Q&A of the Week January 31, 2024

Question

What is the Simple Notice Initiative?

Answer

The IRS launched the Simple Notice Initiative to simplify and clarify the letters they send to taxpayers. They plan to review and redesign tax notices, beginning with the most common letters. This process will begin with individual taxpayers and will then move to businesses as well.

The IRS hopes to more clearly and concisely communicate so it is easier for taxpayers to understand the tax issues and next steps. Better communication with taxpayers will also lead to fewer phone calls and visits to the IRS.

Updated notices from the IRS use plain language, headers, icons, and step-by-step instructions. The notices also include a QR code that directs taxpayers to the webpage where they can respond to the notice directly (rather than making a phone call).