Taxpayer interest in IRS direct filing may be 'overstated'

[Patrick Michael]

" Taxpayers' eagerness to use free software provided by the Internal Revenue Service to file their taxes may be exaggerated because of the way a survey was designed, according to a new report."

"Taxpayer interest in a Direct File tool may be overstated due to the design of the surveys conducted," said TIGTA. "For example, the Taxpayer Experience Survey did not provide a 'neutral' option for participants. Research shows that developing a survey with a five-point scale, to include a neutral option, rather than a four-point scale as used by the Taxpayer Experience Survey, is preferable because it does not put taxpayers into a "forced choice" response scenario. In addition, the survey prompt may have led taxpayers to believe that the tool would have more options than it will immediately have available, such as the ability to file State tax returns. An independent study by a Federally Funded Research and Development Center found that 60% of taxpayers would choose their current software when State tax returns are excluded from an IRS Direct File tool.  The decision was made to proceed with a Direct File pilot based upon a 72% interest in a Direct File tool, per the Taxpayer Experience Survey.  However, only 28% were 'very interested' compared to 45% who were 'somewhat interested.'"

 

Goes to show a survey can be constructed to get the desired results.  Looks like we may have more job security then we thought.