The IRS has launched its very own YouTube channel. Is it an effort to get funky and hip? Those are two words that have never, ever been associated with the agency and they won’t be now either, but it is a continuation of the effort to become more informative.
The IRS was a dinosaur in the 1980s when it came to…well, just about everything. Then Charles O. Rossotti agreed to become commissioner of the agency in 1997. He was unique in that he was not part of the IRS management. Instead, he had run American Management Systems as CEO. This gave him a unique “real business world” perspective. He was charged by President Clinton with reforming the IRS and he did a spectacular job by all accounts.
Rossotti was big into customer service and technology. He drastically improved IRS customer service, but it was technology where the biggest changes occurred. The IRS computer system was out of date and he sought to modernize it. The effort has been a nightmare, but is progressing. Where Rossotti really had an impact was on the web.
Believe it or not, the IRS has an amazing website. In fact, it is one of the best on the web when it comes to information. The site is huge and contains just about anything you could want. Hot issues are always listed on the home page for ease of use. You can also search for any IRS form in the forms section by either name or form number. The IRS even sends out tax tips from time to time to keep taxpayers updated on the latest tax breaks.
Rossotti left the IRS in 2002, but his notions have carried on. The new YouTube channel is unique in that it is a proactive effort by the IRS to tell taxpayers in plain English how the stimulus legislation affects them. You can watch videos on everything from the first-time home buyers tax credit to tax credits for buying new green appliances. While the videos aren’t exactly the stuff of car chases, they aren’t as dry and boring as you might think. In truth, they are excellent at providing the information you need on these issues.
The idea of the IRS opening a YouTube channel might seem bizarre at first, but it really isn’t. If you are looking for tax information, just give it a try. Search for IRS on YouTube and you’ll be taken to it.
Thomas Ajava writes for
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