Tax Lawyer's Blog

The easier it is for taxpayers to file their returns and pay their taxes on a timely basis the better it is for the government.

That’s s why in 2002 the IRS established the Office of Taxpayer Burden Reduction (OTBR).

What is “taxpayer burden” you ask? Well, according to the IRS website,

Taxpayer Burden is the time and money taxpayers spend to comply with their federal tax obligations.

The stated mission of the OTBR is to reduce Taxpayer Burden by,

• Developing burden reduction proposals;
• Coordinating and championing burden reduction throughout IRS; and
• Working with Congress, state and Federal agencies, taxpayers and practitioners to identify and implement meaningful burden reduction efforts.

TBR focuses its burden reduction efforts on four major areas:

• Simplifying forms and publications;
• Streamlining internal policies and procedures;
• Promoting less burdensome rulings and laws; and
• Assisting in the development of a new, more accurate burden measurement methodology.

Use Form 13285A, Reducing Tax Burden on America’s Taxpayers, to submit proposals for burden reduction to the OTBR.

Burden reduction initiatives are evaluated and prioritized by,

• Determining the number of taxpayers impacted;
• Quantifying the total time and out-of-pocket savings for taxpayers;
• Evaluating any adverse impact on IRS’s voluntary compliance efforts;
• Assessing the feasibility of the initiative, given IRS resource limitations; and
• Tying the initiative into IRS objectives.

Burden reduction initiatives are selected by the Taxpayer Burden Reduction Council. This Council consists of top level executives representing all major operating units of the IRS.

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