We believe this addition will be beneficial for taxpayers and the IRS as their telephone assistors become better informed as to the types of inquiries it is to permit. This leads into the final point I would like to raise today. Despite the recent reorganization efforts and technology improvements, and sometime because of them, the IRS continues to have severe problems with basic account management. Simple problems with client returns often entails hours or days of senseless struggle to get the right information to right person at the agency. Faxed information is never received.
Phone calls go unanswered.
Valuable time is spent on hold waiting to talk to a person at the agency, who then has difficulties resolving problems quickly for lack of training and basic technology tools. Congress needs to stay the course with adequate resources for technological enhancements and strong oversight. I appreciate the Committee giving the National Association of Enrolled Agents the opportunity to talking about the 2001 filing season today. Commissioner Rossotti has a tough job and the organization is generally doing the best it can with the limited resources it has.