Presentation by Terry Lymons, Internal Revenue Service, at Center for Plain Language workshop, "Best Practices in Plain Language," on October 9, 2012

1. The IRS and Plain Writing – Challenges and
Accomplishments for a Taxing Situation
Terry Lemons, Internal Revenue Service

2. Introduction
 Terry Lemons, Director,
Office of Communications, IRS
 Co-chair of IRS Plain Writing Editorial Board

3. Challenges
 Complex subject matter
 Large, varied audience
– General public – potentially 141.1 million
– Tax/legal professionals – potentially 1.9 million
 Large agency
– Decentralized content writing, review

4. Multi-pronged implementation
 Established Plain Writing editorial board
 Trained all employees
 Established Plain Language@IRS on
IRS.gov for ongoing updates and feedback
 Redesigned more than 120 notices

5. From this

6. To this
Our redesigned
notices explain:
–Why the notice was
sent
–How the taxpayer
should respond
–What the
consequence is if the
taxpayer does not
respond
–Where to find
additional resources,
publications, and
services

7. Benefits of improvements
Improved business results:
Increase compliance
Reduction in the tax gap
Earlier resolution of cases when taxpayers are more responsive
Possible reductions in call volumes as information is communicated
through notices or online
Improved customer results:
Increased satisfaction, driven by
– Earlier resolution of their case
– Reduced penalties and interest (inferred if cases are resolved earlier)
– Decreased confusion

8. Taxpayer focus groups
Restraining Forces
Can’t
Don’t Uncertain Threatening
Respond Unclear
Have $ Eligibility for Tone
Electronically Language
Now Installment Plan Immune to
Consequences
Driving Forces
Easy-to-Find
Online
Collaborative Information
Tone
Online Encourage
Better Online Setup of Contact with
Communication Payment Installment IRS
of Payment Portal Agreement
Options

9. To this
Redesigned notices
point taxpayers to web
page with:
–Plain language
information about the
notice they received
–Answers to common
questions
–Linksto related
resources
–Tips to offer ideas to
help taxpayers succeed
in coming years

10. Building on our success
Redesigned “balance due” notices:
• Compared to accounts using previous versions of
balance due notices, more taxpayers are:
 Paying their tax liability
 Contacting IRS to discuss payment options
 Setting up installment payments

11. Written for IRS, not the reader
CP 504 before:
–Important information
not clearly highlighted
–Confusing, unfamiliar
terms: levy, lien,
assets
–Somewhat
threatening tone as
this was the last notice
prior to collection
action

12. Addressing the reader’s needs
Redesigned CP 504 notice:
–Builds on same plain
language features as
previous redesigned
notices
–Uses familiar words
–Alerts taxpayers to
other important issues
this tax liability could
affect if unresolved

13. Where we go from here
 Additional notice redesign
• planning to release 9 additional redesigned
notices in October 2012;
61 additional in January 2013
 Continued review of new and substantially
revised documents
 Redesigned IRS.gov website
 Continued training for employees

14. Questions?
 Terry Lemons, terry.l.lemons (at) irs[dot]gov
 Plain Language @ IRS on IRS.gov