instituting an SSN requirement for the ODTC. While 

this SSN requirement is already current law for the EITC, this proposal also would close an 

administrative gap to strengthen enforcement of the provision.

Provide the IRS with greater flexibility to address correctable errors: The budget would

expand the IRS authority to correct errors on taxpayer returns. Current statute only allows the 

IRS to correct errors on returns in certain limited instances, such as basic math errors or the 

failure to include the appropriate social security number or taxpayer identification number. 

This proposal would expand the instances in which the IRS could correct a taxpayer’s return 

including cases where: (1) the information provided by the taxpayer does not match the 

information contained in Government databases or Form W-2, or from other third party 

databases as the Secretary determines by regulation; (2) the taxpayer has exceeded the 

lifetime limit for claiming a deduction or credit; or (3) the taxpayer has failed to include with 

his or her return certain documentation that is required to be included on or attached to the 

return. This proposal would make it easier for IRS to correct clear taxpayer errors, directly 

improving tax compliance and reducing EITC and other improper payments and freeing IRS 

resources for other enforcement activities. 
IRS-26

Increase Oversight of Paid Tax Return Preparers: Paid tax return preparers have an 

important role in tax administration because they assist taxpayers in complying with their 

obligations under the tax laws. Incompetent and dishonest tax return preparers increase 

collection costs, reduce revenues, disadvantage taxpayers by potentially subjecting them to 

penalties and interest because of incorrect returns, and undermine confidence in the tax 

system. To promote high quality services from paid tax return preparers, the proposal would 

explicitly provide that the Secretary of the Treasury has the authority to regulate all paid tax 

return preparers.

Improve clarity in worker classification and information reporting requirements: The

Budget proposes to: (1) establish a new safe harbor that allows a service recipient to classify a 

service provider as an independent contractor and requires withholding of individual income 

taxes to this independent contractor at a rate of five percent on the first $20,000 of payments; 

and (2) raises the reporting threshold for payments to all independent contractors from $600 

to $1,000, and reduces the reporting threshold for third-party settlement organizations from 

$20,000 and 200 transactions per payee to $1,000 without regard to the number of 

transactions. In addition, Form 1099-K would be required to be filed with the IRS by January 

31 of the year following the year for which the information is being reported. The proposal 

increases clarity in the tax code, reduces costly litigation, and improves tax compliance.

Except Certain Federal Student Aid (FSA) Programs from Section 6103 Restrictions: 

Section 6103 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. 6103) (IRC) provides that tax 

returns and tax return information are confidential and cannot be disclosed or used unless 

permitted under the IRC. The Administration proposes to authorize the IRS to disclose tax 

return information directly to the U.S. Department of Education for administering programs 

authorized by Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965. The section 6103 exception is 

expected to improve administration of student aid programs, enhance program cost 

estimation, increase servicing efficiency, and reduce improper payments. 

Program Integrity Cap Adjustment: In addition to the base appropriations request, the 

Budget proposes a $362 million discretionary program integrity cap adjustment in FY 2020 to 

fund new and continuing investments in the IRS’s tax enforcement program. The Budget 

proposes $200 million for the Enforcement account and $162 million for the Operations 

Support account. It also proposes additional adjustments in future years to fund new 

initiatives and inflation. The proposed investments will generate about $47.1 billion in 

additional revenue over 10 years and would cost about $14.5 billion for a net revenue of 

$32.6 billion.

Streamlined Critical Pay (SCP): The Budget proposes to reinstate Streamlined Critical Pay 

(SCP) authority through September 30, 2023. The authority to make new SCP appointments 

expired September 30, 2013. As a result of the expired authority, the IRS continues to face 

challenges recruiting top-level talent, especially IT professionals who help protect taxpayer 

data from cyber-attacks and who assist with modernizing the IRS's IT infrastructure. The

Office of Personnel Management existing government-wide Critical Position Pay (CPP) 

authority is not a sufficient alternative to SCP.
IRS-27

1F - IRS Use of Evidence and Evaluation

The IRS continues to improve program performance by using data and analytics to develop

evidence that informs innovation and improves program delivery. 

Significant Accomplishments 

Highest Priorities

Advance Data Access, Usability and Analytics to Inform Decision-Making and Improve 

Operational Outcomes

• TCJA: The IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) office is incorporating TCJA-related 

changes into its programs, updating processing routines to incorporate as many aspects 

of the new laws as possible. To facilitate this update, SOI has identified a senior 

employee to coordinate throughout IRS to ensure successful implementation. To 

provide its federal customers and the public with access to relevant data showing the 

effect of the laws, SOI will develop expanded data files and timely and innovative web 

products, including periodic filing-season reports. 

• Creating More Accessible Statistics: SOI will continue to implement its 

comprehensive plan to modernize its public communications efforts. New initiatives 

will include developing a comprehensive taxonomy that will facilitate improved 

search results for customers. Further changes to the Tax Stats web pages will include 

improving organization and usability and incorporating new products based on the 

TCJA. These efforts will provide more accessible data to the public and will assist 

SOI in meeting OMB data dissemination requirements. 

• Modernization of Business Publication Methodologies: Having completed a redesign 

of its business tax publications, which include data published for corporations and 

partnerships, SOI will update the processes it uses to prepare data for publication. The 

redesigned publications comply with revised disclosure guidelines set forth in Tax 

Information Security Guidelines for Federal, State and Local Agencies 

(Publication 1075). 

• Submission Processing Center Realignment: In conjunction with the closure of select 

IRS Submission Processing Centers, SOI is leading a Research, Applied Analytics 

& Statistics (RAAS)-wide effort to realign the processing of its statistical samples 

among the remaining centers. Training and processing are already underway in the 

new centers, and SOI is working with other components to ensure that sufficient staff 

are assigned to each project and that all staff receive adequate training. SOI will 

continue to ensure that the realignment realizes cost savings, while maintaining the 

quality and integrity of data collected for SOI’s statistical samples.

• Joint Statistical Research Program: SOI’s Joint Statistical Research Program, 

introduced in 2012, facilitates work between RAAS staff and academics, non-profit 

organizations, and other federal government agencies on projects designed to address 

key tax administration issues. 
IRS-28

This research examines a broad range of topics, such as the effects of economic conditions 

or tax law changes on taxpayer behavior. Currently, SOI is supporting a project that 

examines the effect of economic shocks, including tax rate changes, on charitable giving. 

• Expand Available Data on Businesses: SOI publishes a variety of tables and reports 

that capture information on businesses, including sole proprietorships, partnerships, 

corporations, and S-corporations. In FY 2019, the division will expand these 

products, publishing a new table providing data on all income sources, deductions, tax 

credits, etc., for all taxpayers who report any income from a small business or farm 

and by updating its integrated business statistics. The latter comprises a set of tables 

that combines data from the various types of businesses (corporations, partnerships, 

sole proprietorships, etc.) to provide a comprehensive snapshot of U.S. business 

taxpayers.

• Providing Information on the Tax System to the Public: SOI releases a Data Book

annually, which provides an extensive overview of IRS’s operations, workforce, and 

budget. The Data Book contains extensive data visualizations designed to improve its 

accessibility and the web version includes dedicated pages for each section of the 

publication.

In FY 2018, SOI released detailed geographic data for individuals, including statistics 

by state, county, zip code, and metro- and micro-politan area. Additionally, SOI 

released migration data, which detail the flow of individuals between regions.

SOI also released the 2017 IRS Research Bulletin that features selected papers from 

the latest IRS Research Conference. The papers, authored by researchers from IRS, 

academia, and other federal agencies, highlight research on key areas related to tax 

compliance and current tax issues affecting tax administration.

At three intervals in the year, SOI released cumulative filing season statistics based on 

administrative data that included return frequencies, adjusted gross income, income 

tax after credits, and the percentage of AGI (Adjusted Gross Income) composed of 

capital gains. In FY 2019, SOI plans to enhance these tables, highlighting items 

affected by the TCJA. The data will provide an early glimpse of the effect of the new 

laws on return filing patterns, payment methods, and measures of income and tax.

Additionally, SOI released five publications detailing filing projections for various tax 

returns. These publications included projections of information and withholding 

documents, multi-year return projections for the United States, including estimates for 

business, individual, and tax-exempt returns to be filed, individual return projections 

by major processing categories, including balance due and refund returns, projections 

of returns filed by IRS campus, and state-level projections. Recent updates include 

adjustments to the forecasts based on changes implemented under the TCJA. The IRS 

publishes these projections throughout the year. They include changes in filing 

patterns, economic and demographic trends, legislative requirements, and IRS 

administrative processes. The projections are widely used by the public and 

throughout the IRS to assist in workload planning. 

In FY 2018, SOI released more than 600 additional tables and reports containing 

detailed information on a wide range of topics. These tables included the Tax Year 
IRS-29

2015 Partnership tables, which include balance sheet and income statement 

information, as well as statistics on the number of partners. These tables are the first 

to be developed using the new IRS disclosure guidelines for business tax returns. 

SOI’s other releases include updated statistical tables for individuals, sole 

proprietorships, estates, gifts, tax-exempt organizations and bonds, and international 

taxpayers and entities. 
IRS-30

Section II – Budget and Performance Plan

Treasury Strategic Objectives and Agency Priority Goals

The Budget supports the following Department of the Treasury Strategic Objectives for 

FY 2018 – 2022 and Agency Priority Goals for FY 2018 – 2019 for all appropriations:

• Strategic Goal 1: Boost U.S. Economic Growth, Strategic Objective 1.1: Tax Law 

Implementation: Administer tax law to better enable all taxpayers to meet their 

obligations, while protecting the integrity of the tax system.

• Strategic Goal 4: Transform Government-wide Financial Stewardship, Strategic 

Objective 4.1: Financial Data Access and Use: Increase the access and use of federal 

financial data to strengthen government-wide decision-making, transparency, and 

accountability. 

• Strategic Goal 5: Achieve Operational Excellence, Strategic Objectives 5.1 – 5.3: 

ο 5.1 Workforce Management: Foster a culture of innovation to hire, engage, 

develop, and optimize a diverse workforce with the competencies necessary to 

accomplish our mission.

ο 5.2 Treasury Infrastructure: Better enable mission delivery by improving the 

reliability, security, and resiliency of Treasury’s infrastructure.

ο 5.3 Customer Value: Improve customer value by increasing the quality and 

lowering the cost of Treasury’s products and services.

• Agency Priority Goal (aligned to strategic objective 1.1): Reduce the amount of 

unprotected identity theft tax refunds paid by two percent by December 31, 2019.
IRS-31

Taxpayer Services 

Appropriation Description

The Taxpayer Services appropriation provides funding for taxpayer service activities and 

programs. This includes printing forms and publications, processing tax returns and related 

documents, offering filing and account services, taxpayer assistance, and providing taxpayer 

advocacy services.

The Taxpayer Services budget request for FY 2020 is $2,402,000,000 in direct appropriations 

and 26,639 FTE. This amount is a decrease of $169,554,000, or 6.59 percent, and 2,195 FTE 

less than the FY 2019 Annualized Continuing Resolution level of $2,571,554,000 and 

28,834 FTE. The FY 2019 Annualized Continuing Resolution level includes $65 million of 

the $77 million provided by the Section 112 Administrative Provision to implement the Tax 

Cuts and Jobs Act (Public Law 115-97). 
IRS-32

2.1 – Budget Adjustments Table 

Dollars in thousands

Taxpayer Services

Summary of Proposed FY 2020 Request FTE Amount

FY 2019 Annualized CR Level1 28,834 $2,571,554

Changes to Base:

Other Adjustments (1,192) ($101,636)

Offset to O&M for Critical IT Systems (1,192) (101,636)

Maintaining Current Levels (MCLs) $3,161

Non-Pay Inflation Adjustment 3,161

Efficiencies/Savings: (1,003) ($71,079)

Increase e-File Savings (116) (6,079)

Non-Recur for Section 112 Tax Reform Funding (887) (65,000)

Subtotal FY 2019 Changes to Base (2,195) ($169,554)

FY 2019 Current Services 26,639 $2,402,000

Total FY 2020 Budget Request 26,639 $2,402,000

See footnotes in 1.1 -- Appropriations Detail Table
IRS-33

2.2 – Operating Levels Table

Dollars in thousands

Taxpayer Services

Object Classification

FY 2018

Enacted

FY 2019

Annualized CR

FY 2020

Request

11.1 Full-Time Permanent Positions 1,521,243 1,568,873 1,445,297

11.3 Other than Full-Time Permanent Positions 48,118 44,599 44,599

11.5 Other Personnel Compensation 107,257 92,380 92,317

11.8 Special Personal Services Payments 1,209 1,209

11.9 Personnel Compensation (Total) 1,676,618 1,707,061 1,583,422

12.1 Personnel Benefits 606,343 632,032 582,774

13.0 Benefits to Former Personnel 39,027 37,538 37,538

Total Personnel and Compensation Benefits $2,321,988 $2,376,631 $2,203,734

21.0 Travel 11,183 11,827 12,287

22.0 Transportation of Things 642 658 671

23.3 Communications, Utilities, & Misc 897 8,944 9,123

24.0 Printing & Reproduction 9,002 8,121 8,261

25.1 Advisory & Assistance Services 49,641 44,924 45,830

25.2 Other Services 15,540 15,247 15,554

25.3 Purchase of Goods & Services from Govt. Accounts 61,994 63,092 64,354

25.4 Operation & Maintenance of Facilities 1

25.7 Operation & Maintenance of Equipment 63 242 247

26.0 Supplies and Materials 4,121 4,415 4,475

31.0 Equipment 349 243 248

41.0 Grants, Subsidies 36,890 36,890 36,890

42.0 Insurance Claims & Indemnities 243 320 326

Total Non-Personnel $190,566 $194,923 $198,266

New Appropriated Resources $2,512,554 $2,571,554 $2,402,000

Budget Activities:

Pre-filing Taxpayer Assistance & Education 640,379 634,019 634,762

Filing & Account Services 1,872,175 1,937,535 1,767,238

New Appropriated Resources $2,512,554 $2,571,554 $2,402,000

FTE 27,871 28,834 26,639

See footnotes in 1.1 -- Appropriations Detail Table
IRS-34

2.3 – Appropriation Detail Table

2A – Pre-Filing Taxpayer Assistance and Education ($634,762,000 in direct 

appropriations, and an estimated $171,000 from reimbursable programs). This budget 

activity funds direct labor and non-labor expenses to assist with tax return preparation, 

including tax law interpretation, publication, production, and advocate services. The program 

activities include:

• Pre-Filing Services Management supports headquarters staffing and support for 

Taxpayer Advocate Service and Customer Assistance Relationship and Education 

(CARE) program activities. CARE provides pre-filing taxpayer assistance and 

education.

• Taxpayer Communication and Education researches customer needs; develops and 

manages educational programs; establishes partnerships with stakeholder groups; and 

disseminates tax information to taxpayers and the public through a variety of media, 

including publications and mailings, websites, broadcasting, and advertising.

• Media and Publications develops and produces notices, forms, and publications for 

printed and electronic tax materials, and provides media production services to 

taxpayers.

• Taxpayer Advocacy provides advocate services to taxpayers by identifying the 

underlying causes of taxpayer problems and participating in the development of 

systematic and/or procedural remedies.

• Account Management and Assistance – Field Assistance provides face-to-face 

assistance, education, and compliance services to taxpayers. It includes return 

preparation, answering tax questions, resolving account and notice inquiries, and 

supplying forms and publications to taxpayers.

• Taxpayer Advocate Case Processing provides advocate services to taxpayers to 

resolve taxpayer problems through prompt identification, referral, and settlement.

Dollars in thousands

Taxpayer Services

Appropriated Resources

FTE AMOUNT FTE AMOUNT FTE AMOUNT FTE AMOUNT FTE AMOUNT

New Appropriated Resources:

Pre-Filing Taxpayer Assistance and Education 4,636 640,379 4,603 634,019 4,606 634,762 3 743 0.07% 0.12%

Filing and Account Services 23,235 1,872,175 24,231 1,937,535 22,033 1,767,238 (2,198) (170,297) -9.07% -8.79%

Subtotal New Appropriated Resources 27,871 $2,512,554 28,834 $2,571,554 26,639 $2,402,000 (2,195) ($169,554) -7.61% -6.59%

Other Resources:

Reimbursables 669 69,706 373 33,158 373 34,816 1,658 5.00%

Offsetting Collections - Non Reimbursables

User Fees 14 797 60 13,000 71 3,900 11 (9,100) 18.33% -70.00%

Recovery from Prior Years 134

Unobligated Balances from Prior Years 45,900 169 17,555 (169) (17,555) -100.00% -100.00%

Transfers In/Out (41,034) (1,000) 1,000 -100.00%

Resources from Other Accounts

Subtotal Other Resources 683 $75,503 602 $62,713 444 $38,716 (158) ($23,997) -26.25% -38.26%

Total Budgetary Resources 28,554 $2,588,057 29,436 $2,634,267 27,083 $2,440,716 (2,353) ($193,551) -7.99% -7.35%

See footnotes in 1.1--Appropriations Detail Table

% Change

FY 2019 to FY 2020 

Request

FY 2018

Enacted

Change

FY 2019

Annualized CR

FY 2020

Request

FY 2018 to FY 2020 

Request
IRS-35

• W&I HQ Management and Administration provides staffing, training, and direct 

support for Wage and Investment management activities of strategic planning, 

communications and liaison, finance, human resources, equity, diversity and inclusion, 

business modernization, and embedded training.

• Taxpayer Services Research provides resources to support taxpayer services by 

conducting taxpayer behavioral studies, data analysis, and uses advanced analytics to 

deliver results and conclusions to inform business decisions to improve IRS products 

and services.

• National Distribution Center processes orders for IRS forms and publications received 

from individual taxpayers, tax practitioners, and IRS tax return preparation partners.

Description of FY 2018 Performance

In FY 2018, the Timeliness of Critical Individual Filing Season (CIFS) Tax Products to the 

Public (i.e., tax forms, schedules, instructions, and publications) was 59.6 percent (56 out of 

94 products delivered timely), falling short of the FY 2018 target of 89 percent. TCJA 

affected 37 (39 percent) of the 94 total CIFS tax products. The first major task required the 

IRS to address withholding tables. The IRS incorporated all modifications, issued the 

affected tax products, and planned a coordinated release of the new withholding rates by 

January 8, 2018. This added an unexpected additional 57 tax products to the work plan. 

Despite the short timeframe, about 60 percent of CIFS tax products were made available to 

the public on time. 

The IRS will change the definition of two measures for FY 2019 to reflect the significant 

changes required by TCJA. For the CIFS measure, the date by which the IRS must release a 

CIFS tax product to the public to be considered timely will change from the fifth workday in 

January to seven calendar days from the official IRS start of the individual filing season. For 

FY 2019, the IRS expects to achieve a target of 85 percent and 89 percent for FY 2020.

The IRS will make similar changes to the Timeliness of Critical Tax Exempt/Government 

Entities (TE/GE) and Business (CTB) Filing Season Tax Products measure. The measure is 

being modified for FY 2019 to assess tax products available seven calendar days from the 

official IRS start of the (individual) filing season instead of the fifth workday in January. In 

FY 2018, the IRS Timeliness of Critical Tax TE/GE and Business Filing Season Tax products 

to the Public was 100 percent, exceeding the target of 91 percent. The IRS achieved these 

results through workload planning to prioritize critical products over other products to ensure 

taxpayers had the products needed to complete their tax returns timely. For FY 2019, the IRS 

expects to achieve a target of 85 percent and 89 percent for FY 2020.

In FY 2018, the Enterprise Self Assistance Participation Rate (ESAPR) reached 82 percent

compared to the actual of 79 percent for the same period in FY 2017. This indicator 

represents the percentage of taxpayer assistance requests resolved using self-assisted 

automated services. Total taxpayer services increased by 16.8 percent from FY 2017 while 

taxpayer self‐assistance services provided by the IRS increased by 21.2 percent. The driving 

factor for the increase in web services was Transcript Delivery System usage, which increased 

by 211 percent (80.3 million vs. 25.8 million) in FY 2018 compared to FY 2017. Other 
IRS-36

online applications on IRS.gov contributing to the increase include: Where's My Refund? (up 

11 percent); Interactive Tax Assistant (up 22 percent); Online Payment Agreement (up 19 

percent) and electronic payments (up 10.5 percent) from FY 2017. This increase in the 

ESAPR measure demonstrates IRS’s progress toward providing expanded service options, 

and taxpayers’ increased adoption of self-assistance options across various IRS service 

channels. The ESAPR measure will be used as an indicator for FY 2019 and FY 2020.

FY 2020 Changes by Budget Activity

2.1.1 – Budget and Performance Report and Plan

Dollars in thousands

Pre-Filing Taxpayer Assistance & Education FTE Amount

FY 2019 Annualized CR Level 4,604 $634,019

Changes to Base:

Other Adjustments 9 $960

Offset to O&M for Critical IT Systems 9 960

Pay Annualization $783

Non-Pay 783

Efficiency/Savings (7) ($1,000)

Non-Recur for Section 112 Tax Reform Funding (7) (1,000)

Subtotal FY 2020 Changes to Base 2 $743

FY 2020 Current Services 4,606 $634,762

Total FY 2020 Request 4,606 $634,762

See footnotes in 1.1 -- Appropriations Detail Table

Dollars in thousands

Pre-Filing Taxpayer Assistance & Education FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020

Resource Level Actual Actual Actual Actual Enacted Annualized CR Request

Appropriated Resources1 $595,168 $609,196 $609,445 $594,962 $640,379 $634,019 $634,762

Reimbursable Resources2 45 51 13 4 260 163 171

User Fees2 22,400 4,141

Budget Activity Total $617,613 $613,388 $609,458 $594,966 $640,639 $634,182 $634,933

1

The FY 2014 - FY 2018 appropriated resources represents the approved operating plan including any inter-BAC transfers and inter-appropriation transfers.

2

The FY 2014 - FY 2018 columns represent realized resources for reimbursables and user fees.

Pre-Filing Taxpayer Assistance & Education FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020

Measure Actual Actual Actual Actual Actual Target Target Target

Timeliness of Critical Filing Season Tax Products to the Public (Ot)1 99.1% 89.0% 92.5% 93.1% 59.6% 89.0% 85.0% 89.0%

Timeliness of Critical TE/GE & Business Tax Products to the Public 

(Ot)1 98.7% 92.6% 98.0% 96.7% 100.0% 91.0% 85.0% 89.0%

Enterprise Self Assistance Participation Rate (E) (L)2 84.7% 88.7% 89.0% 79.0% 82.0% Indicator

1

Modified for FY 2019

Key: Oe - Outcome Measure, E - Efficiency Measure, Ot - Output/Workload Measure, and L - Strategic Goal Measure

2 Starting in FY 2017, the IRS modified the Taxpayer Self Assistance Rate measure (renamed to Enterprise Self Assistance Participation Rate) to include additional self-service channels 

including Get Transcript and payment applications such as Direct Pay and Online Payment Agreements. As new self-assistance applications are provided to the public, they will be added 

to the methodology.
IRS-37

2B – Filing and Account Services ($1,767,238,000 in direct appropriations, $34,645,000 

from reimbursable programs, and $3,900,000 from user fees): This budget activity funds 

direct labor and non-labor expenses that provide filing and account services to taxpayers, 

process paper and electronically-submitted tax returns, issue refunds, and maintain taxpayer 

accounts. The public continues to file more returns electronically (more than 90 percent of 

individual returns were filed electronically during the 2018 filing season). The program 

activities include:

• Filing and Account Services Management administers filing and account services 

programs.

• Submission Processing processes paper and electronically-submitted tax returns and 

supplemental documents, accounts for tax revenue, processes information documents, 

and issues refunds and tax notices.

• Account Management and Assistance – Electronic/Correspondence Assistance

provides education and assistance to taxpayers and resolves accounts and notice 

inquiries through telephone, paper, and internet correspondence.

• Electronic Products and Services Support (EPSS) provides centralized operations and 

support capabilities for the IRS suite of electronic products, including e-help desk, 

technology support, and operations support.

• Electronic Tax Administration (ETA) markets and administers electronic tax 

administration products and services.

• Health Care Tax Administration provides funds to administer the health insurance tax 

credit portion of the Trade Adjustment Assistance Reform Act of 2002. 

• Joint Operations Center (JOC) provides service, support, and technology for 

telephone, correspondence, and electronic media inquiries; real time monitoring and 

routing of inbound calls; monitoring of Customer Service Representative accuracy; 

and management of the enterprise telephone database.

Description of FY 2018 Performance

Millions of individual and business taxpayers file their returns electronically. In FY 2018, the 

IRS achieved an 87.2 percent individual e-file rate, exceeding the prior year performance of 

86.9 percent, but falling slightly short of its 88 percent target. The IRS achieved a 

55.6 percent business e-file rate exceeding the FY 2018 target of 54 percent. The IRS will 

continue to promote the benefits of e-filing (i.e., faster refunds, greater accuracy, secure and 

confidential submission, and quick confirmation). Starting in FY 2019, the individual e-file 

rate measure will be discontinued from budget reporting given how many taxpayers file 

electronically. The business e-file target will be increased to 58 percent for FY 2019 and 

60 percent for FY 2020.

In FY 2018, Customer Accuracy – Tax Law was at 95.5 percent, exceeding the target of 

95.0 percent. The IRS will continue to monitor results from the Embedded Quality Review 

System and continue to hold weekly conference calls throughout the year to discuss quality 

defects/errors and procedures to ensure the target is met. For FY 2019 and FY 2020, the IRS 
IRS-38

set a tax law accuracy target of 92 percent since the complexity of the TCJA changes may 

affect performance. For Customer Accuracy – Accounts (Phones), the IRS correctly 

answered 96.1 percent of account questions over the telephone, exceeding the target of 

95 percent. For FY 2019 and FY 2020, the IRS expects to achieve an accounts (phones) 

accuracy rate of 94 percent based on complexity of TCJA changes. For FY 2019, the IRS will 

maintain both accuracy measures to gauge the effects of tax reform 

In FY 2018, the IRS Customer Contacts Resolved per Staff Year reached 31,409. This 

measure was baselined in FY 2017 as self-service applications, such as Get Transcript and 

Direct Pay, were added to the methodology and used as an indicator for FY 2018. Customer 

Contacts include activities such as automated and assistor calls answered, and web services 

completed. Several of the components that make up the Customer Contacts Resolved Per

Staff Year measure also are included in the Enterprise Self Assistance Participation Rate; 

therefore, the IRS will discontinue this measure beginning in FY 2019. 

The Customer Service Representative (CSR) Level of Service (LOS) measures the relative 

success rate of taxpayers wanting to speak with a CSR. In FY 2018, the CSR LOS exceeded 

the target of 75 percent, reaching 75.9 percent and provided a filing season LOS of

80 percent. Customer Service Representatives answered 25.3 million calls, an 8.9 percent 

increase compared to FY 2017. Resource levels in FY 2018 for taxpayer services and call 

demand allowed the IRS to increase LOS and to reduce paper correspondence. For FY 2018, 

this inventory totaled more than 580,000 pieces of correspondence with a 31 percent overage 

rate compared to a much higher 48 percent overage rate with more than 850,000 pieces of 

correspondence in FY 2015. The IRS created and continues to create new web-based 

applications for taxpayers. The increase in self-assistance web applications, along with the 

high level of telephone service, should continue to reduce paper correspondence receipts. In 

FY 2019, the IRS will continue to create detailed forecasts of expected telephone and 

correspondence demand. The IRS will monitor demand in real-time and resources allocated 

down to the half hour, allowing the IRS to shift staff between telephones and paper 

processing. The IRS has revised the target for FY 2019 level of service to 63 percent based 

on the delayed training that has overlapped with the filing season. In order to mitigate the 

impact of the delayed training, the IRS has allocated $40 million in user fees (not reflected in 

the tables) to LOS in addition to the funds provided in the FY 2019 enacted appropriation 

(Public Law 116-6). The target level of service for FY 2020 is 68 percent.

Refund Timeliness is the percentage of refunds resulting from processing individual paper 

returns issued within 40 days or less. In FY 2018, Refund Timeliness reached 98.2 percent, 

exceeding the target of 97 percent. This measure is being discontinued for FY 2019 reporting 

because it is based on paper returns, which account for roughly 10 percent of the individual 

filing population.

The current Taxpayer Satisfaction indicator – the All Individual Tax Filer Score, is based on 

the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) survey and is included for FY 2019 

reporting. The All Individual Tax Filer score is calculated from separate ACSI Individual 

Paper Filer and Electronic Filer Customer Satisfaction Index Scores. The ACSI is the only 

uniform, cross-industry/government measure of customer satisfaction with the quality of 

goods and services available to U.S. residents. The ACSI scores are released on an annual 
IRS-39

basis at the end of January and are based on a 100-point scale. In FY 2018, the score was 74 

and reflected a steady increase over the past five years.

FY 2020 Changes by Budget Activity

2.1.2 – Budget and Performance Report and Plan

Dollars in thousands

Filing and Account Services FTE Amount

FY 2019 Annualized CR Level 24,231 $1,937,535

Changes to Base:

Other Adjustments (1,258) ($102,596)

Offset to O&M for Critical IT Systems (1,258) (102,596)

Maintaining Current Levels (MCLs) $2,378

Non-Pay 2,378

Efficiency/Savings (996) ($70,079)

Increase e-File Savings (116) (6,079)

Non-Recur for Section 112 Tax Reform Funding (880) (64,000)

Subtotal FY 2020 Changes to Base (2,254) ($170,297)

FY 2020 Current Services 21,977 $1,767,238

Total FY 2020 Request 21,977 $1,767,238

See footnotes in 1.1 -- Appropriations Detail Table

Filing and Account Services FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020

Resource Level Actual Actual Actual Actual Enacted Annualized CR Request

Appropriated Resources1 $1,550,027 $1,564,488 $1,712,511 $1,811,902 $1,872,175 $1,937,535 $1,767,238

Reimbursable Resources2 28,555 30,147 34,905 62,794 69,446 32,995 34,645

User Fees2 160,342 40,553 69,987 3,900 797 13,000 3,900

Budget Activity Total $1,738,924 $1,635,188 $1,817,403 $1,878,596 $1,942,418 $1,983,530 $1,805,783

2

The FY 2014 - FY 2018 columns represent realized resources for reimbursables and user fees.

Filing and Account Services FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020

Measures Actual Actual Actual Actual Actual Target Target Target

Percent Individual Returns Processed Electronically (Oe)1 84.1% 85.3% 86.4% 86.9% 87.2% 88.0% DISC

Percent of Business Returns Processed Electronically (Oe) 43.1% 47.0% 50.0% 52.9% 55.6% 54.0% 58.0% 60.0%

Customer Accuracy - Tax Law (Phones) (Ot) 95.0% 95.0% 96.4% 96.7% 95.5% 95.0% 92.0% 92.0%

Customer Accuracy - Accounts (Phones) (Ot) 96.2% 95.5% 96.1% 96.0% 96.1% 95.0% 94.0% 94.0%

Customer Contacts Resolved per Staff Year (E)1 21,018 26,245 28,497 25,535 31,409 Indicator DISC

Customer Service Representative Level of Service (Oe)2 64.4% 38.1% 53.4% 77.1% 75.9% 75.0% 63.0% 68.0%

Refund Timeliness - Individual (Paper) (Ot)1 98.7% 98.8% 98.7% 98.4% 98.2% 97.0% DISC

Taxpayers Satisfied with the IRS (based on a 100 point scale)3, 4 73 73 74 74 74 Indicator Indicator Indicator

Key: Oe - Outcome Measure, E - Efficiency Measure, Ot - Output/Workload Measure, and L - Long Term Goal

2

The FY 2019 level of service target was calculated at the FY 2019 Enacted level.

3

New measure added for FY 2019

4

Based on the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) survey; the All Individual Tax Filer score is calculated from separate ACSI Individual Paper Filer and Electronic Filer customer satisfaction 

index scores; available on an annual basis at the end of January and computed on a 100-point scale. 

Dollars in thousands

1

The FY 2014 - FY 2018 appropriated resources represents the approved operating plan including any inter-BAC transfers and inter-appropriation transfers.

1

Discontinued (DISC) for FY 2019
IRS-40

Enforcement 

Appropriation Description

The Enforcement appropriation provides funding for the examination of tax returns, both 

domestic and international; administrative and judicial settlement of taxpayer appeals of 

examination findings; technical rulings; monitoring of employee pension plans; determination 

of qualifications of organizations seeking tax-exempt status; examination of tax returns of 

exempt organizations; enforcement of statutes relating to detection and investigation of 

criminal violations of the internal revenue laws; identification of underreporting of tax 

obligations; securing of unfiled tax returns; and collection of unpaid accounts.

The Enforcement budget request for FY 2020 is $4,705,368,000 in direct appropriations and 

34,182 FTE, excluding the proposed program integrity cap adjustment. This amount is an

increase of $33,368,000, or 0.71 percent, and 133 FTE above the FY 2019 Annualized 

Continuing Resolution level of $4,672,000,000 and 34,049 FTE. The FY 2019 Annualized 

Continuing Resolution level includes a $200 million inter-appropriation transfer from 

Enforcement to Operations Support and $12 million of the Section 112 funds for TCJA. 

 
IRS-41

2.1 – Budget Adjustments Table

Dollars in thousands

Enforcement

Summary of Proposed FY 2020 Request FTE Amount

FY 2019 Annualized CR Level1 34,049 $4,672,000

Changes to Base:

Maintaining Current Levels (MCLs) $6,249

Non-Pay Inflation Adjustment 6,249

Efficiencies/Savings: (68) ($13,717)

Reduce Contractual Services (1,717)

Non-Recur for Section 112 Tax Reform Funding (68) (12,000)

Subtotal FY 2019 Changes to Base (68) ($7,468)

FY 2019 Current Services 33,981 $4,664,532

Program Changes:

Program Increases

Data Analytics to Enhance Compliance 174 28,470

Prevent Identity Theft 27 12,366

Subtotal FY 2019 Program Increases 201 $40,836

Total FY 2020 Budget Request 34,182 $4,705,368

See footnotes in 1.1 -- Appropriations Detail Table
IRS-42

2.2 – Operating Levels Table

Dollars in thousands

Enforcement

Object Classification

FY 2018

Enacted

FY 2019

Annualized CR

FY 2020

Request

11.1 Full-Time Permanent Positions 3,014,050 3,017,510 3,024,426

11.3 Other than Full-Time Permanent Positions 29,115 30,459 30,459

11.5 Other Personnel Compensation 121,088 110,104 110,835

11.8 Special Personal Services Payments 30,903 31,190 31,190

11.9 Personnel Compensation (Total) 3,195,156 3,189,263 3,196,910

12.1 Personnel Benefits 1,147,736 1,169,490 1,173,134

13.0 Benefits to Former Personnel 633 783 782

Total Personnel and Compensation Benefits $4,343,525 $4,359,536 $4,370,826

21.0 Travel 53,354 70,464 75,364

22.0 Transportation of Things 3,473 7,844 10,883

23.1 Rental Payments to GSA 4

23.2 Rent Payments to Others 233 270 282

23.3 Communications, Utilities, & Misc 1,721 1,925 2,012

24.0 Printing & Reproduction 1,988 2,371 2,422

25.1 Advisory & Assistance Services 114,963 108,991 116,444

25.2 Other Services 38,394 40,121 41,635

25.3 Purchase of Goods & Services from Govt. Accounts 33,110 45,494 46,408

25.4 Operation & Maintenance of Facilities 11 10 11

25.6 Medical Care 5 43 43

25.7 Operation & Maintenance of Equipment 927 1,790 3,749

26.0 Supplies and Materials 20,682 21,827 22,630

31.0 Equipment 6,412 6,419 7,666

32.0 Land and Structures 6 3 3

42.0 Insurance Claims & Indemnities 3,992 923 942

91.0 Unvouchered 4,200 3,969 4,048

Total Non-Personnel $283,475 $312,464 $334,542

New Appropriated Resources $4,627,000 $4,672,000 $4,705,368

Budget Activities:

Investigations 581,680 597,658 614,046

Exam & Collections 3,875,098 3,894,129 3,923,583

Regulatory 170,222 180,213 167,739

New Appropriated Resources $4,627,000 $4,672,000 $4,705,368

FTE 34,789 34,049 34,182

See footnotes in 1.1 -- Appropriations Detail Table
IRS-43

2.3 – Appropriation Detail Table

2C – Investigations ($614,046,000 in direct appropriations, and an estimated $35,831,000 

from reimbursable programs): This budget activity funds the Criminal Investigation (CI) 

programs that explore potential criminal and civil violations of tax laws; enforce criminal 

statutes relating to violations of tax laws and other financial crimes; and recommend 

prosecution as warranted. The program activities include:

• General Management and Administration supports the headquarters management 

activities of strategic planning, communications, finance, and human resources for 

CI activities.

• Identity Theft, through CI's collaboration with internal and external business partners,

combats the inherent risks of Stolen Identity Refund Fraud (SIRF) by focusing on 

significant tax investigations, prosecutions to maximize deterrence, and preventing the 

IRS from issuing fraudulent refunds.

• CI supports the enforcement of criminal statutes relating to violations of internal 

revenue laws and other financial crimes. CI investigates cases of suspected intent to 

defraud involving both legal and illegal sources of income and recommends 

prosecution as warranted. This includes the investigation and prosecution of tax and 

money-laundering violations associated with narcotics organizations.

• Criminal Tax Legal Support provides legal advice and support from IRS Counsel to 

CI.

• International Investigations supports international investigations involving U.S. 

citizens residing abroad, non-resident aliens, expatriates (U.S. citizens living abroad 

who have renounced their citizenship), and investigations involving other international 

issues, including legal support (e.g., Foreign Tax Credit and Foreign Earned Income 

Exclusion, Corporations, Non-Profits, Pension Plans, etc.).

• Cybersecurity supports CI’s cyber-efforts around inherent risks to CI’s networks and 

systems, while focusing enforcement and investigative actions on the criminals that 

Dollars in thousands

Enforcement

Appropriated Resources

FTE AMOUNT FTE AMOUNT FTE AMOUNT FTE AMOUNT FTE AMOUNT

New Appropriated Resources:

Investigations 2,950 581,680 2,893 597,658 2,964 614,046 71 16,388 2.45% 2.74%

Exam and Collections 30,876 3,875,098 30,084 3,894,129 30,209 3,923,583 125 29,454 0.42% 0.76%

Regulatory 963 170,222 1,072 180,213 1,009 167,739 (63) (12,474) -5.88% -6.92%

Subtotal New Appropriated Resources 34,789 $4,627,000 34,049 $4,672,000 34,182 $4,705,368 133 $33,368 0.39% 0.71%

Other Resources:

Reimbursables 57 32,177 64 34,571 64 36,300 1,729 5.00%

Offsetting Collections - Non Reimbursables 26,069 37,719 39,605 1,886 5.00%

User Fees 43 (43) -100.00%

Recovery from Prior Years 3,347 4,000 4,000

Unobligated Balances from Prior Years 28,702 14,175 55,990 41,815 294.99%

Transfers In/Out 76 1,000 (1,000) -100.00%

Resources from Other Accounts

Subtotal Other Resources 57 $90,371 64 $91,508 64 $135,895 $44,387 48.51%

Total Budgetary Resources 34,846 $4,717,371 34,113 $4,763,508 34,246 $4,841,263 133 $77,755 0.39% 1.63%

FY 2019

Annualized CR

FY 2019 to FY 2020 

Request

FY 2019 to FY 2020 

Request

FY 2020

Request

See footnotes in 1.1--Appropriations Detail Table

% Change

FY 2018

Enacted

Change
IRS-44

pose those threats. This activity also supports security program management that 

protects the safeguarding of all data and systems within CI while adhering to all 

federal regulatory security compliance mandates and local security policies.

Description of FY 2018 Performance

CI serves the American public by investigating potential criminal violations of the Internal 

Revenue Code and related financial crimes in a manner that fosters confidence in the tax 

system and compliance with the law. CI uses the following measures to evaluate its success 

in achieving its mission. 

In FY 2018, CI completed 3,051 criminal investigations, exceeding the year-end target of 

3,000. Overall performance in FY 2018 continued to be affected by a steady decrease in the 

number of special agents as well as CI’s focus on traditional tax case programs, which tend to 

have a longer cycle time. Cases of a legal and illegal source nature decreased 3.1 percent and 

6.5 percent, respectively, while narcotics cases increased 11 percent compared to FY 2017. 

Legal source cases include people that earn their income legally, but willfully violate the tax 

laws (i.e. Tax Evasion). Illegal cases include income from sources such as embezzlement, 

mortgage fraud, telemarketing fraud, money laundering, etc. Narcotics cases are similar to 

illegal, these cases are specific to profit, and financial gains of organized drug groups 

involved in narcotics trafficking and/or narcotics/money laundering. CI will continue to 

utilize proven case development strategies, expand case development efforts, and leverage 

interagency partnerships to identify, initiate, and complete criminal investigations in all 

program areas, based on projected staffing, the IRS reduced its FY 2019 target to 

2,800 completed investigations and its FY 2020 target to 2,700 completed investigations.

In FY 2018, the number of criminal convictions was 1,879, an 18.3 percent decrease 

compared to FY 2017 and slightly below the target of 1,900. Fewer special agents has led to 

a decline in the number of cases initiated and consequently in the number of cases 

recommended for prosecution, which contributed to lower inventory levels in the judicial 

process. Despite this decline, quality investigations initiated and completed in previous years 

continue to be recommended for prosecution and are processed by the Department of Justice 

(DOJ). CI management will continue to ensure appropriate and consistent contact with the 

DOJ Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Offices regarding prosecutorial priorities and 

appropriate movement of pipeline investigations. Starting in FY 2019, the IRS will 

discontinue this measure because it is a component of an existing measure (conviction rate). 

The FY 2018 conviction rate was slightly higher than it was in FY 2017 (91.7 percent vs. 

91.5 percent) but below the year‐end target of 92 percent, because of attrition, case 

complexity, and bandwidth at partner agencies. Acquittals and dismissals decreased by 31.3 

percent and 19.8 percent, respectively, compared to FY 2017. Appropriate case selection and 

effective field performance continue to increase the number of cases resulting in convictions 

and likely mitigated other effects. Consequently, CI's rate of conviction, one of the highest in 

federal law enforcement, continues to be a strong indicator of investigative quality. Since CI 

does not prosecute its own cases, it must depend on DOJ’s ability to accept its cases for 

prosecution and to move such cases through the courts. CI management will continue to 

coordinate with the DOJ Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Offices on prosecutorial priorities 
IRS-45

and on the appropriate movement of pipeline investigations to ensure a high rate of conviction 

and to meet the FY 2019 and FY 2020 targets of 92 percent. 

FY 2020 Changes by Budget Activity

2.1.3 – Budget and Performance Report and Plan 

2D – Exam and Collections ($3,923,583,000 in direct appropriations and an estimated 

$107,000 from reimbursable programs): This budget activity funds programs that enforce the 

tax laws and increase compliance through examination and collection programs that ensure 

proper payment and tax reporting. This budget activity also includes campus support of the 

Questionable Refund program and appeals and litigation activities associated with exam and 

collection. The program activities include:

• Compliance Services Management supports management associated with exam and 

compliance program activities.

• Payment Compliance – Correspondence Collection supports IRS collection activities 

by initiating contact and collecting delinquent taxpayer liabilities through written 

notices and other means.

Dollars in thousands

Investigations FTE Amount

FY 2019 Annualized CR Level 2,893 $597,659

Changes to Base:

Maintaining Current Levels (MCLs) $1,165

Non-Pay 1,165

Subtotal FY 2020 Changes to Base $1,165

FY 2020 Current Services 2,893 $598,824

Program Changes:

Program Increases 71 $15,222

Data Analytics to Enhance Compliance 45 9,958

Prevent Identity Theft 26 5,264

Subtotal FY 2020 Program Increases 71 $15,222

Total FY 2020 Request 2,964 $614,046

See footnotes in 1.1 -- Appropriations Detail Table

Investigations FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020

Resource Level Actual Actual Actual Actual Enacted Annualized 

CR Request

Appropriated Resources1 $601,740 $601,665 $591,449 $589,295 $581,680 $597,658 $614,046

Reimbursable Resources2 27,133 29,957 29,053 33,618 28,295 34,125 35,831

User Fees2

Budget Activity Total $628,873 $631,622 $620,502 $622,913 $609,975 $631,783 $649,877

1

The FY 2014 - FY 2018 appropriated resources represents the approved operating plan including any inter-BAC transfers and inter-appropriation transfers.

2

The FY 2014 - FY 2018 columns represent realized resources for reimbursables and user fees.

Investigations FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020

Measures Actual Actual Actual Actual Actual Target Target Target

Criminal Investigations Completed (Ot) 4,606 4,486 3,721 3,089 3,051 3,000 2,800 2,700

Number of Convictions (Oe)1 3,110 2,879 2,672 2,300 1,879 1,900 DISC

Conviction Rate (Oe) 93.4% 93.2% 92.1% 91.5% 91.7% 92.0% 92.0% 92.0%

1

Discontinued (DISC) for FY 2019

Dollars in thousands

Key: Oe - Outcome Measure, Ot - Output/Workload Measure
IRS-46

• Automated Collections and Support initiates contact and collects delinquent taxpayer 

liabilities through the centralized Automated Collection System (ACS). 

• Payment Compliance – Field Collection conducts field investigations and collection 

efforts associated with delinquent taxpayer and business entity liabilities, including 

direct taxpayer contact and outreach programs to protect the interest of the Federal 

Government in delinquent tax liability situations.

• Tax Reporting Compliance – Document Matching supports the Automated 

Underreporter (AUR), Combined Annual Wage Reporting (CAWR), Federal 

Unemployment Tax Act (FUTA), and other Document Matching Programs.

• Tax Reporting Compliance – Electronic/Correspondence Exam initiates written 

correspondence with taxpayers related to tax issues arising from claims on their tax 

returns.

• Tax Reporting Compliance – Field Exam compares taxpayer income levels and 

corresponding tax liabilities to ensure the accuracy of taxpayer returns.

• Fraud/Bank Secrecy Act enforces the anti-money laundering provisions of the Bank 

Secrecy Act of 1970 (BSA) and the USA Patriot Act of 2001. It examines non-bank 

financial institutions for compliance with these laws, receives and processes more than 

15 million financial reports annually, and manages a centralized database of that 

information for the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network. The Fraud program 

follows the money trail to support the criminal investigation of tax evasion operations. 

Fraud technical advisors and revenue agents provide investigative leads and referrals 

to federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.

• Appeals provides an administrative review process that provides a channel for 

impartial case settlement before a case is docketed in a court of law.

• Litigation provides legal support for the IRS in litigation of cases, including 

interpretation of the tax law.

• Specialty Programs – Exams examines federal tax returns of businesses and 

individuals responsible for the filing and payment of employment, excise, estate, and 

gift taxes.

• International Collection supports international field collection efforts associated with 

delinquent taxpayer and business entity liabilities from U.S. citizens residing abroad, 

non-resident aliens, expatriates (U.S. citizens living abroad who have renounced their 

citizenship), and those involving other international issues (e.g., Foreign Tax Credit 

and Foreign Earned Income Exclusion).

• International Exams supports the international exam program involving U.S. citizens 

residing abroad, non-resident aliens, expatriates, and other examinations involving 

other international issues including legal support (e.g., Foreign Tax Credit and Foreign 

Earned Income Exclusion, Corporations, Non-Profits, Pension Plans, etc.).

• Enforcement Research provides resources for market-based research to identify 

compliance issues, for conducting tests of treatments to address noncompliance, and 

for the implementation of successful treatments of taxpayer non-compliant behavior.
IRS-47

• Unit General Management and Administration provides staffing, training, and direct 

support for headquarters management activities of strategic planning, communication 

and liaison, finance, human resources, equity, diversity and inclusion, business system 

planning, and embedded training.

• EITC Management and Administration supports headquarters management associated 

with administering the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) program. 

• Integrity & Verification Operations supports civil fraud detection and prevention 

efforts in a pre-refund environment including monitoring performance and developing 

policy, procedures, and guidance for processing civil revenue protection programs.

• ID Theft Victim Assistance has end-to-end responsibility and accountability for 

identity theft victim assistance policy and operations, which includes paper inventories 

from tax related- ID theft, the Identity Theft Protection Specialized Unit (IPSU), and 

Return Preparer Misconduct.

• Whistleblower Office provides staffing, training, and direct support to process, assess, 

and analyze tips from individuals who identify tax problems in the course of their 

daily business, regardless of where encountered (including workplace).

• Communications and Liaison coordinates local government and liaison relationships; 

manages congressional, state, and national stakeholder relationships and issues; 

coordinates crosscutting issues, including audit management and legislative 

implementation; manages national media contacts and local media relationships; and 

ensures compliance with disclosure and privacy laws.

• Return Integrity, Verification & Program Management provides policy and program 

oversight of revenue protection efforts such as detection, prevention and treatment of 

improper refunds (identity theft and non-compliance), including managing systemic 

solutions regarding payment of valid refund claims and the development of innovative 

technology solutions supporting service-wide revenue protection strategies.

Description of FY 2018 Performance – Exam

The Examination program provides taxpayers top quality service by helping them understand 

and meet their tax responsibilities and by applying the tax law with integrity and fairness. 

The performance goals that the IRS uses to gauge the Examination program’s performance 

are discussed below.

In FY 2018, Individual Exam Coverage was 0.6 percent, meeting the target. There IRS 

completed about 22,000 fewer individual audits, a 2.5 percent decrease compared to FY 2017. 

Examination will continue to address cycle time, length of audits, work in process and 

planned starts to maintain the current level of closures and ensure it meets future targets. The 

IRS will balance this data with the current level of attrition and projected hiring. For FY 2019 

and FY 2020, the IRS will lower the target to 0.5 percent due to fewer staff available to work 

cases and the increase in the number of individual filers.

In FY 2018, the Field Exam National Quality Review Score was 89.1 percent, exceeding the 

target of 84.4 percent. Examination analyzes quality data trends and the effect of 
IRS-48

organizational changes on quality scores. This measure will be discontinued from budget 

reporting in FY 2019 because the quality scores have been relatively constant

In FY 2018, Office Exam Quality was 87.2 percent, exceeding the target of 86.7 percent.

Improvement efforts included delivery of educational workshops, completion of case closing 

check sheets and the use of job aids. This measure will be discontinued from budget reporting 

starting in FY 2019 because the quality scores have been relatively constant over the years. 

The Program Office will continue to monitor the scores to improve quality.

The Examination Quality – Large Business measure is calculated through a review of a 

statistically valid random sample of closed large-business return cases. Case scores are based 

on the percentage of elements passed within each of the three Examination audit standards 

(planning, executing, and resolving). In FY 2018, Examination Quality – Large Business was

76 percent, 14 percentage points below the target of 90 percent. The decline in the 

Examination Quality Score is a result of low scores in all three audit standards. Actions taken 

to improve scores include: considering the filing/compliance requirements of related tax 

returns and subsequent year tax returns; documenting the reconciliation of the internal 

financial information to the tax return; and documenting the audit trail and techniques used 

for resolving the case. This measure will be discontinued from budget reporting in FY 2019 

because the quality scores have been flat over the last two years and are not directly affected 

by funding levels. The Program Office will continue to monitor the scores to improve quality.

The Examination Coverage – Business (Assets > $10 million) measure is calculated by taking 

the total number of LB&I returns with assets of more than $10 million, including all 

partnerships examined and closed by LB&I during the current fiscal year, divided by total 

filings for the preceding calendar year. In FY 2018, Business Examination Coverage was

2.2 percent, below the target of 2.4 percent. The IRS’s Large Business & International 

Division met the mid‐size corporations closure FY 2018 target but fell short of the target for 

flow‐thru and high‐corporation closures. Factors contributing to the FY 2018 performance 

shortfall included suspension of new inventory for a period in FY 2017 while workload 

selection methods were reviewed, and fewer resources available to close large business 

returns because of higher than predicted attrition and Federal Emergency Management 

Agency disaster assistance. In addition, resources were redirected to develop and implement 

compliance campaigns. Some of the campaigns involve new compliance treatment streams 

that use methods other than examining returns, which results in fewer return closures. The 

FY 2019 target is 2.2 percent. 1.5 percent in 2020. 

In FY 2018, Exam Efficiency - Individual (the number of closures divided by the total Exam 

FTE) was 131, below the target of 134. While 9.5 percent fewer FTEs were expended for 

FY 2018 in closing individual returns, Examination completed 22,600 fewer individual audits, 

only a 2.5 percent decrease compared to FY 2017. Examination will continue to address 

cycle time, length of audits, work in process and planned starts to maintain the current level of 

closures to ensure it meets FY 2019 targets. The FY 2019 Exam Efficiency – Individual is

109 and the FY 2020 target is 121.

The Automated Underreporter (AUR) Efficiency measure is calculated by taking the total 

number of W&I and SB/SE contact closures (a closure resulting from a case where IRS made 
IRS-49

contact) divided by the total FTEs, including overtime. In FY 2018, AUR Efficiency was

2,205, exceeding the year-end target of 2,133, a one percent improvement compared to 

FY 2017. This measure will be discontinued from budget reporting in FY 2019. 

The AUR Coverage measure is calculated by taking the total number of contact closures 

divided by total prior calendar year individual filings. In FY 2018, AUR Coverage was 

2.0 percent, exceeding the target of 1.9 percent. Examination will monitor resources, work in 

process, and planned starts to ensure future targets are met. The target in FY 2019 is 

1.6 percent for FY 2019 and 1.7 percent for FY 2020 

The Time to Start Compliance Resolution is a new measure and will be used as an indicator in 

FY 2019. It is the percentage of all individual income tax enforcement cases started within 

six months of the return posting date. It will reflect the effect of expedited issue detection and 

more integrated enforcement approaches. It supports expedited document matching, 

enhanced anomaly detection leading to faster issue identification, and data and analytics to 

improve issue identification and treatment selection.

Time to Resolve Compliance Issue After Filing is a new measure and will be used as an 

indicator in FY 2019. It measures the average time (in days) it takes to close all individual 

income tax enforcement cases. This measure reflects the complete life cycle from return 

filing to resolution. It will reflect the effect of process enhancements, such as new 

self-correction capabilities, including Online Account. It supports expedited document 

matching and enhanced anomaly detection, which will lead to faster issue identification.

Repeat Non-Compliance Rate is a new measure and will be used as an indicator in FY 2019. 

It measures the percentage of individual taxpayers with repeat non-compliance two years after 

the initial tax year for filing, payment, or reporting compliance. This measure supports 

expedited document matching, enhanced anomaly detection leading to faster issue 

identification, and Enterprise Case Management. It also promotes improved customer service 

through expanded access to new self-correction capabilities and improved behavioral 

analytics. It allows the IRS to better understand and change non-compliant taxpayer behavior.

Description of FY 2018 Performance ‒ Collection

The Collection program collects delinquent taxes, secures delinquent tax returns through the 

fair and equitable application of tax laws, and provides education to customers to promote 

future compliance. The performance goals that the IRS uses to gauge collection program 

performance are discussed below.

The Collection Coverage measure is calculated by taking the total volume of collection work 

disposed (i.e., completed) divided by total collection work available. In FY 2018, Collection 

Coverage was 41.6 percent, exceeding the target of 38.6 percent. Net dispositions decreased 

1 percent compared to FY 2017 (20.4 million vs. 20.6 million). Beginning Inventory, and 

Returned to Inventory cases decreased 0.6 percent and 6.9 percent, respectively, while New 

Issuance Receipts and Reissuances increased 13.5 percent and 75 percent, respectively. The 

IRS will set a target of 40.1 percent for FY 2019 and 38.3 percent in FY 2020 based on the 

most recent disposition and inventory projections. 
IRS-50

The Collection Efficiency measure is the volume of collection work disposed divided by total 

collection FTE. In FY 2018, Collection Efficiency was 2,216, exceeding the target of 2,101. 

While FTEs declined almost 5 percent, total closures decreased only one percent compared to 

FY 2017 with improved efficiency (2,216 vs. 2,135). This measure will be discontinued from 

budget reporting in FY 2019. 

The Field Collection Quality measure is calculated by taking the quality attributes reviewed 

and determined to be correct by a third-party quality reviewer divided by the total number of 

quality attributes reviewed. In FY 2018, the Field Collection National Quality Review Score 

was 79.2 percent, exceeding the target of 78 percent. The advanced technical training 

conducted in FY 2018 was a major contributor to improved quality scores. This measure will 

be discontinued from budget reporting in FY 2019 but maintained by the program office as 

required by the IRS Restructuring and Reform Act of 1998. 

The Automatic Collection System (ACS) Accuracy measure reflects the percentage of correct 

responses from a random weighted sampling of calls selected for quality review by the 

Centralized Quality Review System. In FY 2018, the ACS Accuracy was 94.0 percent, below 

the target of 95 percent. Factors such as new hires and more complex work contributed to the 

shortfall. Additionally, two new call sites in Ogden and Cincinnati stood up and were added 

to the quality results in May 2018. This measure will be discontinued from budget reporting 

in FY 2019.

The Cost to Collect $100 (in cents) measure is an existing metric that has not been reported 

with the Budget request before and will be used as an indicator in FY 2019. This measure is 

computed as total operating costs divided by gross collection divided by 100. 

FY 2020 Changes by Budget Activity

Dollars in thousands

Exam and Collections FTE Amount

FY 2019 Annualized CR Level 30,084 $3,894,129

Changes to Base:

Maintaining Current Levels (MCLs) $4,630

Non-Pay 4,630

Efficiency/Savings ($700)

Non-Recur for Section 112 Tax Reform Funding (700)

Subtotal FY 2020 Changes to Base $3,930

FY 2020 Current Services 30,084 $3,898,059

Program Changes:

Program Increases 130 $25,524

Data Analytics to Enhance Compliance 129 18,422

Prevent Identity Theft 1 7,102

O&M of Critical Systems

Subtotal FY 2020 Program Increases 130 $25,524

Total FY 2020 Request 30,214 $3,923,583

See footnotes in 1.1 -- Appropriations Detail Table
IRS-51

2.1.4 – Budget and Performance Report and Plan

2E – Regulatory ($167,739,000 in direct appropriations and an estimated $362,000 from 

reimbursable programs): This budget activity funds the development of published IRS 

guidance materials; interpretation of tax laws; internal advice to IRS on general non-tax legal 

issues; enforcement of regulatory rules, laws, and approved business practices; and support 

for taxpayers in the areas of pre-filing agreements, determination letters, and advance pricing 

agreements. The activities include:

• Tax Law Interpretation and Published Guidance interprets tax law through published 

guidance, technical advice, and other technical legal services.

• General Legal Services provides advice to the IRS on non-tax legal issues, including 

procurement, personnel, labor relations, equal employment opportunity, fiscal law, tort 

claims and damages, ethics, and conflict of interest.

Exam and Collections FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020

Resource Level Actual Actual Actual Actual Enacted Annualized CR Request

Appropriated Resources1 $4,154,342 $4,018,292 $3,945,578 $3,901,041 $3,875,098 $3,894,129 $3,923,583

Reimbursable Resources2 640 456 450 3,289 102 107

User Fees2 36 43

Budget Activity Total $4,154,342 $4,018,932 $3,946,070 $3,901,491 $3,878,387 $3,894,274 $3,923,690

1

The FY 2014 - FY 2018 appropriated resources represents the approved operating plan including any inter-BAC transfers and inter-appropriation transfers.

2

The FY 2014 - FY 2018 columns represent realized resources for reimbursables and user fees.

Exam and Collections FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020

Measures Actual Actual Actual Actual Actual Target Target Target

Examination Coverage - Individual (Oe) 0.9% 0.8% 0.7% 0.6% 0.6% 0.6% 0.5% 0.5%

Field Exam National Quality Review Score (Oe)1 88.4% 86.7% 86.8% 85.0% 89.1% 84.4% DISC

Office Exam National Quality Review Score (Oe)1 90.6% 88.3% 88.4% 87.9% 87.2% 86.7% DISC

Examination Quality - Large Business (Oe)1

83.0% 86.0% 83.0% 78.0% 76.0% 90.0% DISC

Examination Coverage - Business (Assets > $10 million) (Oe) 4.3% 3.9% 3.0% 2.5% 2.2% 2.4% 2.2% 1.5%

Examination Efficiency - Individual (E) 138 148 143 121 131 134 122 122

Automated Underreporter (AUR) Efficiency (E)1 1,935 2,209 2,196 2,188 2,205 2,133 DISC

Automated Underreporter (AUR) Coverage (E) 2.6% 2.3% 2.3% 2.2% 2.0% 1.9% 1.6% 1.7%

Time to Start Compliance Resolution (E, L)2 N/A Indicator

Time to Resolve Compliance Issue After Filing (E)2

N/A Indicator

Repeat Non-Compliance Rate (Ot)2 N/A Indicator

Collection Coverage - Units (Ot) 45.9% 46.3% 43.4% 42.2% 41.6% 38.6% 40.1% 38.3%

Collection Efficiency - Units (E)1 2,051 2,448 2,266 2,135 2,216 2,101 DISC

Field Collection National Quality Review Score (Ot)1 81.6% 79.2% 79.2% 76.7% 79.2% 78.0% DISC

Automated Collection System (ACS) Accuracy (Oe)1 95.2% 95.3% 95.4% 94.7% 94.0% 95.0% DISC

Cost to Collect $100 (in cents) (E)2 0.38 0.35 0.35 0.34 Indicator 

2

New measure added for FY 2019

Dollars in thousands

Key: Oe - Outcome Measure, E - Efficiency Measure, L - Strategic Plan Goal, Ot - Output/Workload Measure

1

Discontinued (DISC) for FY 2019
IRS-52

• Rulings and Agreements applies the tax law to specific taxpayers in the form of

pre-filing agreements, determination letters, advance pricing agreements, and other 

pre-filing determinations and advice.

• International Regulatory Legal Support supports Counsel’s work in tax law 

interpretation and rulings and agreements related to international issues.

• Return Preparer Strategy provides staffing, training, and direct support associated 

with the Return Preparer Strategy.

• Office of Professional Responsibility identifies, communicates, and enforces Treasury 

Circular 230 standards of competence, integrity, and conduct of those who represent 

taxpayers before the IRS, including attorneys, Certified Public Accountants (CPAs), 

enrolled agents, enrolled actuaries and appraisers, and other professionals.

Description of FY 2018 Performance

Tax Exempt and Government Entities (TE/GE) Determination Case Closures includes both 

applications for tax-exempt status for employee retirement plans and applications from 

various charitable entities seeking tax-exempt status. The IRS reviews applications to 

determine eligibility and closes them upon approval or disapproval. In FY 2018, TE/GE

completed 98,249 Determination Case Closures, exceeding the target of 94,103. Employee 

Plans (EP) Determinations Division of TE/GE began the year with 71 technical employees.

With a significant decrease in submissions, in November 2017, EP Determinations Division 

started to realign non‐Determination work to all employees. This process allowed for 

additional support for the Voluntary Compliance and EP Exam Divisions within TE/GE to 

assist with their workload. Exempt Organization (EO) Determinations will explore ways to 

increase the number of closures in a shorter period, thus striving to close more cases in FY 

2019 than originally planned through piloting new methods. This measure will be 

discontinued from budget reporting in FY 2019

FY 2020 Changes by Budget Activity

Dollars in thousands

Regulatory FTE Amount

FY 2019 Annualized CR Level 1,072 $180,213

Changes to Base:

Maintaining Current Levels (MCLs) $454

Non-Pay 454

Efficiency/Savings ($13,017)

Reduce Contractual Services (1,717)

Non-Recur for Section 112 Tax Reform Funding (11,300)

Subtotal FY 2020 Changes to Base ($12,563)

FY 2020 Current Services 1,072 $167,650

Program Changes:

Program Increases 1 $88

Data Analytics to Enhance Compliance 1 88

O&M of Critical Systems

Subtotal FY 2020 Program Increases 1 $88

Total FY 2020 Request 1,073 $167,738

See footnotes in 1.1 -- Appropriations Detail Table
IRS-53

2.1.5 – Budget and Performance Report and Plan

Regulatory FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020

Resource Level Actual Actual Actual Actual Enacted Annualized CR Request

Appropriated Resources1 $158,415 $147,605 $137,245 $131,662 $170,222 $180,213 $167,739

Reimbursable Resources2 792 363 202 160 593 344 362

User Fees2 13,241 18,485 9,233 9,537

Budget Activity Total $172,448 $166,453 $146,680 $141,359 $170,815 $180,557 $168,101

1

The FY 2014 - FY 2018 appropriated resources represents the approved operating plan including any inter-BAC transfers and inter-appropriation transfers.

2

The FY 2014 - FY 2018 columns represent realized resources for reimbursables and user fees.

Regulatory FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020

Measure Actual Actual Actual Actual Actual Target Target Target

TE/GE Determination Case Closures (Ot)1 136,746 111,940 99,973 102,749 98,249 94,103 DISC

Key: Ot - Output/Workload Measure

1

Discontinued (DISC) for FY 2019

Dollars in thousands
IRS-54

Operations Support

Appropriation Description

The Operations Support appropriation provides funding for overall planning, direction, and 

support for the IRS, including shared service support related to facilities services, rent 

payments, printing, postage, and security. This appropriation funds headquarters policy and 

management activities such as corporate support for strategic planning; communications and 

liaison; finance; human resources; equity, diversity, and inclusion; research and statistics of 

income; and necessary expenses for information systems and telecommunication support, 

including development, security, and maintenance of the IRS’s information systems.

The Operations Support budget request for FY 2020 is $4,075,021,000 in direct 

appropriations and 10,683 FTE, excluding the proposed program integrity cap adjustment. 

This is an increase of $241,021,000, or 6.29 percent, and 343 FTE more than the FY 2019

Annualized Continuing Resolution of $3,834,000,000 and 10,340 FTE. The FY 2019 

Annualized Continuing Resolution level includes a $200 million inter-appropriation transfer 

from Enforcement to Operations Support to cover anticipated operations and maintenance 

requirements in FY 2019. 
IRS-55

2.1 – Budget Adjustments Table

Dollars in thousands

Operations Support

Summary of Proposed FY 2020 Request FTE Amount

FY 2019 Annualized CR Level1 10,340 $3,834,000

Changes to Base:

Other Adjustments 163 $101,636

Offset to O&M for Critical IT Systems 163 101,636

Maintaining Current Levels (MCLs) $41,155

Non-Pay Inflation Adjustment 41,155

Efficiencies/Savings: ($24,804)

Increase e-File Savings (104)

Space Optimization (24,700)

Subtotal FY 2019 Changes to Base 163 $117,987

FY 2019 Current Services 10,503 $3,951,987

Program Changes:

Program Increases

Data Analytics to Enhance Compliance 16 5,363

Prevent Identity Theft 2 10,122

O&M of Prior-year Enterprise-wide Cybersecurity Investments 6,744

O&M of Critical Systems 162 100,805

Subtotal FY 2019 Program Increases 180 $123,034

Total FY 2020 Budget Request 10,683 $4,075,021

See footnotes in 1.1 -- Appropriations Detail Table
IRS-56

2.2 – Operating Levels Table

Dollars in thousands

Operations Support

Object Classification

FY 2018

Enacted

FY 2019

Annualized CR

FY 2020

Request

11.1 Full-Time Permanent Positions 1,100,060 1,117,741 1,154,274

11.3 Other than Full-Time Permanent Positions 3,980 5,839 5,960

11.5 Other Personnel Compensation 25,111 21,985 22,399

11.8 Special Personal Services Payments 441 472 472

11.9 Personnel Compensation (Total) 1,129,592 1,146,037 1,183,105

12.1 Personnel Benefits 376,366 383,648 394,989

13.0 Benefits to Former Personnel 338 347 347

Total Personnel and Compensation Benefits $1,506,296 $1,530,032 $1,578,441

21.0 Travel 14,201 18,652 19,268

22.0 Transportation of Things 13,171 12,950 13,240

23.1 Rental Payments to GSA 589,683 590,575 578,055

23.2 Rent Payments to Others 12,050 12,167 12,410

23.3 Communications, Utilities, & Misc 289,783 330,117 356,020

24.0 Printing & Reproduction 24,106 19,161 19,575

25.1 Advisory & Assistance Services 866,878 648,579 741,804

25.2 Other Services 36,840 30,162 38,744

25.3 Purchase of Goods & Services from Govt. Accounts 79,806 82,898 85,534

25.4 Operation & Maintenance of Facilities 186,027 189,244 193,458

25.5 Research & Development Contracts 6

25.6 Medical Care 14,549 14,966 15,327

25.7 Operation & Maintenance of Equipment 66,654 66,844 81,612

26.0 Supplies and Materials 9,806 8,865 9,099

31.0 Equipment 450,680 272,399 325,549

32.0 Land and Structures 20,225 5,610 6,090

42.0 Insurance Claims & Indemnities 239 779 795

Total Non-Personnel $2,674,704 $2,303,968 $2,496,580

New Appropriated Resources $4,181,000 $3,834,000 $4,075,021

Budget Activities:

Infrastructure 870,360 858,932 853,738

Shared Services & Support 920,283 942,568 953,686

Information Services 2,390,357 2,032,500 2,267,597

New Appropriated Resources $4,181,000 $3,834,000 $4,075,021

FTE 10,389 10,340 10,683

See footnotes in 1.1 -- Appropriations Detail Table
IRS-57

2.3 – Appropriation Detail Table

2F – Infrastructure ($853,738,000 in direct appropriations and an estimated $730,000 from 

reimbursable programs): This budget activity funds administrative services related to space

and housing, rent and space alterations, building services, maintenance, guard services, and 

non-IT equipment. The program activities include:

• Building Delegation oversees and manages the IRS GSA-delegated buildings, 

including cleaning, maintenance, utilities, protection, administrative, and recurring and 

one-time repair costs.

• Rent provides resources for all IRS rent needs. 

• Space and Housing/Non-IT Equipment provides management of all IRS building 

services, maintenance, space alterations, guard services, custodial overtime, utility 

service needs, and non-IT equipment.

• Security covers all physical security costs, including guard services, security 

equipment and maintenance, countermeasures, Homeland Security Presidential 

Directive 12 (HSPD-12) and Treasury Enterprise Identity Credential and Access 

Management (TEICAM).

Description of FY 2018 Performance

The IRS continued to release excess office space through building closures and 

consolidations.

The Rentable Square Feet per Person indicator is the amount of rentable square feet the IRS 

maintains per person requiring space. Through FY 2018, the Rentable Sq. Ft. per Person was 

301 compared to 297 in FY 2017. The IRS continued to release excess office space through 

building closures and consolidations. The IRS released 10 buildings and 492,110 square feet 

Dollars in thousands

Operations Support

Appropriated Resources

FTE AMOUNT FTE AMOUNT FTE AMOUNT FTE AMOUNT FTE AMOUNT

New Appropriated Resources:

Infrastructure 870,360 858,932 853,738 (5,194) -0.60%

Shared Services and Support 4,315 920,283 4,269 942,568 4,287 953,686 18 11,118 0.42% 1.18%

Information Services 6,074 2,390,357 6,071 2,032,500 6,396 2,267,597 325 235,097 5.35% 11.57%

Subtotal New Appropriated Resources 10,389 $4,181,000 10,340 $3,834,000 10,683 $4,075,021 343 $241,021 3.32% 6.29%

Other Resources:

Reimbursables 69 69,257 84 48,822 84 51,263 2,441 5.00%

Offsetting Collections - Non Reimbursables

User Fees 205,052 411,000 427,000 16,000 3.89%

Recovery from Prior Years 9,752 10,830 11,741 911 8.41%

Unobligated Balances from Prior Years 91,901 192,377 63,482 (128,895) -67.00%

Transfers In/Out 36,770

Resources from Other Accounts

Subtotal Other Resources 69 $412,732 84 $663,029 84 $553,486 ($109,543) -16.52%

Total Budgetary Resources 10,458 $4,593,732 10,424 $4,497,029 10,767 $4,628,507 343 $131,478 3.29% 2.92%

FY 2019 to FY 2020 

Request

FY 2020

Request

FY 2019 to FY 2020 

Request

Change % Change

See footnotes in 1.1--Appropriations Detail Table

FY 2019

Annualized CR

FY 2018

Enacted
IRS-58

of space from its portfolio in FY 2018, which will generate about $10.5 million in annual rent 

savings. The IRS expanded the number of offices that incorporate hoteling or shared 

workspace for employees and contractors who do not require full-time space. The IRS also 

intends to place new hires in existing space and renew leases at existing sites rather than 

opening new locations, when cost effective and when permitted by procurement regulations. 

These and other actions will help limit projected rent cost increases. The IRS also is 

analyzing how the submission processing ramp downs in Covington, KY and Fresno, CA 

might affect office space needs at those locations. 

FY 2020 Changes by Budget Activity

2.1.6 – Budget and Performance Report and Plan

2G – Shared Services and Support ($953,686,000 in direct appropriations, and an 

estimated $30,447,000 from reimbursable programs): This budget activity funds policy 

management, IRS-wide support for research, strategic planning, communications and liaison, 

finance, human resources, and equity, diversity, and inclusion programs. It also funds 

printing and postage, business systems planning, security, legal services, and procurement. 

The program activities include:

Dollars in thousands

Infrastructure FTE Amount

FY 2019 Annualized CR Level $858,932

Changes to Base:

Maintaining Current Levels (MCLs) $17,176

Non-Pay 17,176

Efficiency/Savings ($24,700)

Space Optimization (24,700)

Subtotal FY 2020 Changes to Base ($7,524)

FY 2020 Current Services $851,408

Program Changes:

Program Increases $2,330

Data Analytics to Enhance Compliance 1,889

Prevent Identity Theft 441

Subtotal FY 2020 Program Increases $2,330

Total FY 2020 Request $853,738

See footnotes in 1.1 -- Appropriations Detail Table

Infrastructure FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020

Resource Level Actual Actual Actual Actual Enacted Annualized 

CR Request

Appropriated Resources1 $845,558 $833,846 $838,048 $856,655 $870,360 $858,932 $853,738

Reimbursable Resources2 16,694 928 626 634 662 695 730

User Fees2 17,137 1,000

Budget Activity Total $879,389 $834,774 $838,674 $857,289 $871,022 $860,627 $854,468 1

The FY 2014 - FY 2018 appropriated resources represents the approved operating plan including any inter-BAC transfers and inter-appropriation transfers.

2

The FY 2014 - FY 2018 columns represent realized resources for reimbursables and user fees.

Infrastructure FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020

Measure Actual Actual Actual Actual Actual Target Target Target

Rentable Square Feet per Person (new for FY 2017) (Ot, L) 297 301 Indicator

Dollars in thousands

Key: Ot - Output/Workload Measure L - Strategic Plan Goal
IRS-59

• National Headquarters Management and Administration directs the management 

activities of strategic planning, communications and liaison, finance, human resources, 

equity, diversity and inclusion programs, business systems planning, embedded 

training, and the Treasury Franchise Fund. It sets policies and goals, provides 

leadership and direction for the IRS, and builds partner relationships with key 

stakeholders (Congress, GAO, OMB, and the Oversight Board). It provides policy 

guidance for conducting planning and budgeting strategies, conducting analyses of 

programs and investments to support strategic decision-making, and developing and 

managing human resources. It also includes official reception and representation 

expenses.

• Facilities Management & Security Services provides facilities and security services to 

deliver a safe, secure and optimal work environment to IRS customers.

• Procurement supports the procurement function of the IRS.

• Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Field Services provides staffing, training, and direct 

support to plan and manage the IRS’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion program.

• Communications and Liaison coordinates local government and liaison relationships; 

handles congressional, state, and national stakeholder relationships and issues; 

coordinates cross-cutting issues, including managing audits and legislative 

implementation; handles national media contacts and local media relationships; and 

ensures IRS-wide compliance with disclosure and privacy laws.

• Employee Support Services plans and manages financial services, including relocation, 

travel, purchase cards, corporate express, and employee clearances. 

• Treasury Complaint Centers plan and manage the Treasury Complaint Centers.

• Shared Support not provided by Agency-Wide Shared Services provides resources for 

shared cross-functional support, such as postage meters, shredders, courier services, 

and post office boxes.

• Printing and Postage – Media and Publications provides operating divisions with 

printing and postage, including shipping of taxpayer and internal-use materials.

• Statistics of Income provides resources for researching annual income, financial, and 

tax data from tax returns filed by individuals, corporations, and tax-exempt 

organizations.

• Research provides resources for market-based research to identify compliance issues, 

for conducting tests of treatments to address noncompliance, and for the 

implementation of successful strategies to address taxpayer noncompliance behavior.

• Protection of Sensitive Information manages and oversees the staffing, training, 

equipment, and direct support for the protection of IRS employees, facilities, and 

assets, and the protection and proper use of identity information.

• Wage and Investment (W&I) Business Modernization Support provides staffing, 

training, and direct support for W&I’s enterprise-wide business modernization efforts, 

including Customer Account Data Engine 2 (CADE 2) and Account Management 

Services (AMS) technology solutions, and re-engineered business processes.
IRS-60

Description of FY 2018 Performance

Through support activities that include management and administration of human resources, 

security, and research, Operations Support continues to provide shared services to all IRS 

programs.

Human Capital 

The future of the IRS depends on a workplace culture that empowers employees to improve 

the taxpayer experience and uphold the tax code fairly. In FY 2018, the IRS:

• Worked with all Treasury Bureaus to procure a Treasury-wide Integrated Talent 

Management (ITM) system. Continued to focus on encouraging the transfer of 

institutional knowledge and developed three strategies for a Service-wide approach to 

knowledge management solutions based on four best practice pillars: promote 

collaboration (Connect), knowledge capture before employee separation (Learn), data 

sharing (Share), and build employee expertise (Improve). These strategies include: 

o A centralized online content repository (virtual library and video library) to 

capture and transfer best practices from an experienced workforce

o A learning portal designed to consolidate various resources into a one-stop site 

for all aspects of training, course development, curriculum development, and 

career enhancement; and

o A corporate interactive platform to identify and transfer knowledge and 

expertise across all IRS business organizations. 
IRS-61

Security 

Security of taxpayer data and providing a secure environment for employees are of utmost 

importance to the IRS. In FY 2018, the IRS:

• Continued to improve the physical security of IRS facilities against internal and 

external threats 

• Improved authentication by launching a tool, Identity Verify (IDVerify), for the 

Taxpayer Protection Program (TPP), that allows taxpayers to answer three simple 

questions to confirm their identity and validate suspected identity theft returns with 

functions such as See Balance Due and a link to Make a Payment.

• Developed indicators and models to detect and prevent fraudulent activity in IRS 

online applications.

The IRS worked on several initiatives related to the Security Summit, a collaborative effort 

between the IRS, state tax administrators and private-sector tax partners. In FY 2018, the 

IRS:

• Conducted awareness campaigns for tax professionals – Protect Your Clients; Protect 

Yourself: Don’t Take the Bait – and for taxpayers – National Tax Security Awareness 

Week – because everyone has a role in fighting identity theft.

• Held a summer campaign – Protect Your Clients; Protect Yourself: Tax Security 101 –

which featured 10 news releases. In addition to raising awareness, the series helped 

support identity theft education efforts at five Nationwide Tax Forum sessions 

attended by more than 10,000 tax professionals.

• Conducted the second Tax Security Awareness Week, which generated news articles 

across the country following 32 local press and partner events. In all, 24 state revenue 

departments and dozens of other partner groups participated.

Research

The IRS invests in research to improve its ability to make data-driven decisions to improve 

operational outcomes. In FY 2018, the IRS delivered the first Enterprise Research Plan, a 

comprehensive document that contains active links to the Research and Analytic Project 

Repository and a database of more than 1,200 active and closed research projects.

The plan established a new data and analytics steering group to create an enterprise 

framework to improve coordination, decision making, and alignment of data and analytics 

initiatives across business units. 
IRS-62

2.1.7 – Budget and Performance Report and Plan 

2H – Information Services ($2,267,597,000 in direct appropriations, $20,086,000 in 

reimbursable resources, and $427,000,000 from user fees): This budget activity funds 

staffing, equipment, and related costs to manage, maintain, and operate the information 

systems critical to the support of tax administration programs. This includes the design and 

operation of security controls and disaster recovery planning. This budget activity funds the 

development and maintenance of the millions of lines of programming code that support all 

aspects and phases of tax processing and the operation and administration of mainframes, 

servers, personal computers, networks, and a variety of management information systems. 

The program activities include:

• Enterprise Program Management Office (EPMO) provides oversight and project 

integration into daily IT processes for large-scale development, modernization and 

enhancement projects. It enables a coordinated, cross-functional project planning, 

implementation and performance assessment effort aimed at improving IT systems 

quality, cost and delivery schedule.

• Security Services ensures effective security policies and programs to safeguard 

taxpayer records, IRS employees, facilities, business processes, systems and other 

resources. The program is responsible for corrective action efforts to establish 

adequate service-wide security, including Security Policy Support and Oversight, 

Mission Assurance, and Modernization Security. 

• IT Executive Oversight provides support to the immediate Office of the Chief 

Information Officer, and the Stakeholder Management (including Communications 

Services and Program Oversight). The program provides executive direction for the 

Dollars in thousands

Shared Services and Support FTE Amount

FY 2019 Annualized CR Level 4,270 $942,568

Changes to Base:

Maintaining Current Levels (MCLs) $7,246

Non-Pay 7,246

Subtotal FY 2020 Changes to Base $7,246

FY 2020 Current Services 4,270 $949,814

Program Changes:

Program Increases 16 $3,872

Data Analytics to Enhance Compliance 14 2,189

Prevent Identity Theft 2 1,683

Subtotal FY 2020 Program Increases 16 $3,872

Total FY 2020 Request 4,286 $953,686

See footnotes in 1.1 -- Appropriations Detail Table

Shared Services and Support FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020

Resource Level Actual Actual Actual Actual Enacted Annualized 

CR Request

Appropriated Resources1 $1,127,931 $1,126,230 $1,090,192 $964,702 $920,283 $942,568 $953,686

Reimbursable Resources2 19,886 17,126 19,443 19,194 27,995 28,997 30,447

User Fees2 7,819 1,768 1,000 1,000 1,000

Budget Activity Total $1,155,636 $1,145,124 $1,110,635 $984,896 $949,278 $971,565 $984,133 1

The FY 2014 - FY 2018 appropriated resources represents the approved operating plan including any inter-BAC transfers and inter-appropriation transfers.

2

The FY 2014 - FY 2018 columns represent realized resources for reimbursables and user fees.

Dollars in thousands
IRS-63

IT organization, enabling IT to be a customer-focused supplier of IT solutions that is

responsive to customer business priorities and meets functional and operational needs 

effectively.

• Application Development performs the analysis, design, development, testing, and 

implementation of about 85,000 application programs supporting critical tax 

processing, management information reporting and financial management support 

systems for the IRS. This program also supports external trading partner data 

exchanges with federal government agencies, state and local governments, and other 

third-party entities. The program controls application source code and deploys 

applications to the production environment. 

• Enterprise Operations designs, develops, and maintains IT that supports critical tax 

processing, management information reporting, and financial management support 

systems for the IRS. It supports data exchanges with external organizations, such as 

other federal agencies, state and local governments, and external entities (e.g., 

employers and banks), and includes a comprehensive disaster recovery capability to 

ensure continued operations in the event of a major interruption of service. 

• Enterprise Network provides telecommunications service delivery to all customer 

segments, including management of day-to-day operations of the telecommunications 

environment. This includes the operation of equipment and services to meet business 

user needs and the execution of routine changes for scheduled and unscheduled 

modifications to the telecommunications infrastructure and applications. It addresses 

all phases of engineering, acquisition, implementation, and operation of 

telecommunications systems and services, including voice, video, and data 

communications.

• Enterprise Services plans and manages service and delivery methods used across the 

IT organization, including demand analysis, enterprise architecture, configuration 

management, project reporting, enterprise life cycle management, release 

management, systems engineering, dashboard reporting, and internal management.

• End User & Network Services maintains the IRS automated business processes at 

headquarters and field sites, effectively allowing the IRS to fulfill its missions. The 

support includes technical systems and applications software support to end users, 

maintaining legacy operations, local and corporate systems administration activities, 

email and domain user account maintenance. This activity monitors IRS network and 

systems administration by utilizing automated management tools. It performs asset 

management activities, and maintenance of the voice and data infrastructure at the 

territory offices. 

• Strategy and Planning provides the management and oversight of investments in IT, 

demand analysis, project reporting, portfolio management, financial management, 

acquisition planning, and other IT operational priorities.

• Information Technology Security Certification and Accreditation provides design and 

operations of security controls and the technical mechanisms used by the IRS systems 

and applications as part of the development of the system security plan, system risk 

assessment, and IT contingency plan. It also supports security testing and evaluation 
IRS-64

as part of the certification process, including time preparing system documentation, 

interviewing contractors, and responding to information requests. 

• Disaster Recovery supports activities related to Enterprise Disaster Recovery 

planning, including testing, evaluations, plan development, and technical and business 

assessments. 

• Infrastructure Currency (IC) funds the upgrade or replacement of outdated and aged 

technology solutions related to the IT hardware, software and applications 

development product portfolio. 

• IT Infrastructure centralizes the resources achieved through efficiencies in various 

parts of IT to ensure that replacement of the aging infrastructure is addressed 

corporately. 

Description of FY 2018 Performance

The Percent of Aged Hardware is a new measure and shows the quantity of IT hardware in 

operation past its useful life as a percentage of total hardware in use. For FY 2018, the 

Percent of Aged Hardware was 45.5 percent versus 52.3 percent in FY 2017. The nearly 

seven percentage point reduction in FY 2018 from FY 2017 was attributable to: 

• Replacing nearly 21,000 assets aging during FY 2018 to prevent growth in IRS aged 

hardware inventory; and, 

• Removing certain asset categories (fax machines, low-end printers and scanners) that 

are no longer being actively refreshed from the aged calculation to define the 

inventory that is reflective of risk to the Information Technology (IT) environment

more accurately. 

For FY 2019 and FY 2020, the IRS will lower the target to 43.8 percent and 39 percent 

respectively, as the IRS continues to dedicate funding to reducing the backlog. The measure 

definition changed in FY 2018, removing certain asset categories (fax machines, low-end 

printers and scanners) that are no longer being actively refreshed from the calculation to more 

accurately define the inventory that is reflective of risk to the IT environment. The IRS will 

monitor progress against FY 2019 aged hardware replacement targets. 
IRS-65

FY 2020 Changes by Budget Activity

2.1.8 – Budget and Performance Report and Plan 

Dollars in thousands

Information Services FTE Amount

FY 2019 Annualized CR Level 6,071 $2,032,500

Changes to Base:

Other Adjustments 163 $101,636

Offset to O&M for Critical IT Systems 163 101,636

Maintaining Current Levels (MCLs) $16,733

Non-Pay 16,733

Efficiency/Savings ($104)

Increase e-File Savings (104)

Subtotal FY 2020 Changes to Base 163 $118,265

FY 2020 Current Services 6,234 $2,150,765

Program Changes:

Program Increases 163 $116,831

Data Analytics to Enhance Compliance 1 1,284

Prevent Identity Theft 7,998

O&M of Prior-year Enterprise-wide Cybersecurtiy Investments 6,744

O&M of Critical Systems 162 100,805

Subtotal FY 2020 Program Increases 163 $116,831

Total FY 2020 Request 6,397 $2,267,596

See footnotes in 1.1 -- Appropriations Detail Table

Information Services FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020

Resource Level Actual Actual Actual Actual Enacted Annualized 

CR Request

Appropriated Resources1 $1,749,110 $1,641,360 $1,883,667 $1,950,191 $2,390,357 $2,032,500 $2,267,597

Reimbursable Resources2 4,734 24,262 19,660 35,307 40,600 19,130 20,086

User Fees2 198,206 373,610 263,250 201,584 204,032 410,000 427,000

Budget Activity Total $1,952,050 $2,039,232 $2,166,577 $2,187,082 $2,634,989 $2,461,630 $2,714,683

1

The FY 2014 - FY 2018 appropriated resources represents the approved operating plan including any inter-BAC transfers and inter-appropriation transfers.

2

The FY 2014 - FY 2018 columns represent realized resources for reimbursables and user fees.

Information Services FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020

Measures Actual Actual Actual Actual Actual Target Target Target

Percent of Aged Hardware (Ot, L)1

56.5% 52.2% 52.3% 45.5% 53.1% 43.8% 39.0%

Key: Ot - Output/Workload Measure L - Strategic Plan Goal

Dollars in thousands

1 This is a new budget level metric; the measure definition changed in FY 2018; removing certain asset categories (fax machines, low-end printers and scanners) that are no longer 

being actively refreshed from the calculation to more accurately define the inventory that’s reflective of risk to the IT environment. 
IRS-66

Business Systems Modernization 

Appropriation Description

The Business Systems Modernization (BSM) appropriation provides resources for the 

planning and capital asset acquisition of IT to modernize the IRS business systems.

The BSM budget request for FY 2020 is $290,000,000 in direct appropriations and 441 FTE. 

This amount is an increase of $180,000,000, or 163.64 percent, and 80 FTE more than the 

FY 2019 Annualized Continuing Resolution level of $110,000,000 and 361 FTE. 
IRS-67

2.1 – Budget Adjustments Table

2.2 – Operating Levels Table 

Dollars in thousands

Business Systems Modernization

Summary of Proposed FY 2020 Request FTE Amount

FY 2019 Annualized CR Level1 361 $110,000

FY 2019 Current Services 361 $110,000

Program Changes:

Program Increases

IRS Technology Modernization Plan 80 180,000

Subtotal FY 2019 Program Increases 80 $180,000

Total FY 2020 Budget Request 441 $290,000

See footnotes in 1.1 -- Appropriations Detail Table

Dollars in thousands

Business Systems Modernization

Object Classification

FY 2018

Enacted

FY 2019

Annualized CR

FY 2020

Request

11.1 Full-Time Permanent Positions 32,448 45,455 55,702

11.3 Other than Full-Time Permanent Positions 427 27 27

11.5 Other Personnel Compensation 810 391 535

11.9 Personnel Compensation (Total) 33,685 45,873 56,264

12.1 Personnel Benefits 11,016 13,703 17,095

Total Personnel and Compensation Benefits $44,701 $59,576 $73,359

21.0 Travel 133 301 437

25.1 Advisory & Assistance Services 63,067 41,625 178,355

25.2 Other Services 9 13 93

25.3 Purchase of Goods & Services from Govt. Accounts 4 5 5

25.7 Operation & Maintenance of Equipment 1,211 561 2,303

26.0 Supplies and Materials 6 17 17

31.0 Equipment 869 7,902 35,431

Total Non-Personnel $65,299 $50,424 $216,641

New Appropriated Resources $110,000 $110,000 $290,000

Budget Activities:

IT Investments 110,000 110,000 290,000

New Appropriated Resources $110,000 $110,000 $290,000

FTE 219 361 441

See footnotes in 1.1 -- Appropriations Detail Table
IRS-68

2.3 – Appropriation Detail Table 

2I – Business Systems Modernization ($290,000,000 in direct appropriations, and 

$30,000,000 in user fees): This budget activity funds the planning and capital asset 

acquisition of information technology (IT) to modernize IRS business systems, including 

labor and related contractual costs.

The IRS is implementing its multiyear Modernization Plan to address the long-term 

sustainability and affordability of its technological environment. The Plan will define the 

scope of projects, set timelines and target, describe milestones, and ultimately, include 

outcome measures for the investment. 

In FY 2020, the funding for the Modernization Plan is reflected in four pillars: Taxpayer 

Experience, Core Taxpayer Services and Enforcement, Modernized IRS Operations, and 

Cybersecurity and Data Protection and is further defined by investments in the Business 

Systems Modernization appropriation. 

Taxpayer Experience: +$40 million / +95 FTE

By funding Taxpayer Experience modernization investments, the IRS expects to achieve the 

following outcomes and will measure performance using the key indicators in the table below. 

Dollars in thousands

Business Systems Modernization

Appropriated Resources

FTE AMOUNT FTE AMOUNT FTE AMOUNT FTE AMOUNT FTE AMOUNT

New Appropriated Resources:

Business Systems Modernization 219 110,000 361 110,000 441 290,000 80 180,000 22.16% 163.64%

Subtotal New Appropriated Resources 219 $110,000 361 $110,000 441 $290,000 80 $180,000 22.16% 163.64%

Other Resources:

Reimbursables

Offsetting Collections - Non Reimbursables

User Fees 77,418 139,010 30,000 (109,010) -78.42%

Recovery from Prior Years 3,164 3,164

Unobligated Balances from Prior Years 236 193,528 120 133,530 100 34,095 (20) (99,435) -16.67% -74.47%

Transfers In/Out

Resources from Other Accounts

Subtotal Other Resources 236 $270,946 120 $275,704 100 $67,259 (20) ($208,445) -16.67% -75.60%

Total Budgetary Resources 455 $380,946 481 $385,704 541 $357,259 60 ($28,445) 12.47% -7.37%

FY 2019

Annualized CR

FY 2018

Enacted

See footnotes in 1.1--Appropriations Detail Table

Change % Change

FY 2019 to FY 2020 

Request

FY 2019 to FY 

2020 Request

FY 2020

Request

Modernization Plan 

Pillar Expected Outcomes Key Performance Indicators

Pillar 1:

Taxpayer Experience 

 Provide an option for customers to 

receive a call back rather than wait on 

the phone

 Reduce in-person visits by identity 

theft victims through an online ID 

verification service

 Make online tax payments easier and 

more secure

 Enterprise SelfAssistance Participation 

Rate 

 Percentage (%) of 

taxpayers offered a 

callback that accept it 

 Percentage (%) of notices 

available electronically 
IRS-69

Web Applications (+$25 million / +91 FTE) – WebApps delivers a secure, unified online 

experience, accessible through a single online account. It provides taxpayers and business 

users accurate account information, transparent explanations and next steps to resolve 

tax-related issues, along with full-service payment options. This allows taxpayers to resolve 

more issues online with fewer direct interactions with the IRS over the telephone and in 

person. In FY 2020, Web Applications will continue to develop the capability for taxpayers 

to create and submit installment agreements online. 

Expected Benefits: 

• Eliminate the requirement for in-person visits by identify theft victims through an 

online ID verification service;

• Make online tax payments easier; and

• Enable tax professionals to quickly and securely sign powers of attorney online.

Taxpayer Digital Communications Online Notice ($5 million / 4 FTE) – Taxpayer Digital 

Communications Online Notice (TDC-ON) will improve the user experience through the 

proliferation of reliable, user-friendly, secure online services. Funding will be used to 

develop digital notices through the secure messaging platform that provides communications 

to taxpayers who prefer that channel over mailed correspondence, including digital chat.

Expected Benefits:

• Increase taxpayer response rate to notices

• Lower the burden on taxpayers and the IRS for tax compliance and enforcement.

Live Assistance - Callback ($10 million / 0 FTE) – In the current IRS Contact Center 

environment, taxpayers wait in a live queue until a Customer Service Representative (CSR) is 

available. Wait times have averaged between 6-10 minutes on most of IRS’s primary 

telephone product lines over the past two years. Customer Callback will allow call center 

customers to keep their place in queue without remaining on the telephone. The system will 

call customers back when they are next in queue to be assisted by a CSR. 

Funding will be used to build a robust callback solution for all toll-free telephone services. In 

addition, the multi-year solution will provide robust call handling and enhanced call 

monitoring and reporting to reduce the risk for any additional wait times upon reconnect. 

Expected Benefits:

• Reduce wait time on telephone assistance applications for taxpayers and IRS 

employees; and

 Enable tax professionals to quickly and 

securely sign power of attorney online

 Communicate digitally with taxpayers

via Taxpayer Digital 

Communications Online 

Notice
IRS-70

• Reduce burden by offering options for a callback or to remain in the live queue.

Core Taxpayer Services and Enforcement: +$160 million / +270 FTE 

By funding Core Taxpayer Services and Enforcement modernization investments, the IRS 

expects to achieve the following outcomes and will measure performance using the key 

indicators in the table below. 

Customer Account Data Engine 2 (CADE2) (+$80 million (+$70 million in direct 

appropriations and +$10 million in user fees) / +134 FTE) – Since the Individual Master File 

(IMF) was built almost 60 years ago, the IRS has made additions to the base code to reflect 

annual tax law changes. As a result, the base code of IMF now reflects every tax law change 

made since 1962 and includes embedded business logic that only an extremely small number 

of IRS personnel understand. Funding will be used to re-engineer the IMF core components 

of posting, settlement and analysis functions for individual taxpayer accounts by applying 

modern programming languages to the most complex areas of the Individual Master File.

Expected Benefits:

• Simplifies modernization;

• Simplifies subsequent maintenance of system; and

• Allows business logic to be maintained by a broader set of business users rather than a 

limited number of developers.

Enterprise Case Management ($45 million / 85 FTE) – Enterprise Case Management (ECM) 

will modernize, upgrade, and consolidate existing case management systems. The IRS has 

60+ legacy case management systems built on aging non-modernized platforms. These 

legacy systems have limited integration to transfer case information, resulting in taxpayer and 

IRS employee frustration as they must often work with multiple offices/systems to resolve 

Modernization 

Plan Pillar Expected Outcomes Key Performance Indicators

Pillar 2:

Core Taxpayer 

Services and 

Enforcement

 Fewer system interactions to resolve a 

business transaction for cases

 Streamlined and integrated case 

management, treatment, and execution 

across Business Units

 Additional revenue protection through 

at-filing anomaly and fraud detection

 Expand data analytics for fraud detection

 Modernize Individual Master File (IMF) 

Core components of posting, settlement, 

and analysis functions (runs 12 and 15) 

 Percentage (%) of Business 

Master File (BMF) tax 

returns screened by the 

Return Review Program 

(RRP) 

 Number of lines of legacy 

code converted to modern 

code 
IRS-71

issues. The enterprise platform will have common infrastructure, business functions and 

services that will allow for transfer of cases across business units. In FY 2020, ECM expects 

to deliver incremental capabilities and features to the ECM platform, allowing IRS business 

units to migrate their users to the new platform.

Expected Benefits:

• Providing readily available case data, including relevant historical data;

• Treating and resolving cases seamlessly and consistently across business units;

• Streamlining existing manual processes through enhanced automation;

• Storing electronic case files instead of paper;

• Utilizing a configurable, flexible and scalable COTS case management solution; and

• Simplifying the IT environment.

Return Review Program ($35 million / 50 FTE) – The Return Review Program (RRP) detects,

addresses, and prevents tax refund fraud and protects tax revenue. The RRP fraud framework 

is critical for IRS’s success in tackling ever-evolving tax schemes in a sophisticated, scalable 

and adaptable manner. Since filing season 2015, RRP has protected more than $8.9 billion in 

confirmed fraud and has a return on investment (ROI) of $18.5 to $1.

The IRS will improve and expand analytical capabilities that protect increasing levels of 

revenue from individual and business tax return fraud, enable predictive fraud and noncompliance detection, and incorporate tools that reveal patterns and relationships in masses of 

data to help identify returns that share traits indicative of schemes and other tax fraud or noncompliance. Additionally, IRS will develop fraud detection functionality and enhance 

automated verification for business returns and research and explore the fraud detection 

opportunities for foreign account withholding. 

Expected Benefits:

• At-filing anomaly and fraud detection to increase revenue protection; and

• Improved access to data from RRP for business analytics and fraud modeling.
IRS-72

Modernized IRS Operations: +$20 million / 15 FTE: 

These investments achieve the following outcomes and will measure performance using the 

key indicators in the table below. 

Robotic Process Automation (+$4 million) – Robotic Process Automation (RPA) is the 

implementation of smart software designed to perform high-volume, repeatable tasks that are 

normally labor intensive. The software would be capable of navigating across different IT 

systems, mimicking the way staff perform certain work functions. These new tools will 

record the actions an employee takes to complete a computer-based task, then will rapidly 

replicate those actions as many times as necessary, with more accuracy. This will enhance the 

speed and accuracy of business process execution and allow IRS staff to focus on other work. 

Expected Benefits:

• Labor is freed up for more complex, value-add activities;

• Self-service for employees is increased; and

• Business processes are more accurate and efficient.

Cloud Execution (+$5 million) – Cloud Execution (CX) refers to the implementation of the 

IRS cloud strategy, leveraging a defined roadmap and process to ensure an effective and 

accelerated transition to the cloud. Current time-to-market for business applications is 

lengthened by complex internal architecture, systems, procurement timelines, and capacity –

both technical and human resources. Additionally, keeping pace with hardware and software 

versions and timely application of patches can be difficult and must be prioritized as part of 

overall workload. 

Modernization 

Plan Pillar Expected Outcomes Key Performance Indicators

Pillar 3:

Modernized 

IRS Operations 

 Automate manual processes using 

artificial intelligence and other advanced 

techniques freeing up IRS staff for more 

value-added work

 Quicker software deployment through 

automating delivery and infrastructure 

provisioning

 Create standard, reusable services and 

common application programming

interface (API) code, reducing 

duplicative/ “recreate” work for IRS 

employees

 More efficient, scalable, resilient and 

secure infrastructure

 Percentage (%) of Tier 2 

software currency (formerly 

Filing Season System 

Software Currency)

 Percentage (%) of servers 

using Standard Stack 

configurations 
IRS-73

To address this challenge, the IRS is establishing cloud management, security, and 

governance and identifying potential Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS), Platform-as-a-Service 

(PaaS), and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) candidates for future migration. This move toward 

enterprise-wide cloud adoption will provide the IRS with convenient, on-demand network 

access to a shared pool of configurable computing resources (e.g., networks, servers, storage, 

applications, and services) that can be provisioned rapidly and released with minimal 

management effort or service provider interaction. 

Expected Benefits:

• Improve time-to-market;

• Increase operational efficiency and resilience;

• Enable increased innovation; and

• Enhance or maintain appropriate security posture.

NextGen Infrastructure (NGI) (+$10 million) – NGI addresses the aged infrastructure base 

(i.e., hardware, software, programming language) at the foundation of the IRS’s critical

systems. Such conditions introduce security risks, excessive system downtime, increased 

costs, and incompatibilities across systems and programs. The IRS is shifting towards more 

efficient infrastructure that can more quickly provision and utilize virtual computing, network 

and storage solutions, and continuous operations monitoring technologies (as well as Cloud 

configurations on and off premise). NGI will enable the IRS to transform its software 

delivery using agile and DevOps methodologies, new automation tools, standardization (via 

Standard Stack configurations) and innovative collaboration practices that will reduce the 

time it takes to build working software.

Expected Benefits:

• Smaller physical hardware footprint;

• Rapid provisioning of infrastructure and software;

• Limited downtime through insight into end user computing to diagnose and resolve 

issues rapidly; and

• Improved efficiencies through automated security and functionality testing earlier in 

the development life cycle.

Application Program Interface (API) (+$1 million) – API includes the creation of an 

integrated strategy for building common interfaces. Authorized third parties will have easier 

access and a streamlined data exchange with the IRS through standard, reusable services and 

common programming code. This effort also addresses security risks by changing the 

mechanisms by which systems across the IT ecosystem interact. 
IRS-74

Cybersecurity and Data Protection: +$80 million / +61 FTE 

The Cybersecurity and Data Protection modernization investment will achieve the following 

outcomes, the performance of which the IRS will measure using the key indicator in the table 

below.

The IRS defends against more than one million cyberattacks daily and has operated strong 

network perimeter defenses to mitigate threats, detect vulnerabilities, and monitor network 

security. This investment will fund: 

Vulnerability and Threat Management (+$31 million) – The effectiveness of vulnerability and 

threat management depends on the organization’s ability to keep up with current security 

threats and trends. Investment in this area allows for expanded capabilities and improved 

execution for the identification and mitigation of vulnerabilities across the disparate, 

geographically dispersed, IRS technology infrastructure.

Expected Benefits:

• Leverage machine learning and predictive analytics to detect and respond to fraud and 

internal threat;

• Enhance data collection, cleansing, and events management; and

• Reduce risk of data leaks.

Identity & Access Management (+$25 million) – The risk of unauthorized access to tax 

accounts continues to grow as the IRS focuses its efforts on delivering online tools to 

taxpayers. The IRS must control information about users on computers, including 

information that authenticates the identity of a user and information that describes information 

and actions they are authorized to access and/or perform. 

In addition, the IRS must ensure appropriate access to resources This covers issues such as 

how users gain an identity, the protection of that identity, and the technologies supporting that 

protection (e.g., network protocols, digital certificates, passwords, etc.).

Expected Benefits:

• User identity control, privileged access protection, and critical data security; and

Modernization 

Plan Pillar Expected Outcomes Key Performance Indicators

Pillar 4:

Cybersecurity and 

Data Protection 

 Implement Data at Rest Encryption 

(DARE)

 Provide DHS and Treasury with the 

ability to monitor IRS network

 Prevent insider threats

 NIST cybersecurity 

maturity at the IRS 
IRS-75

• Security compliance for building access.

Security Operations and Management (+$24 million) – The IRS engages in a collection of 

associated security activities that maintain the ongoing security posture. It consists of the 

monitoring, maintenance and management of the security aspects of the IT environment, its 

people, and its processes. 

Expected Benefits:

• In-depth real-time intrusion detection;

• Automated malware analysis of email and web-based threats;

• Improved incident analysis and forensic investigation through increased capabilities 

for capturing network activity; and

• Accelerated detection and response with prioritized cyber threat intelligence.

Architecture Integration and Management (AIM) (+31.9 million): $14 million in user 

fees (+$17.9 million multi-year funding)

AIM provides engineering management capabilities essential to delivering a program of 

BSM’s magnitude and complexity. It also delivers IRS systems strategy, architecture, and 

engineering capabilities for the major modernization projects across all technology platforms; 

IT Infrastructure, Business Applications, Data Management, and IT Security. The AIM 

program translates enterprise and project objectives into targeted, actionable investments to 

provide the framework and direction for cohesive, successful modernization. This investment 

is not considered part of the IRS Integrated Modernization Business Plan.
IRS-76

Core Infrastructure (+$19 million): $6 million in user fees (+$13 million multi-year 

funding)

Core Infrastructure provides mission-critical services for designing, engineering, testing, and 

deploying standardized, consolidated, virtual, and secure modernized development and 

production environments for use by BSM projects. This support effort scales with the 

development projects in the BSM portfolio. This investment is not considered part of the IRS 

Integrated Modernization Business Plan.

Description of FY 2018 Performance

The IRS’s modernization efforts focus on building and deploying advanced information 

technology systems, processes, and tools to improve efficiency and productivity. The 2019 

and 2020 target is 90 percent.

Percent of Major IT Investments within +/- 10 percent Cost Variance at the Investment 

Level: Thirteen of 18 major investments (72.2 percent) were within the cost variance 

threshold at the end of FY 2018 and below the 90 percent target. Shown below are the 

investments falling short of the cost variance target.

• Affordable Care Act Administration (ACA) the cost underrun is because of all ACA 

projects being closed out and moved into operations and maintenance (O&M). 

• Customer Account Data Engine 2 (CADE 2) the cost underrun is caused by the 

Release 4 Authoritative Data Source (ADS) deployment project being closed out early. 

• Web Applications cost underruns were caused by the actual spending for the 2018 

Agile Development (first half) and Program 11 activities being less than planned.

• Integrated Financial System/CORE Financial System (IFS) the cost overrun was 

due to the need for more contractor support than originally planned. 

• IRS Mainframes and Servers Services and Support (MSSS) displays a cost underrun 

due to a project mistakenly entered into Treasury’s SharePoint Investment Knowledge 

Exchange (SPIKE*) and then closed out shortly after.

Percent of Major IT Investments within +/- 10 percent Schedule Variance at the 

Investment Level: Fifteen of 18 major investments (83.3 percent) were within the schedule 

Fiscal Year

Percent within +/- 10% 

Cost Variance

Percent within +/- 10% 

Schedule Variance

2018 72.2% 83.3%

Major IT (BSM and Non-BSM) Investments*
IRS-77

variance threshold at the end of FY 2018. Shown below are the investments falling short of 

the 90 percent schedule variance target.

• ACA the schedule variance is showing ahead of schedule due to all ACA projects 

being closed out and moved into operations and maintenance (O&M). 

• CADE 2displays an ahead of schedule variance caused by the Release 4 Authoritative 

Data Source (ADS) deployment project being closed out early. 

• MSSS displays an ahead of schedule variance due to a project mistakenly entered into 

Treasury’s SharePoint Investment Knowledge Exchange (SPIKE) and then closed out 

shortly after. 
IRS-78

IRS BSM Project Activities

Business Systems Modernization 

Dollars in thousands

Funding

Category1

FY 2018 

Actuals

FY 2019

Projected 

Spend

FY 2020 

Request

FY 2020 

Projected 

Funding and 

Spend2

FY 2018 Actuals/FY 2019 Likely Enacted/ FY 2020 CJ Request 110,000 110,000 290,000 290,000

Carryover balances3 192,946 132,900 0 30,900

User Fees Subtotal 77,418 139,000 30,000 30,000

Total Funding $380,364 $381,900 $320,000 $350,900

Capital 92,128 132,053 215,907 226,939

Support 360 621 734 853

Labor 76,619 79,326 73,359 93,109

User Fees 77,418 139,000 30,000 30,000

Subtotal Projected Spending 246,525 351,000 320,000 350,900

Management Reserve 0 0 0 0

Total FTE 454 481 441 561

Pillar Total Spending $246,525 $351,000 $320,000 $350,900

Web Applications $39,953 $25,000 $25,000 $25,000

Capital 11,501 9,788 9,788 9,788

Support 215 170 170 170

Labor 14,674 15,042 15,042 15,042

U. Fees 13,562 0 0 0

FTE 92 91 91 91

Taxpayer Digital Communications - Online Notice $0 $5,000 $5,000 $5,000

Capital 0 5,000 4,300 4,300

Support 0 0 72 72

Labor 0 0 628 628

U. Fees 0 0 0 0

FTE 0 0 4 4

Live Assistance - Callback $0 $5,000 $10,000 $10,000

Capital 0 0 10,000 10,000

Support 0 0 0 0

Labor 0 0 0 0

U. Fees 0 5,000 0 0

FTE 0 0 0 0

Taxpayer Experience - Subtotal $39,953 $35,000 $40,000 $40,000

FTE 92 91 95 95

Taxpayer

Experience

Providing easy access to taxpayer information via digital channels. Funding will 

drive the IRS transition to digital government and supports the long-term vision of 

migrating services from expensive traditional channels to the internet. To keep 

pace with the ever changing state of web technology and increasing taxpayer 

demand for IRS service, the IRS must create and enhance online self-service 

capabilities for taxpayers, tax practitioners, and internal IRS stakeholders. Web 

Applications will continue to enhance the taxpayer’s experience by providing 

them the ability to enter into an installment agreement online. 

Providing digital notices through the secure messaging platform to taxpayers who 

prefer that channel over mailed correspondence, including digital chat and 

online notifications.

Providing expanded toll-free capacity to enhance Taxpayer communication and 

provide a foundation for FY 2021 full customer callback capability . Funding will 

expand toll-free capacity, building toward a robust callback solution that will 

empower taxpayers with options, when estimated wait times for their desired 

service meet the business rules for callback. 

Summary
IRS-79

IRS BSM Project Activities (continued)

Business Systems Modernization 

Dollars in thousands

Funding

Category1

FY 2018 

Actuals

FY 2019

Projected 

Spend

FY 2020 

Request

FY 2020 

Projected 

Funding and 

Spend2

Pillar Total Spending $246,525 $351,000 $320,000 $350,900

Customer Account Data Engine (CADE 2) $69,972 $85,000 $80,000 $80,000

Capital 27,772 24,730 47,730 47,730

Support 76 105 105 105

Labor 25,093 22,165 22,165 22,165

U. Fees 17,030 38,000 10,000 10,000

FTE 153 134 134 134

Enterprise Case Management $34,125 $60,000 $45,000 $45,000

Capital 19,276 34,750 30,750 30,750

Support 51 150 150 150

Labor 9,001 14,100 14,100 14,100

U. Fees 5,797 11,000 0 0

FTE 56 86 85 85

Return Review Program $53,871 $35,000 $35,000 $35,000

Capital 11,722 26,654 26,654 26,654

Support 3 77 77 77

Labor 7,622 8,269 8,269 8,269

U. Fees 34,523 0 0 0

FTE 43 50 50 50

Core Tax Administration - Subtotal $157,967 $180,000 $160,000 $160,000

FTE 252 270 270 270

IRS Operations 0 20,500 20,000 20,000

Capital 0 0 17,372 17,372

Support 0 0 32 32

Labor 0 0 2,596 2,596

U. Fees 0 20,500 0 0

FTE 0 0 15 15

IRS Operations - Subtotal $0 $20,500 $20,000 $20,000

FTE 0 0 15 15

Cybersecurity $0 $64,500 $80,000 $80,000

Capital 0 0 69,313 69,313

Support 0 0 128 128

Labor 0 0 10,559 10,559

U. Fees 0 64,500 0 0

FTE 0 0 61 61

Cybersecurity - Subtotal 0 64,500 80,000 80,000

FTE 0 0 61 61

Enterprise Case Selection4 $873 0 0 0

Other Adjustments5 -14 0 0 0

Subtotal IRS Technology Modernization Plan $197,920 $300,000 $300,000 $300,000

FTE 345 362 441 441

Architecture, Integration, and Management $31,184 $32,000 $14,000 $31,900

Capital 18,877 24,702 0 10,603

Support 15 47 0 47

Labor 6,947 7,251 0 7,251

U. Fees 5,346 0 14,000 14,000

FTE 41 44 0 44

Core Infrastructure $17,425 $19,000 $6,000 $19,000

Capital 2,979 6,429 0 429

Support 0 72 0 72

Labor 13,286 12,499 0 12,499

U. Fees 1,160 0 6,000 6,000

FTE 69 76 0 76

Subtotal AIM and Core Infrastructure $48,609 $51,000 $20,000 $50,900

FTE 110 120 0 120

3

 Includes Recoveries that were re-obligated in FY 2018.

4, 5 Enterprise Case Selection, Modernize eFile, and Event Driven Architecture had adjustments appearing in FY 2018.

Provide shared infrastructure that leverages reusable engineering design patterns 

and best practices for standardized, virtual, and secure environments. These 

environments allow multiple BSM projects to develop, test, deploy, operate, and 

monitor in a common approach. 

1

 Capital Investment funding: capital and contractor labor costs. Support funding: training, travel, supplies costs. Labor funding: IRS employee pay and 

benefits costs. FTE: FY 2020 Initiative FTEs are costed at 1/2 year hiring, which equates to 0.5 FTEs per position.

2

 FY 2020 level excludes $3.168M in non-BSM Corporate Costs and also $0.115M of BSM which is aligned to the Stewardship Financial Plan (non-IT).

Cybersecurity 

and Data 

Protection

Enhancing the IRS Cybersecurity posture. The IRS defends more than one million 

cyberattacks daily and has historically operated strong network perimeter 

defenses to mitigate threats, detect vulnerabilities, and monitor network security. 

In FY 2020, IRS will focus on: Vulnerability and Threat Management, Identity and 

Access Management, and Security Operations and Management.

Provide system engineering management capabilities, including systems strategy, 

architecture, and engineering capabilities, across IT Infrastructure, Business 

Applications, Data Management, and IT Security. Provide portfolio control and 

management processes and tools, including governance, enterprise lifecycle 

support, tiered program management, and configuration/change management.

Core Taxpayer Services and Enforcement

Ensuring Taxpayer data is secure. CADE2 will continue work on completion of Java 

code conversion to modernize Individual Master File core components.

Providing a modernized case management platform. Working cases more 

efficiently to lessen taxpayer burden and increase employee productivity. 

Continuously deliver incremental capabilities and features to the ECM platform 

allowing Business Operating Divisions (BODs) to migrate users to the new 

platform.

Providing leading-edge technologies to advance the IRS effectiveness in detecting, 

addressing, and preventing tax refund fraud. RRP continues to evolve and enhance 

its system capabilities, and in FY 2020 will develop fraud detection functionality 

and enhance automated verification for business returns and expand the fraud 

detection functionality for foreign account withholding. 

 Modernized IRS

Operations

Providing tactical improvements to streamline IRS operations. The requirement for 

IT to provide better, more accurate service with fewer resources is ultimately the 

need that will drive IT operational efficiency to perform at its best. Toward this 

goal, IRS plans to pursue multiyear investments that would allow for a more agile 

and efficient operation. In FY 2020, the modernizing IRS Operations effort will 

continue to automate certain processes, define Application Programming 

Interface strategy, deliver a cloud-based ECM release, and continue to integrate 

DevOps into business processes.
IRS-80

FY 2020 Changes by Budget Activity

2.1.9 – Budget and Performance Report and Plan

Dollars in thousands

Business Systems Modernization FTE Amount

FY 2019 Annualized CR Level 361 $110,000

Changes to Base:

Subtotal FY 2020 Changes to Base 

FY 2020 Current Services 361 $110,000

Program Changes:

Program Increases 80 $180,000

IRS Technology Modernization Plan 80 180,000

Subtotal FY 2020 Program Increases 80 $180,000

Total FY 2020 Request 441 $290,000

See footnotes in 1.1 -- Appropriations Detail Table

Business Systems Modernization FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020

Resource Level Actual Actual Actual Actual Enacted Annualized CR Request

Appropriated Resources1 $145,235 $107,746 $190,945 $166,263 $110,000 $110,000 $290,000

Reimbursable Resources2

User Fees 25,464 77,418 139,010 30,000

Budget Activity Total $145,235 $107,746 $190,945 $191,727 $187,418 $249,010 $320,000

1

The FY 2014 - FY 2018 appropriated resources represents the approved operating plan including any inter-BAC transfers and inter-appropriation transfers.

2

The FY 2014 - FY 2018 columns represent realized resources for reimbursable resources and user fees.

Business Systems Modernization FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2020

Measures Actual Actual Actual Actual Actual Target Target Target

66.7% 73.7% 76.2% 50.0% 72.2% 90.0% 90.0% 90.0%

100.0% 89.5% 85.7% 88.9% 83.3% 90.0% 90.0% 90.0%

Key: E - Efficiency Measure

Dollars in thousands

1

 Starting in FY 2015, the measure includes all major investments (BSM and non-BSM).

Percent of Major IT Investments within +/- 10% Schedule Variance at 

the Investment Level (E)1

Percent of Major IT Investments within +/- 10% Cost Variance at the 

Investment Level (E)1
IRS-81

Section III – Supplemental Information

3.1 – Summary of Capital Investments

A summary of capital investment resources, including major information technology and 

nontechnology investments, can be viewed/downloaded at:

http://www.treasury.gov/about/budget-performance/pages/summary-of-capitalinvestments.aspx.

This website also contains a digital copy of this document.

3A – Capital Investment Strategy

The IRS Information Technology (IT) organization is a key enabler of efficient and effective tax 

administration. IT provides critical support as the IRS faces an increasingly complex tax 

administration environment. IT works to address evolving taxpayer expectations, pressure to 

achieve program and cost efficiencies, frequent tax law changes, growing challenges in 

combating refund fraud and identity theft, and workforce shortages. Specific challenges, such 

as aging infrastructure, insertion of emerging technologies, and expanding cybersecurity threats, 

further complicate the IT operating environment.

To ensure that the organization’s technology is aligned with the IRS Strategic Plan 2018-2022, 

the enterprise needs to leverage modern technologies and adopt IT best practices. Guided by 

the Strategic Plan, the IT Vision 2.0, the Digital IRS Blueprint and Technology Roadmap, the 

IRS Integrated Modernization Business Plan articulates a vision to strengthen and modernize 

the IRS IT environment. The Capital Investment Strategy outlines the technology initiatives 

and IT investments undertaken to achieve that vision. 

IRS Strategic Plan FY 2018-2022 

The IRS Strategic Plan FY 2018–2022 sets the strategic direction and priorities for achieving 

the organization’s mission. The plan establishes a strategic foundation with six broad goals and 

twenty-one strategic objectives. Figure 1 illustrates the relationships among the six Strategic 

Plan goals, which include:

• Empower and enable all taxpayers to meet 

their tax obligations.

• Protect the integrity of the tax system by 

encouraging compliance through 

administering and enforcing the tax code.

• Collaborate with external partners 

proactively to improve tax administration.

• Cultivate a well-equipped, diverse, flexible 

and engaged workforce.

Figure 1 IRS Strategic Plan 2018-2022
IRS-82

• Advance data access, usability and analytics to inform decision making and improve 

operational outcomes.

• Drive increased agility, efficiency, effectiveness and security in IRS operations.

The IRS Strategic Plan defines the business strategic direction for the enterprise and is 

subsequently utilized to inform the IT strategic direction.

IRS Integrated Modernization Business Plan

The IRS’s Integrated Modernization Business Plan supports the IRS’s mission to help 

America’s taxpayers understand and meet their tax responsibilities, while enforcing tax laws to 

ensure integrity and fairness for all. The Plan establishes a multi-year modernization approach 

to provide effective, reliable, IT solutions for taxpayers to fulfill their tax obligations
IRS-83

3.2 – Return on Investment (ROI) for IRS Major Enforcement Programs

The actual cost and actual revenue collected for FY 2012 through FY 2018 for the three major 

enforcement programs, Examination, Collection, and Automated Underreporter (AUR) are 

provided below. The activities included in these programs include:

Examination Program conducts examinations of tax returns of individual taxpayers, 

businesses, and other types of organizations to verify that the tax reported is correct. This 

includes examinations of individuals, small businesses, self-employed, large corporate 

businesses, partnerships, international, estate and gift, excise tax and employment tax-exempt

organizations, qualified pension benefit plans, and government entities. The examination costs 

include the cost of the Field Exam, Correspondence Exam, IRS Chief Counsel, and Appeals 

functions.

Collection Program collects delinquent taxes and secures delinquent tax returns through the 

appropriate use of enforcement tools, such as lien, levy, seizure of assets, installment 

agreement, offer in compromise, substitute for return, summons, and IRC section 6020(b) 

(which allows the IRS to prepare returns if a taxpayer neglects or refuses to file), and provides 

education to taxpayers to enable future compliance. The cost of the Collection program 

includes Automated Collection System (ACS), Field Collection, and Payment 

Compliance/Correspondence Collection.

Automated Underreporter (AUR) Program matches payer information returns (Forms 1099, 

W-2, etc.) against data reported to the IRS on individual tax returns. The information is verified 

to identify any discrepancies. If a discrepancy is found, the case is given to a tax examiner for 

research and analysis. If the tax examiner is unable to resolve the discrepancy, the IRS issues a 

proposed notice and generates a proposed assessment. 

ROI is calculated by dividing revenue by cost. This information provides an indication of the 

ROI for the three major enforcement programs over time but note that enforcement revenue 

collected in a fiscal year includes tax, interest, and penalties from multiple tax years. Some 

enforcement activities take more than a year to close and may generate revenue over several 

years

In addition, these data reflect the average return on investment for these programs and do not 

include the indirect effects of IRS enforcement activities on voluntary compliance. Net revenue 

is maximized only when resources are allocated according to marginal direct and indirect 

return on investment, but those ratios are much more challenging to estimate than the average 

ROI shown here. As a result, the IRS will continue to allocate enforcement resources across a 

range of enforcement activities to ensure taxpayers pay the taxes they owe. 
IRS-84

Return on Investment for IRS Major Enforcement Programs

Dollars in Millions

Enforcement Program Cost1 Revenue ROI Cost1 Revenue ROI Cost1 Revenue ROI Cost1 Revenue ROI Cost1 Revenue ROI

IRS Total $5,839 $57,146 9.8 $5,644 $54,203 9.6 $5,592 $54,291 9.7 $5,506 $53,214 9.7 $5,559 $59,366 10.7

Examination 3,965 18,983 4.8 3,974 13,320 3.4 3,782 12,023 3.2 3,695 14,510 3.9 3,716 15,017 4.0

Collection 1,618 33,198 20.5 1,419 35,740 25.2 1,576 37,259 23.6 1,598 33,701 21.1 1,635 38,985 23.8

Automated Underreporter (AUR) 256 4,965 19.4 251 5,143 20.5 234 5,009 21.4 214 5,003 23.4 208 5,364 25.8

FY 2018

1

The cost of the enforcement programs was calculated using budget data from the IRS Integrated Financial System (IFS) and includes direct dollars and FTE from the Enforcement appropriation, Exam and Collections 

budget activity, and dollars from the Operations Support appropriation prorated using actual FTE realized for each major enforcement program.

FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2017
IRS-85

3.3 – IRS Performance Measures Table

Performance Measures FY2014 

Actual

FY2015 

Actual

FY2016 

Actual 

FY2017

Actual

FY2018 

Actual 

FY2018 

Target 

FY2019 

Target

FY2020 

Target

Customer Service Representative Level of Service 

(LOS)1 64.4% 38.1% 53.4% 77.1% 75.9% 75.0% 63.0% 68.0%

Customer Contacts Resolved per Staff Year2 21,018 26,245 28,497 25,535 31,409 Indicator DISC

Customer Accuracy - Tax Law (Phones) 95.0% 95.0% 96.4% 96.7% 95.5% 95.0% 92.0% 92.0%

Customer Accuracy - Accounts (Phones) 96.2% 95.5% 96.1% 96.0% 96.1% 95.0% 94.0% 94.0%

Timeliness of Critical Filing Season Tax Products to 

the Public4 99.1% 89.0% 92.5% 93.1% 59.6% 89.0% 85.0% 89.0%

Timeliness of Critical TE/GE & Business Tax Products 

to the Public4 98.7% 92.6% 98.0% 96.7% 100.0% 91.0% 85.0% 89.0%

Percent Individual Returns Processed Electronically2 84.1% 85.3% 86.4% 86.9% 87.2% 88.0% DISC

Percent of Business Returns Processed 

Electronically 43.1% 47.0% 50.0% 52.9% 55.6% 54.0% 58.0% 60.0%

Refund Timeliness - Individual (Paper)2 98.7% 98.8% 98.7% 98.4% 98.2% 97.0% DISC

Enterprise Self-Assistance Participation Rate3 84.7% 88.7% 89.0% 79.0% 82.0% Indicator

Taxpayers Satisfied with the IRS (based on 100 point 

scale)5, * 73 73 74 74 74 Indicator

Examination Coverage - Individual 0.9% 0.8% 0.7% 0.6% 0.6% 0.6% 0.5% 0.5%

Field Exam Nat'l Quality Review Score2 88.4% 86.7% 86.8% 85.0% 89.1% 84.4% DISC

Office Exam Nat'l Quality Review Score2 90.6% 88.3% 88.4% 87.9% 87.2% 86.7% DISC

Examination Quality - Large Business2 83.0% 86.0% 83.0% 78.0% 76.0% 90.0% DISC

Examination Coverage - Business (Assets > $10 

million) 4.3% 3.9% 3.0% 2.5% 2.2% 2.4% 2.2% 1.5%

Examination Efficiency - Individual 138 148 143 121 131 134 122 122

Automated Underreporter Efficiency2 1,935 2,209 2,196 2,188 2,205 2,133 DISC

Automated Underreporter Coverage 2.6% 2.3% 2.3% 2.2% 2.0% 1.9% 1.6% 1.7%

Time to Start Compliance Resolution5 N/A Indicator

Time to Resolve Compliance Issue After Filing5 N/A Indicator

Repeat Non-Compliance Rate5 N/A Indicator

Collection Coverage (Units) 45.9% 46.3% 43.4% 42.2% 41.6% 38.6% 40.1% 38.3%

Collection Efficiency (Units)2 2,051 2,448 2,266 2,135 2,216 2,101 DISC

Cost to Collect $100 (in cents)5 0.38 0.35 0.35 0.34 TBD Indicator

Field Collection Nat'l Quality Review Score2 81.6% 79.2% 79.2% 76.7% 79.2% 78.0% DISC

Automated Collection System Accuracy2 95.2% 95.3% 95.4% 94.7% 94.0% 95.0% DISC

Criminal Investigations Completed 4,606 4,486 3,721 3,089 3,051 3,000 2,800 2,700

Number of Convictions2 3,110 2,879 2,672 2,300 1,879 1,900 DISC

Conviction Rate 93.4% 93.2% 92.1% 91.5% 91.7% 92.0% 92.0% 92.0%

TE/GE Determination Case Closures2 136,746 111,940 99,973 102,749 98,249 94,103 DISC

Rentable Square Feet per Person (new for FY 2017) 297 301 Indicator

Percent of Aged Hardware6 56.5% 52.2% 52.3% 45.5% 53.1% 43.8% 39.0%

Percent of Major IT Investments within +/- 10% Cost 

Variance at the Investment Level7 66.7% 73.7% 76.2% 50.0% 72.2% 90.0% 90.0% 90.0%

Percent of Major IT Investments within +/- 10% 

Schedule Variance at the Investment Level7 100.0% 89.5% 85.7% 88.9% 83.3% 90.0% 90.0% 90.0%
IRS-86

3.3 – IRS Performance Measures Table (Continued)

1 The FY 2019 level of service target was calculated at the FY 2019 Enacted level.

2 Discontinued (DISC) for FY 2019

3 Starting in FY 2017, the IRS modified the Taxpayer Self Assistance Rate measure (renamed to 

Enterprise Self Assistance Participation Rate) to include additional self-service channels 

including Get Transcript and payment applications such as Direct Pay and Online Payment 

Agreements. As new self-assistance applications are provided to the public, they will be added 

to the methodology.

4 Modified for FY 2019

5 New measure added for FY 2019

6 This is a new budget level metric; the measure definition changed in FY 2018; removing 

certain asset categories (fax machines, low-end printers and scanners) that are no longer being 

actively refreshed from the calculation to more accurately define the inventory that’s reflective 

of risk to the IT environment.

7 Starting in FY 2015, the measure includes all major investments (BSM and non-BSM).

* Based on the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) survey; the All Individual Tax 

Filer score is calculated from separate ACSI Individual Paper Filer and Electronic Filer 

customer satisfaction index scores; available on an annual basis at the end of January and 

computed on a 100-point scale.
IRS-87

3.3 – IRS Performance Measures Table (Continued)

Customer Service Representative (CSR) 

Level of Service

The number of toll free callers that either speak to a Customer Service Representative or receive informational 

messages divided by the total number of attempted calls.

Customer Contacts Resolved per Staff Year The number of Customer Contacts resolved in relation to staff years expended. 

Customer Accuracy – Tax Law Phones The percentage of correct answers given by a live assistor on Toll-free tax law inquiries.

Customer Accuracy – Customer Accounts 

(Phones) The percentage of correct answers given by a live assistor on Toll-free account inquiries.

Timeliness of Critical Individual Filing Season 

Tax Products to the Public

The percentage of critical individual filing season tax products (tax forms, schedules, instructions, and 

publications required by many filers to prepare a complete and accurate tax return) available to the public in a 

timely fashion.

Timeliness of Critical TE/GE & Business Tax 

Products to the Public

Percentage of critical business tax products (tax forms, schedules, instructions, and publications used by a large 

number of TE/GE and Business filers to prepare a complete and accurate return or form) available to the public 

in a timely fashion. 

Percent Individual Returns Processed 

Electronically The percentage of electronically filed individual tax returns divided by the total individual returns filed.

Percent Business Returns Processed 

Electronically The percentage of electronically filed business tax returns divided by the total business returns filed.

Refund Timeliness – Individual (Paper) The percentage of refunds resulting from processing individual master file paper returns issued within 40 days or 

less. 

Enterprise Self Assistance Participation Rate The percentage of taxpayer assistance requests resolved using self-assisted automated services.

Taxpayers Satisfied with the IRS

The percentage of taxpayers satisfied with the IRS according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index 

(ACSI) survey. The All Individual Tax Filer score is calculated from separate ACSI Individual Paper Filer and 

Electronic Filer Customer Satisfaction Index Scores. Based on a 100 point scale.

Examination Coverage – Individual (1040)

The sum of all individual 1040 returns closed by Small Business/Self Employed (SB/SE), Wage & Investment 

(W&I), Tax Exempt and Government Entities (TE/GE), and Large Business and International (LB&I) (Field Exam 

and Correspondence Exam programs) divided by the total individual return filings for the prior calendar year.

Field Exam Nat'l Quality Review Score The score awarded to a reviewed field examination case by a Quality Reviewer using the National Quality 

Review System (NQRS) quality attributes.

Office Exam Nat'l Quality Review Score The score awarded to a reviewed office examination case by a Quality Reviewer using the NQRS quality 

attributes.

Examination Quality – Large Business The average of the scores of the Large Business Return cases reviewed by LB&I Quality Review & Analysis. 

Case scores are based on the percentage of elements passed within each of the three auditing standards..

Examination Coverage – Business Assets 

>$10 Million)

The number of LB&I returns (C and S Corporations with assets over $10 million and all partnerships) examined 

and closed by LB&I during the current fiscal year divided by the number of filings for the preceding calendar 

year.

Examination Efficiency – Individual (1040)

The sum of all individual 1040 returns closed by SB/SE, W&I, TE/GE, and LB&I (Field Exam and 

Correspondence Exam programs) divided by the total Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) expended in relation to those 

individual returns.

Automated Underreporter (AUR) Efficiency The total number of W&I and SB/SE contact closures (a closure resulting from a case where we made contact) 

divided by the total FTE, including overtime.

Automated Underreporter (AUR) Coverage A percentage representing the total number of W&I and SB/SE contact closures (a closure resulting from a case 

where SBSE and W&I made contact) divided by the total return filings for the prior year.

Time to Start Compliance Resolution The percentage of all individual income tax enforcement cases started within six months of the return posting 

date.

Time to Resolve Compliance Issue After Filing The average time it takes to close all individual income tax enforcement cases in days. This is an annual 

measure based on all cases closed in a fiscal year.

Repeat Non-Compliance Rate The percentage of individual taxpayers in a fiscal year with additional non-compliance two years after the initial 

tax year that contains a filing, payment, or reporting compliance issue, compared to total taxpayers 

Collection Coverage – Units The volume of collection work disposed compared to the volume of collection work available.

Collection Efficiency – Units The volume of collection work disposed divided by total collection FTE.

Cost to Collect $100(in cents) The cost of collecting $100 is computed as total operating costs divided by gross collection divided by 100. 

Field Collection Nat'l Quality Review Score The score awarded to a reviewed collection cases by a Quality Reviewer using the NQRS quality attributes.

Automated Collection System (ACS) 

Accuracy The percent of taxpayers who receive the correct answer to their ACS question.

Criminal Investigations Completed

The total number of subject criminal investigations completed during the fiscal year, including those that resulted 

in prosecution recommendations to the Department of Justice as well as those discontinued due to a lack of 

prosecution potential. 

Number of Convictions The number of criminal convictions.

Conviction Rate The percent of adjudicated criminal cases that result in convictions.

TE/GE Determination Case Closures The number of cases closed in the Employee Plans or Exempt Organizations Determination programs, 

regardless of type of case or type of closing.

Rentable Square Feet per Person The amount of Rentable Square Feet the IRS maintains per Personnel requiring space. IRS will use this as an 

indicator for FY 2018.

Percent of Aged Hardware This measure shows the quantity of IT hardware in operation past its useful life as a percentage of total hardware 

in use. 

Percent of Major IT Investments within +/- 10% 

Cost Variance at the Investment Level 

Number of major IT investments within +/-10 percent variance between planned total cost and projected/actual 

cost within a fiscal year divided by the total number of major IT investments in that fiscal year.

Percent of Major IT Investments within +/- 10% 

Schedule Variance at the Investment Level 

Number of major IT investments within +/-10 percent variance between planned days and projected/actual days 

within a fiscal year divided by the total number of major IT investments in that fiscal year.

Budget Level Performance Measure Descriptions
IRS-88

3.4 – Summary of FY 2018 Savings Realized

The IRS FY 2018 Current Services level of $11.434 resulted in a shortfall of $3.1 million versus 

the FY 2018 Enacted budget of $11.431 billion.

Increase e-File Savings

FY 2020 Projected Savings: (-$6,183,000 / -116 FTE) 

FY 2018 Actual Savings Realized: (-$2,169,600 / -48 FTE) 

The IRS realized savings of 48 FTE and $2.17 million in FY 2018 as a result of increases in 

electronically filed returns. The number of paper returns received by the IRS decreased by 

1 million from FY 2016 to FY 2017 while the number of electronically filed returns increased 

by 3.4 million over the same period.

Rent

FY 2020 Projected Annualized Savings: (-$24,700,000)

FY 2018 Annualized Savings: (-$10,500,000)

Rent is one of the IRS's largest operating expenses. The IRS will complete 28 projects in 

FY 2020 to release more than 567,986 rentable square feet of space from inventory.

.

Dollars in Millions

Internal Revenue Service

FY 2017 Enacted $11,235.0

Changes to Base:

 Maintaining Current Levels (MCLs) $50.6

FY 2018 Current Services $11,433.7

FY 2018 Enacted $11,430.6

Current Services Shortfall -$3.1
IRS-89

Section IV – Appendix

4.1 – Appropriations Detail Table with Program Integrity Cap Adjustment

Program Integrity Cap Adjustment

In addition to the base appropriations request of $11.472 billion, the FY 2020 Budget proposes 

a $362 million cap adjustment to fund new and continuing investments in expanding and 

improving the effectiveness and efficiency of the IRS’s overall tax enforcement program. The 

proposed FY 2020 enforcement investments will yield additional revenue. The Budget also 

proposes additional cap adjustments for new investments each year through FY 2024 that are 

sustained with additional adjustments through FY 2029 to account for economic factors, such as 

inflation. The investments will generate about $47.1 billion in additional revenue over 10 years 

and will cost about $14.5 billion for an estimated savings of $32.6 billion. Notably, the return 

on investment (ROI) likely is understated because it includes only amounts directly recovered; 

it does not reflect the effect that enhanced enforcement has on deterring noncompliance. 

Dollars in thousands

Internal Revenue Service

Appropriated Resources

FTE AMOUNT FTE AMOUNT FTE AMOUNT FTE AMOUNT FTE AMOUNT

New Appropriated Resources:

Taxpayer Services 27,871 $2,512,554 28,834 $2,571,554 26,639 $2,402,000 (2,195) ($169,554) -7.61% -6.59%

Pre-Filing Taxpayer Assistance and 

Education 4,636 640,379 4,603 634,019 4,606 634,762 3 743 0.07% 0.12%

Filing and Account Services 23,235 1,872,175 24,231 1,937,535 22,033 1,767,238 (2,198) (170,297) -9.07% -8.79%

Enforcement 34,789 $4,627,000 34,049 $4,672,000 35,757 $4,905,254 1,708 $233,254 5.02% 4.99%

Investigations 2,950 581,680 2,894 597,658 3,051 642,973 157 45,315 5.43% 7.58%

Exam and Collections 30,876 3,875,098 30,083 3,894,129 31,661 4,090,585 1,578 196,456 5.25% 5.04%

Regulatory 963 170,222 1,072 180,213 1,045 171,696 (27) (8,517) -2.52% -4.73%

Operations Support 10,389 $4,181,000 10,340 $3,834,000 10,868 $4,236,706 528 $402,706 5.11% 10.50%

Infrastructure 870,360 858,932 879,715 20,783 2.42%

Shared Services and Support 4,315 920,283 4,269 942,568 4,415 986,161 146 43,593 3.42% 4.62%

Information Services 6,074 2,390,357 6,071 2,032,500 6,453 2,370,830 382 338,330 6.29% 16.65%

Business Systems Modernization 219 $110,000 361 $110,000 441 $290,000 80 $180,000 22.16% 163.64%

Subtotal New Appropriated Resources 73,268 $11,430,554 73,584 $11,187,554 73,705 $11,833,960 121 $646,406 0.16% 5.78%

Other Resources:

Reimbursables 795 171,140 521 116,551 521 122,379 5,828 5.00%

Offsetting Collections - Non 

Reimbursables 26,069 37,719 39,605 1,886 5.00%

User Fees 14 283,267 60 563,053 71 460,900 11 (102,153) 18.33% -18.14%

Recovery from Prior Years 13,233 17,994 18,905 911 5.06%

Unobligated Balances from Prior Years 236 360,031 289 357,637 100 153,567 (189) (204,070) -65.40% -57.06%

Transfers In/Out (4,188)

Resources from Other Accounts

Subtotal Other Resources 1,045 $849,552 870 $1,092,954 692 $795,356 (178) ($297,598) -20.46% -27.23%

Total Budgetary Resources 74,313 $12,280,106 74,454 $12,280,508 74,397 $12,629,316 (57) $348,808 -0.08% 2.84%

1

FY 2018 Enacted includes $320 million in Section 115 Administrativ e Prov ision funding in the follow ing amounts: $18 million in Tax pay er Serv ices, $10 million in Enforcement, and $291 

million in Operations Support. FY 2018 Enacted also includes the actual inter-appropriation transfer of $256 million to Operations Support ($13 million from Tax pay er Serv ices and $243 

million from Enforcement), and inter-BAC transfer in accordance w ith Section 608 of the public law . FY 2018 full-time equiv alent (FTE) are actuals and reconcile to the final FY 2018 

President's Appendix . Other Resources are actuals.

2

FY 2019 Annualized Continuing Resolution (CR) includes a $200 million interappropriation transfer from Enforcement to Operations Support to cov er anticipated operations and 

maintenance requirements in FY 2019. FY 2019 Annualized CR also includes $77 million for the Section 112 Administrativ e Prov ision to implement requirements under the Tax Cuts and 

Jobs Act (Public Law 115-97). $320 million is automatically av ailable in a full y ear continuing resolution scenario under IRS Administrativ e Prov ision Section 113. Of this amount, $243 

million is ex cluded for illustrativ e purposes consistent w ith the requirements identified for implementing the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and the FY 2019 Section 112 / Tax Reform Spending 

Plan transmitted to Congress on February 28, 2019. Additional information and a full accounting of these funds can be found in the FY 2020 President’s Budget Appendix .

% Change

FY 2018

Enacted 1

FY 2019

Annualized CR 2 

FY 2020

Request

FY 2019 to FY 2020 

Request

FY 2019 to FY 2020 

Request

Change
IRS-90

Return on Investment (ROI) for FY 2020 Enforcement Investments

Enforcement efforts generate and protect revenue and they also encourage voluntary compliance 

for taxpayers who would otherwise seek to avoid meeting their tax obligations under the law. 

The IRS calculates a return on investment for both revenue generating and revenue protecting 

investments. Revenue generated is from compliance efforts that yield direct, measurable results 

through enforcement activities such as examination and collection returns. Protected revenue is 

revenue the IRS protects from being refunded erroneously. It is associated with activities that 

occur before issuing a taxpayer’s refund, including the identification of fraud and questionable 

returns. 

FY 2020 Revenue Generating Investments

The FY 2020 Budget includes $311.3 million in investments for traditional enforcement and 

strategic revenue programs, which are projected to generate more than $2 billion in revenue 

once the investments reach full potential in FY 2022 with an expected total ROI of $5.7 to $1. 

This request includes $118.6 million to support strategic revenue producing investments, 

including improving strengthening the Return Review Program and fighting cybercrimes, 

among other initiatives. While these investments do not have an immediately measurable ROI, 

they have clear long-term positive revenue effects.

FY 2020 Revenue Protecting Investments

The benefits of IRS activities that prevent erroneous refunds are not captured in IRS’s ROI 

calculations above. However, the IRS estimates that investment in these activities should 

protect $675 million in revenue that otherwise would need to be recovered from downstream 

enforcement actions for an estimated ROI of $8.9 to $1 by FY 2022. These investments also 

support IRS’s Agency Priority Goal on Fraud Prevention, which is part of the Treasury 

Strategic Plan 2018-2022 to reduce the amount of unprotected identity theft tax refunds paid by 

two percent by December 21, 2019.

Return on Investment (ROI) for IRS FY 2020 Enforcement Initiatives 

Dollars in Millions

Cost Revenue ROI Cost Revenue ROI Cost Revenue ROI

FY 2020 Revenue Producing Enforcement Initiatives $311.3 $381.9 1.2 $405.4 $1,684.2 4.2 $397.4 $2,249.4 5.7

Before Cap Adjustment Enforcement Initiatives $4.0 $0.0 0.0 $4.0 $0.0 0.0 $4.0 $0.0 0.0

Increase Audit Coverage 2.5 0.0 0.0 2.5 0.0 0.0 2.5 0.0 0.0

Increase Collection Coverage 1.5 0.0 0.0 1.5 0.0 0.0 1.5 0.0 0.0

Cap Adjustment Enforcement Initiatives $311.3 $381.9 1.2 $405.4 $1,684.2 4.2 $397.4 $2,249.4 5.7

Immediate and Directly Measurable Revenue-Producing Initiatives $192.7 $381.9 2.0 $285.8 $1,684.2 5.9 $279.2 $2,249.4 8.1

Increase Audit Coverage 121.1 251.8 2.1 181.3 911.7 5.0 176.3 1,270.6 7.2

Increase Collection Coverage 71.6 130.1 1.8 104.5 772.5 7.4 102.9 978.8 9.5

Strategic Revenue-Producing Initiatives (which do not have immediately measurable ROI, but clear 

long-term revenue effects)

$118.6 $0.0 0.0 $119.6 $0.0 0.0 $118.2 $0.0 0.0

Return Review Program 52.5 0.0 0.0 52.0 0.0 0.0 52.0 0.0 0.0

Fight Cybercrimes and Counterterrorism 40.2 0.0 0.0 41.7 0.0 0.0 40.3 0.0 0.0

IT Support for Enforcement Efforts 25.9 0.0 0.0 25.9 0.0 0.0 25.9 0.0 0.0

First Year (FY 2020) Second Year (FY 2021) Full Performance (FY 2022)
IRS-91

FY 2020 Revenue Protecting Enforcement Initiatives

Dollars in Millions

Cost Revenue ROI Cost Revenue ROI Cost Revenue ROI

Revenue Protecting Initiatives (which protect taxpayer information, prevents identity theft, and results 

in long-term revenue protection)

$50.3 $56.0 1.1 $78.4 $405.0 5.2 $75.9 $675.0 8.9

Cap Adjustment Revenue Protecting Initiative $50.3 $56.0 1.1 $78.4 $405.0 5.2 $75.9 $675.0 8.9

Increase Audit Coverage (revenue-protecting portion) 14.0 56.0 4.0 20.2 405.0 20.0 20.1 675.0 33.6

Expand Coverage in the Tax-Exempt Sector 36.3 0.0 0.0 58.2 0.0 0.0 55.8 0.0 0.0

First Year (FY 2020) Second Year (FY 2021) Full Performance (FY 2022)
IRS-92

Cap Adjustment Program Increases...............................+$361,571,000 / +1,760 FTE

Increase Audit Coverage +$135,097,000 / +943 FTE

The IRS is requesting additional 

examination employees to reverse the 

decline in staffing. The individual 

audit coverage rate has shrunk from 

1.1 percent in FY 2010 to a target of 

0.5 percent in FY 2019, which 

increases the risk to the nation’s 

voluntary tax compliance system. 

Examination program resources will 

cover a broad range of compliance 

priorities, including earlier case 

assignment and resolution. The 

investment is projected to produce 

more than $1.3 billion in additional 

revenue annually and an ROI estimated 

at $7.2 to $1, once the new hires reach 

full potential in FY 2022. These 

resources will help to:

• Close more than 162,000 

correspondence examination 

cases and 38,000 individual 

field examination cases;

• Improve the individual audit coverage rate, and expand examination coverage on cases 

involving employment taxes, estate and gift taxes, and Bank Secrecy Act reporting; and

• Expand the Automated Underreported (AUR) program to process more than 

470,000 additional cases and other document matching programs that will process an 

additional 133,000 cases (document matching of individuals decreased 36 percent from 

FY 2011 to FY 2018).

Position Type/Other Costs FTE Positions $000

Examination Coverage 290.50 581 $52,973

Revenue Agent 196.00 392 38,818

Tax Technician 78.00 156 12,753

Manager/Support Staff 16.50 33 1,402

Specialty Programs 44.00 88 $9,344

Revenue Agent 34.50 69 8,091

Tax Technician 1.00 2 119

Tax Examiner 2.50 5 258

Attorney 3.50 7 590

Support Staff 2.50 5 286

Correspondence Examination 230.00 460 $22,611

Tax Technician 1.50 3 210

Tax Examiner 195.50 391 19,090

Manager/Support Staff 33.00 66 3,311

Document Matching 161.00 322 $17,262

Tax Technician 2.50 5 314

Tax Examiner 141.00 282 14,969

Support Staff 17.50 35 1,979

Other Direct Costs 218.00 350 $32,907

Revenue Agent 25.00 50 4,018

Tax Examiner 18.00 36 2,021

Appeals Officer 40.00 80 6,828

Attorney 29.50 59 5,715

Paralegal 4.00 8 486

TAS Specialist 96

Contact Representative 372

Seasonal 274

Manager/Program Analyst/Support Staff 101.50 117 13,097

Total 943.50 1,801 $135,097

$121.1

$251.8 $181.3 $176.3

$911.7

$1,270.6

$0

$200

$400

$600

$800

$1,000

$1,200

$1,400

FY 2020 FY 2021 FY 2022

in millions

Revenue Generating ROI 

Cost Enforcement Revenue

$2.1 to $1

$7.2 to $1

$5.0 to $1

$14.0

$20.2 $20.1

$0.0

$332.3

$531.5

$0

$100

$200

$300

$400

$500

$600

FY 2020 FY 2021 FY 2022

in millions

Revenue Protecting ROI 

Cost Enforcement Revenue

$26.4 to $1

$16.5 to $1
IRS-93

Other Direct Costs 

IRS Activity Cost FTE Positions Explanation

Appeals $12,867 83.00 166

Support examination efforts on key compliance areas 

focused on improving voluntary compliance and providing a 

high level of customer service.

Chief Counsel $6,946 41.50 83

Provide support for increases in requests for legal advice, 

litigation assistance, and published guidance on issues 

raised in audits.

Human Capital 

Office $11,353 88.00 90

LR support to handle the increase in front-line positions and 

the expectation that new managerial positions will be 

created. LR support begins in the first year and continues 

throughout a manager's career, as needed. One LR 

Specialist supports 42 managers. Employment - bargaining 

unit positions require internal and external postings that 

involve various assessments and work processes. Personnel 

Security FTE are needed to handle the background and 

suitability checks of these new hires.

SB/SE Human 

Capital Office $786 4.00 8

Hiring positions will support the successful onboarding of 

new hires. Training positions will focus on developing and 

updating course material and delivering effective training 

for new hires. 

Privacy, 

Governmental 

Liaison and 

Disclosure

$195 1.50 3 Address the increase in Freedom of Information Act 

requests as result of increased compliance activity. 

Taxpayer Advocate 

Service (TAS) $96 

Ensure the IRS follows appropriate procedures and does not 

create unnecessary burdens or compromise taxpayers' 

rights.

WAGE -- Customer 

Service 

Representatives

$664 

Support examination efforts by ensuring staffing is available 

to handle downstream impact in accounts management 

operations.

Total $32,907 218.00 350

Dollars in thousands

Major Activities Protected Revenue 

($M)

Projected

Revenue ($M)

Pre-Refund 

Closures

Projected 

Closures

Field Examination 228.9 32,272 

Specialty Programs 37.1 6,347 

Correspondence Examination 531.5 216.0 120,800 41,860 

AUR 541.6 471,393 

BMF Underreporter/Document Matching 225.1 133,785 

Total $531.5 $1,248.7 120,800 685,657 
IRS-94

Increase Collection Coverage +$71,557,000 / +441 FTE

The IRS is requesting additional 

resources to improve its capacity to work 

the collection inventory and answer 

taxpayer phone calls. Increased staffing 

will address the overall collection 

coverage rate, which has declined 

16 percent from FY 2010 to FY 2017. 

This investment is expected to produce 

additional annual enforcement revenue of 

$978.8 million, an ROI of $9.5 to $1, 

once the new hires reach full potential in 

FY 2022. These resources will help the 

IRS to:

• Provide nearly 350 additional 

field collection staff to expand 

programs that address non-filing and 

underpayment of taxes to handle more than 

60,000 additional collection cases (currently 

there are more than one million cases with an 

aggregate assessed balance of more than 

$45.9 billion in the queue);

• Provide more than 220 additional Automated 

Collection System (ACS) staff to address an 

additional 358,000 ACS cases, including 

incoming calls generated by the issuance of 

levies, delinquent returns, and/or unpaid tax 

liabilities. ACS staffing has decreased by 

25 percent since the end of FY 2010, resulting in a substantial increase in unhandled 

ACS cases and a decreased level of service to taxpayers; and

• Expand several Compliance Services Collection Operations (CSCO) programs that 

address non-filing and underpayment of taxes through the notice process by more than 

350,000 notice dispositions and cases. CSCO investments will increase balance due 

work and expand the following programs: Automated Substitute for Return, Offers in 

Compromise, and Insolvency.

Major Activities Projected

Revenue ($M)

Projected 

Closures

Field Collection 330.6 63,470 

Automated Collection System 405.6 358,658 

Offers In Compromise 5.2 3,510 

Compliance Services Collection Operation 15.2 65,919 

Total $756.6 491,557 

$71.6

$104.5 $102.9 $130.1

$772.6

$978.8

$0

$200

$400

$600

$800

$1,000

$1,200

FY 2020 FY 2021 FY 2022

in millions

Revenue Generating ROI 

Cost Enforcement Revenue

$1.8 to $1

$9.5 to $1

$7.4 to $1

Position Type/Other Costs FTE Positions $000

Field Collection Coverage 172.50 335 $34,872

Revenue Officer 172.50 335 34,872

ACS & ACS Support 113.00 226 $14,253

Customer Service Representative 113.00 226 14,253

Correspondence Collection (CSCO) 32.00 64 $3,117

Tax Examiner 21.50 43 1,900

Manager/Support Staff 10.50 21 1,217

Other Direct Costs 123.00 212 $19,315

Tax Examiner - Appeals 9.00 18 1,011

Appeals Officer 52.00 104 8,877

Paralegal 2.00 4 243

Attorney 12.50 25 2,400

Program Analyst 3.50 7 456

Manager/Support Staff 9.00 18 1,375

TAS Specialist 191

Contact Representative 152

Seasonal 91

HR Specialist 35.00 36 4,519

Total 440.50 837 $71,557
IRS-95

Other Direct Costs 

IRS Activity Cost FTE Positions Explanation

Appeals $9,887 61.00 122

Support collection efforts and provide a high level of 

customer service on key compliance areas, particularly the 

Trust Fund Recovery Penalty and Collection Due Process 

workstreams. 

Chief Counsel $3,020 18.50 37 Provide support for increases in requests for legal advice, 

litigation assistance, and collection due process.

Human Capital Office $4,519 35.00 36

LR support to handle the increase in front-line positions and 

the expectation that new managerial positions will be 

created. LR support begins in the first year and continues 

throughout a manager's career, as needed. One LR 

Specialist supports 42 managers. Employment - bargaining 

unit positions require internal and external postings that 

involve various assessments and work processes. Personnel 

Security FTE are needed to handle the background and 

suitability checks of these new hires.

SB/SE Human Capital Office $982 5.00 10

Hiring positions will support the successful onboarding of 

new hires. Training positions will focus on developing and 

updating course material and delivering effective training 

for new hires. 

Privacy, Governmental Liaison 

and Disclosure $456 3.50 7 Address the increase in Freedom of Information Act 

requests as result of increased compliance activity. 

Taxpayer Advocate Service 

(TAS) $191 

Ensure the IRS follows appropriate procedures and does not 

create unnecessary burdens or compromise taxpayers' 

rights.

WAGE -- Customer Service 

Representatives $261 

Support collection efforts by ensuring staffing is available to 

handle downstream impact in accounts management 

operations.

Total $19,315 123.00 212

Dollars in thousands
IRS-96

Fight Cybercrimes and Counterterrorism +$40,197,000 / +87 FTE

Funding for this investment will 

strengthen cybercrimes and 

counterterrorism by enhancing 

several areas to include increasing 

Special Agent and Investigative 

Support resources to combat cybercriminals that exploit stolen taxpayer 

Personally Identifiable Information 

(PII) obtained through sophisticated data breaches and intrusions. This will allow increased 

participation in multi-agency cyber and counterterrorism task forces to target large-scale crime 

rings to maximize compliance. It will expand criminal investigations through analysis of rich 

data from Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) and fund the build-out of CI’s cybersecurity and 

cybercrime divisions. 

Since 9/11, IRS Criminal Investigation has occupied a pivotal role in the United States’ 

counterterrorism efforts, from identifying more than $2 billion in assets embezzled by Saddam 

Hussein and repatriating $1.3 billion to participating in many prosecutions of counterterrorism 

financing investigations. Moreover, CI agents have assisted in many high-profile terrorist 

investigations, from the domestic attacks in Boston, San Bernardino, Tampa and New York, to 

the international tragedies in Paris, Brussels and Manchester. CI continues to be a powerful 

force behind disrupting and dismantling attacks against the homeland and targeting the rise of 

the violent jihadists and the Islamic State.

The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Forces (JTTF) are CI’s main gateway to the national security 

community. CI staffs about half of the 104 task forces and supports the others as needed. This 

request will allow CI to increase its JTTF footprint and dedicate additional resources to national 

security investigations including counterintelligence, counterespionage and 

counter-proliferation investigations. Additionally, CI has formed a mobile counterterrorism 

Jump Team to respond to national security incidents/events as needed in support of the United 

States National Security interests. 

This funding would support the hiring of 144 Special Agents to conduct criminal investigations 

related to cyber and counterterrorism. As a result, the IRS should be able to complete about 900 

additional criminal investigations in total by FY 2025. The number of completed cases will not 

immediately materialize (probably not until at least FY 2021/2022) because of the time it takes 

to train agents and bring them up to full performance and the time it takes to complete

investigations (300-400 days).

The investigation of a terrorist attack is, at its core, a violent crime investigation. As with any 

violent crime, time is of the essence and the ability to rapidly identify, locate and assess 

evidence is paramount to thwarting future crimes and ensuring the prosecution of offenders. 

This axiom extends to financial crimes linked to terror attacks. CI’s ability to be present and 

working with other investigators is vital to success. The passage of time can easily result in the 

destruction or concealment of evidence, transfer of criminal proceeds used to fund future 

attacks, or even missed opportunities to identify conspirators and abettors. 

Position Type/Other Costs FTE Positions $000

Special Agents 39.00 78 $13,057

Special Agent 24.00 48 8,590

Analyst 11.00 22 1,377

IT Specialist 4.00 8 525

Contractual Services 2,565

Other Direct Costs 48.00 96 $27,140

Special Agent 48.00 96 27,140

Total 87.00 174 $40,197
IRS-97

Imbedding CI with existing law enforcement response teams, such as the FBI response teams,

accelerates coordination of government resources and allows for methodical, expeditious 

harvesting of financial evidence, exhaustive analysis in tracing and linking funds, and the 

increased likelihood of criminal prosecution and forfeitures for financial-related crimes. This 

request funds contractor support which will:

• Identify classes of fraud use cases, defining how they vary across the fraud actor 

community, and will facilitate sharing anonymized data for analysis and identification 

of fraud classes.

• Monitor tax fraud communication on the deep web to increase awareness of criminal 

activity focused on undermining protection barriers and fraud filters.

• Examine the fraud lifecycle to identify steps that non-compliant taxpayers take, and the 

ways CI can defend against each step.

• Determine how to build effective prevention and defense early in the fraud lifecycle.

• Develop machine-ingestible common vocabulary for fraud intelligence that allows 

non-compliant characteristics and techniques to be shared efficiently in a timely way.

• Validate fraud prevention mechanisms to assess their effectiveness and maintain and 

share current contact information with all partners.

Other Direct Costs 

IRS Activity Cost FTE Positions Explanation

Special Agent $27,140 48.00 96 Conduct more criminal investigations related to cyber 

and counterterrorism.

Total $27,140 48.00 96

Dollars in thousands
IRS-98

Return Review Program +$52,466,000 / +57 FTE

This investment provides funding for 

57 FTEs, hardware, software, and 

contractual services for deployed 

Return Review Program (RRP) 

applications. RRP deployed an 

Integrated Data Warehouse, In-Line Screening engine, and Offline Prevention environment that 

enhanced the IRS's ability to detect, resolve, and prevent criminal fraud and civil tax 

non-compliance. 

Since October 2016, the Return Review Program (RRP) has been the IRS’s primary system for 

detecting tax return fraud and other anomalies in tax filings, with a current focus on individual 

tax return data. RRP has protected more than $8.9 billion in confirmed fraud and has a return 

on investment (ROI) of $18.5 to $1.

Funding will allow the IRS to provide support for the deployed capabilities by:

• Enhancing applications, data modeling and mining, database development, business 

rules development, infrastructure support, performance engineering and testing, and 

application testing;

• Providing annual maintenance fees from hardware vendors and purchases to refresh 

computers, network equipment, and storage;

• Updating and maintaining the system software including operating systems, database, 

data integration, and utility software; and

• Working with the business to update the rules engines and data analytics.

Other Direct Costs 

There are no other direct costs associated with the initiative.

Position Type/Other Costs FTE Positions $000

Return Review Program O&M 57.00 57 $52,466

IT Specialist 57.00 57 8,614

Contractual Services 43,852

Total 57.00 57 $52,466
IRS-99

IT Support for Enforcement Efforts +$25,945,000 / 0 FTE

This investment will improve Information 

Technology Operations & Support activities 

related to compliance systems used by IRS 

employees. These systems support the day-today activities of about 17,000 revenue agents 

and tax examiners conducting audits, 3,000 

revenue officers collecting taxes, and 2,000 

special agents conducting criminal investigations.

Position Type/Other Costs FTE $000

IT Support for Enforcement 

Efforts 0.00 $25,945

Contractual Services 14,002

Hardw are & Softw are 11,943

Total 0.00 $25,945
IRS-100

Expand Coverage in the Tax-Exempt Sector +$36,309,000 / +232 FTE

Funding for this investment will allow 

the IRS to use a multi-faceted datadriven approach to enhance taxpayer 

education and compliance that will help 

protect the tax-exempt status of 

associated assets and revenue. 

This investment supports the following 

efforts, which will increase taxpayer 

service and education and improve 

overall compliance and protection of 

funds. 

• Enhance enforcement coverage 

of employee retirement plans, 

including but not limited to 

those sponsored by small 

businesses, exempt 

organizations, and governments, 

which make up almost half of all 

retirement plans in the 

United States;

• Address Exempt Organizations and Tax-Exempt Bond non-compliance to ensure 

adherence with complex and often confusing tax laws; and

• Increase voluntary compliance using low cost correction opportunities, to enhance 

taxpayer education and compliance. 

Position Type/Other Costs FTE Positions $000

Expand Protection and Coverage of Small 

Business and Tax Exempt Sponsored Plans 36.5 73 $6,225

Revenue Agent 31.5 63 5,597

Manager 2.5 5 338

Support Staff 2.5 5 290

Address EO Noncompliance with UBI 100.0 200 $17,277

Revenue Agent 84.0 168 14,927

Tax Compliance Officer 8.0 16 928

Manager 8.0 16 1,422

Enhance Up-front Compliance for Applicant for 

Tax-Exempt Status 33.5 67 $4,631

Revenue Agent 15.0 30 2,514

Tax Examiner 12.5 25 1,394

Manager 3.0 6 389

Support Staff 3.0 6 334

Increase Voluntary Compliance 58.5 117 $7,489

Revenue Agent 7.5 15 1,332

Tax Technician 22.0 44 2,726

Tax Examiner 21.0 42 2,436

Manager 3.5 7 473

Research Analyst 1.0 2 116

Support Staff 3.5 7 406

Other Direct Costs 3.5 7 $687

Attorney 3.0 6 599

Appeals Officer 0.5 1 88

Total 232.00 464 $36,309
IRS-101

4.2 – Summary of IRS FY 2020 Identity Theft Budget Request

4.3 – Summary of IRS FY 2020 ACA Budget Request

Bureau: Internal Revenue Service

Summary of FY 2020 Identity Theft Request $000 FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE

FY 2019 Annualized CR Level $129,499 1,827 $244,290 2,305 $53,209 65 $24,000 50 $450,998 4,247

Changes to Base:

Maintaining Current Levels (MCLs) $2 $233 $299 $534

Non-Pay Inflation Adjustment 2 233 299 534

Subtotal FY 2020 Changes to Base $2 $233 $299 $534

FY 2020 Current Services $129,501 1,827 $244,523 2,305 $53,508 65 $24,000 50 $451,532 4,247

Program Changes:

Program Increases:

IRS Technology Modernization Plan $11,000 11,000

Prevent Identity Theft 6,948 6,948

O&M of Critical Systems 232 232

Subtotal FY 2020 Program Increases $6,948 $232 $11,000 $18,180

Total FY 2020 Request $129,501 1,827 $251,471 2,305 $53,740 65 $35,000 50 $469,712 4,247

Dollar/FTE Change FY 2020 Request over FY 2019 Annualized CR Level $2 $7,181 $531 $26,562 $18,714 (41)

Percent Change FY 2020 Request over FY 2019 Annualized CR Level 0.00% 2.94% 1.00% 4.15% -0.97%

Cap Adjustment Program Increases

Return Review Program 6,739 20 6,739 20

Subtotal FY 2020 Cap Adjustment Investments $6,739 20 $6,739 20

Total FY 2020 Request Including Cap Adjustment $129,501 1,827 $251,471 2,305 $60,479 85 $35,000 50 $476,451 4,267

Dollar/FTE Change FY 2020 Request Including Cap Adj over FY 2019 Annualized CR Level $2 $7,181 $7,270 20 $11,000 $25,453 20

Percent Change FY 2020 Request Including Cap Adj over FY 2019 Annualized CR Level 0.00% 2.94% 31.62% 30.30% 130.36% 5.64% 0.47%

TAXPAYER 

SERVICES ENFORCEMENT OPERATIONS SUPPORT BSM TOTAL

Bureau: Internal Revenue Service

Summary of FY 2020 ACA Request $000 FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE

FY 2019 Annualized CR Level $111,537 1,870 $16,806 165 $73,338 208 $73,338 208

Changes to Base:

Maintaining Current Levels (MCLs) $1 $3 $3 $7

Non-Pay Inflation Adjustment 1 3 3 7

Subtotal FY 2020 Changes to Base $1 $3 $3 $3

FY 2020 Current Services $111,538 1,870 $16,809 165 $73,341 208 $73,341 208

Total FY 2020 Request $111,538 1,870 $16,809 165 $73,341 208 $73,341 208

Dollar/FTE Change FY 2020 Request over FY 2019 Annualized CR Level $1 $3 $3 $3 2

Percent Change FY 2020 Request over FY 2019 Annualized CR Level 0.00% 0.02% 0.00% 0.00% 0.96%

TAXPAYER 

SERVICES

ENFORCEMENT OPERATIONS 

SUPPORT

TOTAL
IRS-102

4.4 – Summary of IRS FY 2020 Cyber Security Budget Request 

Bureau: Internal Revenue Service

Summary of FY 2020 Cyber Security Request $000 FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE

FY 2019 Annualized CR Level $14,000 22 $17,000 60 $235,000 438 $65,000 $331,000 520

Changes to Base:

Maintaining Current Levels (MCLs) $280 $340 $4,700 $5,320

Non-Pay Inflation Adjustment 280 340 4,700 5,320

Subtotal FY 2020 Changes to Base $280 $340 $4,700 $5,320

FY 2020 Current Services $14,280 22 $17,340 60 $239,700 438 $65,000 $336,320 520

Program Changes:

Program Increases:

O&M of Prior-year Enterprise-wide Cybersecurity Investments 6,744 6,744

Subtotal FY 2020 Program Increases $6,744 $6,744

Total FY 2020 Request $14,280 22 $17,340 60 $246,444 438 $65,000 $343,064 520

Dollar/FTE Change FY 2020 Request over FY 2019 Annualized CR Level $280 $340 $11,444 $12,064

Percent Change FY 2020 Request over FY 2019 Annualized CR Level 2.00% 2.00% 4.87% 3.64%

TAXPAYER 

SERVICES ENFORCEMENT OPERATIONS SUPPORT BSM TOTAL
IRS-103

4.5 – Summary of IRS FY 2020 Request

Bureau: Internal Revenue Service 

Summary of FY 2020 Request $000 FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE $000 FTE

FY 2019 Annualized CR Level (Pre-IAT and TCJ Adjustments) $2,506,554 27,947 $4,860,000 35,327 $3,634,000 10,340 $110,000 361 $11,110,554 73,975

Planned Interappropriation Transfer (200,000) (1,346) 200,000 (1,346)

Section 112 Administrative Provision 65,000 887 12,000 68 $77,000 955

FY 2019 Annualized CR Level $2,571,554 28,834 $4,672,000 34,049 $3,834,000 10,340 $110,000 361 $11,187,554 73,584

Changes to Base:

Other Adjustments ($101,636) (1,192) $101,636 163 (1,029)

Offset to O&M for Critical IT Systems (101,636) (1,192) $101,636 163 (1,029)

Maintaining Current Levels (MCLs) $3,161 $6,249 $41,155 $50,565

Non-Pay Inflation Adjustment (2.0%) 3,161 6,249 41,155 50,565

Efficiency/Savings ($71,079) (1,003) ($13,717) (68) ($24,804) ($109,600) (1,071)

Increase e-File Savings (6,079) (116) (104) (6,183) (116)

Space Optimization (24,700) (24,700)

Reduce Contractual Services (1,717) (1,717)

Non-Recur for Section 112 Tax Reform Funding (65,000) (887) (12,000) (68) (77,000) (955)

Subtotal FY 2020 Changes to Base ($169,554) (2,195) ($7,468) (68) $117,987 163 ($59,035) (2,100)

New FY 2020 Current Services $2,402,000 26,639 $4,664,532 33,981 $3,951,987 10,503 $110,000 361 $11,128,519 71,484

Program Changes:

Program Increases: $40,836 201 $123,034 180 $180,000 80 $343,870 461

IRS Technology Modernization Plan 180,000 80 180,000 80

Data Analytics to Enhance Compliance 28,470 174 5,363 16 33,833 190

Prevent Identity Theft 12,366 27 10,122 2 22,488 29

O&M of Prior-year Enterprise-wide Cybersecurtiy Investments 6,744 6,744

O&M of Critical Systems 100,805 162 100,805 162

Subtotal FY 2020 Program Changes $40,836 201 $123,034 180 $180,000 80 $343,870 461

Total FY 2020 Request $2,402,000 26,639 $4,705,368 34,182 $4,075,021 10,683 $290,000 441 $11,472,389 71,945

Dollar/FTE Change FY 2020 Request ov er FY 2019 Annualized CR ($169,554) (2,195) $33,368 133 $241,021 343 $180,000 80 $284,835 (1,639)

Percent Change FY 2020 Request ov er FY 2019 Annualized CR -6.59% -7.61% 0.71% 0.39% 6.29% 3.32% 163.64% 22.16% 2.55% -2.23%

Cap Adjustment Program Increases

Increase Audit Coverage 92,557 854 42,540 89 135,097 943

Increase Collection Coverage 50,344 402 21,213 39 71,557 441

Fight Cybercrimes and Counterterrorism 28,927 87 11,270 40,197 87

Return Review Program 52,466 57 52,466 57

IT Support for Enforcement Efforts 25,945 25,945

Expand Coverage in the Tax-Exempt Sector 28,058 232 8,251 36,309 232

Subtotal FY 2020 Cap Adjustment Investments $199,886 1,575 $161,685 185 $361,571 1,760

Total FY 2020 Request Including Cap Adjustment $2,402,000 26,639 $4,905,254 35,757 $4,236,706 10,868 $290,000 441 $11,833,960 73,705

Dollar/FTE Change FY 2020 Request Including Cap Adj ov er FY 2019 Annualized CR ($169,554) (2,195) $233,254 1,708 $402,706 528 $180,000 80 $646,406 121

Percent Change FY 2020 Request Including Cap Adj ov er FY 2019 Annualized CR -6.59% -7.61% 4.99% 5.02% 10.50% 5.11% 163.64% 22.16% 5.78% 0.16%

TAXPAYER SERVICES ENFORCEMENT OPERATIONS SUPPORT BSM TOTAL