Internal Revenue Service Commissioner Discusses Digitization Progress

Danny Werfel, commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service, maintains that advancements have been made towards paperless goals while acknowledging that his organization is “not there yet.”

Speaking at a recent American Council for Technology-Industry Advisory Council event, he said ongoing digitization efforts would enhance data security and efficiency, FedScoop reported Friday.

Werfel shared that the IRS is planning to scan and upload paper tax documents into its internal system, adding that doing so is one way his organization is spending Inflation Reduction Act funding. The IRS is slated to receive $79.6 billion in IRA funds through fiscal year 2031.

According to Werfel, his organization is also prioritizing fixes to “real mission-critical risks” such as static web tool enhancements and recruiting more staff to receive taxpayer calls. Another goal is to address fraudulent operations targeting taxpayers, he noted.

In November, the IRS announced that its Paperless Processing Initiative met its first goal, enabling taxpayers to communicate digitally with the organization.